Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008

Dubai: The ban on public smoking will be extended to parks, a Dubai Municipality official said.

Ahmad Al Shammari, Acting Director of the Public Health Department of the municipality, said: "Our next target will be public parks."

The ban will form the next phase of the municipality's smoking regulation enforcement, which has covered hotels, restaurants and cafes, malls and sports halls to date.

Smoking in public parks will be banned, because there are many family areas, including children's playgrounds, swimming pools and beaches.

Al Shammari said malls should have indoor areas for smokers. This would prevent shoppers having to walk through smoke to enter a shopping centre, he said.

BurJuman Centre has an indoor smoking room on the third floor, while malls such as Ibn Battuta and Mall of the Emirates have provided smoking areas outside entrances and exits. Smoking in undesignated areas of shopping malls was banned on September 15 2007, and carries a Dh1,000 fine for individuals.

To date, no individual smokers have been fined, while around 25 restaurants and cafes have been penalised.

By Alice Johnson

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