Saturday, May 31, 2008

Gulf News

Dubai: Smoking in cars and public parks will be addressed in the upcoming UAE tobacco control law, places health officials have described as "grey areas".

The tobacco control law, expected to be ratified by November, will cover all the points required by the World Health Organisation Framework Convention of Tobacco Control, including protection of non-smokers, quit smoking programmes and decreasing access to tobacco products.

Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami, Health Minister, told the press after the 'UAE World No Tobacco Day' observances that the ministry will set parameters for implementing the law.

"We will identify the points that fall under the law," he said, adding the law will be implemented in phases to give time for businesses and agencies to adapt.

Defining areas

One of the points of the law is a ban on smoking in public and enclosed spaces, and what constitute a public place and enclosed spaces.

Dr Wedad Al Maidoor, head of the National Tobacco Committee, told Gulf News the ministry will have to decide whether smoking in cars with children present and public parks fall into this category.

"We haven't decided on public parks yet. They are public but they are not enclosed spaces. And there is also a proposal that people can't smoke in cars but cars are considered private. At the same time, parents should not smoke when their children are in the car," Wedad said.

"We are considering these once the law is passed. A committee will decide on the grey areas," she added.

Other parts of the law are not as ambiguous. Most enclosed places, frequented by the public, will be allowed to build smoking rooms according to governmental specifications.

Under this point, shisha cafes will likely be allowed to continue operating as long as they renovate their premises in accordance with the law's requirements, including a better ventilation system.

An outright ban will be instituted in some premises, such as health institutions, religious centres and schools. No smoking rooms will be allowed in these places.

Wedad said an outright ban on smoking in the educational institutions was especially important to cut down teenage smoking, which has risen according to the 2007 Global Tobacco Youth Survey.

Programmes for youths

"We [also] try to come up with creative campaigns for children and adolescents" to warn them against smoking, as well as quit smoking programmes targeted at young people, she said.

"We follow them up at schools," she added.

The Ministry of HealthMinistry of Health has 60 quit-smoking centres in the UAE.

© Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.

 

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