The shopping-mall smoking ban that came into effect 14 days ago has been well-received by Dubai residents.
Local Order No 11 (2003), which said that to protect public health the municipality can introduce new measures to ban smoking in public areas, also targets smoking in areas that may cause harm to non-smokers.
The "Together to preserve your health" campaign will soon be taken a step farther to ban smoking in private offices. As reported in Gulf News on Wednesday, the municipality will expand the ban by fining companies that allow smoking in the office, encouraging businesses to create designated smoking rooms.
This initiative has been praised by smokers and non-smokers, as most businesses already apply a no-smoking policy in the office. It is thought this will push people to kick the habit. Smoking has already been banned in public offices.
Mohammad Ali from Qatar started smoking five months ago at work. He thinks the fine will work, but people at his office already go outside to smoke. "I started smoking because I get nervous at work, or I sit and chat with friends sometimes and smoke. I know it smells bad, but I like smoking, and we have to go outside anyway. It's fun but it's bad."
Fining businesses that allow employees to smoke is welcomed by Briton Graham Scott.
It's a filthy habit, he says.
"I think it's a great idea, you need a healthy attitude to life. Smoking should be banned everywhere. I have a zero tolerance to smoking."
Smoking is a fire hazard and dirty, he said, especially when you find cigarette butts on the floor everywhere in smoking rooms.
Siddharth George, an Indian, thinks drastic measures, such as a fine, is sometimes needed to make people learn the hard way. "It's a good idea to introduce a ban because it really damages your health and the fumes also smoke others. Even if the air-conditioning is on, the smoke gets through and the fumes affect you. It's a bit drastic, but it's a good way to make people stop."
Despite being a non-smoker and disliking a work environment where there is smoke, Athura Alexandre, an Indian, is more tolerant than most and is appalled businesses could be fined. "It's a democratic right and people should be allowed to smoke. You can't tell people what to do or not to smoke. It's up to them to decide what they want to do. I hate people smoking, but at work I live with it because I know it's their right."
The fine is welcomed by most but some remain indifferent because they already work in smoke-free zones with designated areas for smokers, or else employees have already started going outside to get their nicotine fix.
Non-smoker Anoop Vaswani, an Indian, does not really mind that a fine is being introduced.
"Smokers have their own life. People can tell them what's wrong and right but they have their own way of living life. The fine will definitely help people to stop, but I don't mind. It depends on the government and what they think should be done. I think most people want there to be less smokers though."
Houda Laroussi said it is better for people not to smoke in the office. She does not think the fine is too drastic.
"I think you must respect the place you are in when there are people around you. There needs to be a special place for smokers to go. It is good to be fined, but it's a difficult matter."
Briton Sue Coveney, a former smoker, said anything the government can do to stop smoking is positive.
"The fining system will push people to stop. It gives support to non-smokers who aren't protected at the moment. We need to take others into consideration. Getting tough will help.
"I used to smoke but now that I have a four-year-old child, I don't want to be exposed to people's smoke, neither did I expose people to my second-hand smoke when I lit up. I think it's right to ask around you if smoking will bother people."
Australian Caitlin B. has just given up smoking and is happy that fines in the office could come into effect.
"I think it should be done. It's a good idea but will only work if you have designated areas for smoking. People go outside to smoke in most offices anyway."
Gulf News
