Tobacco.org

LETTER: Killer habit 

Merely banning smoking won't work. We need to win the hearts and minds of smokers. As an ex-smoker, perhaps my advice will carry some weight. . . .

Alas, I am now minus a lung and my family knows I won't last another three years. Schools should organise a visit to the cancer hospital in Al Ain. It might do the trick.

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Health authorities want ban imposed in phases 

Abu Dhabi: Health authorities said the anti-smoking measures should be implemented across different sectors in a phased manner so that smokers would be able to adapt better.

Such a move would help protect the children's and families' right to breathe clean air, without discriminating against smokers - an issue that appears to be coming to the fore in various parts of the world.

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Inspectors seize tonnes of tobacco products from shops 

Inspectors of Abu Dhabi Municipality's Market Control Section seized more than three tonnes of fake and smuggled tobacco products from a number of shops in the capital and its suburbs.

According to official sources, the confiscated goods included 14 brands of tobacco. Shops, warehouses and distribution stores involved have been booked for violations relating to selling fake brands and smuggled goods, and breaking economic and legal regulations.

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Farmer tom quits cigs... and gets the goat 

CLOGHER farmer Thomas Breadon has given up smoking in the interests of better health.

Since kicking the habit he has ploughed his savings back into the farm, buying machinery and livestock.

After attending a stop smoking clinic, delivered by Armagh and Dungannon Health and Social Services Trust in support of the Investing for Health Strategy for Northern Ireland, he decided to pack in the cigs for once and for all. . . .

Thomas, who previously smoked 25 cigarettes a day, decided to invest the money saved - around a fiver daily - in a hay turner and some livestock.

Southern Investing for Health manager Lyn Donnelly said: "Life expectancy in Northern Ireland falls short of many other countries in Western Europe. Furthermore, life expectancy in the Southern Board area is slightly below that of the Northern Ireland average.

"The Smoking Cessation Clinic is just one of the 'Beacon Projects' within the Southern Investing for Health strategy which is trying to tackle this shortfall.

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'Underage' agents trap 10 shops selling cigarettes to minors 

Youngsters posing as minors attempting to buy cigarettes have succeeded in getting 10 shops closed down in the city.

Working "undercover" for Abu Dhabi Municipality, they went to shops, supermarkets and cafeterias to check whether they are complying with the ban on selling cigarettes to minors.

According to the municipality these shops bore the sticker banning the sale of tobacco to children and knew about the ministry's regulation.

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Joint effort to keep tobacco out of reach of children 

Tobacco will no longer be available to children under 18 throughout the UAE in a series of measures taken by authorities to harmonise their approach.

Government departments say they are working hand in hand to force shops and other traders to stop selling cigarettes to youngsters. They are also making concerted efforts to ensure that adequate enforcement procedures exist.

Jassim bin Darwish, Director General of the General Municipalities Secretaries, said yesterday that all municipalities in the country should play an active role in this ban.

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Health ministry bans smoking at all venues of world youth soccer 

The Ministry of Health has banned smoking at all venues of the World Youth Championship scheduled to take place here.

The ministry said yesterday the move is under a decision of the UAE Higher Organising Committee (HOC) of the World Youth Championship.

The decision of the HOC, chaired by Sheikh Sayyid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was welcomed by the International Football Federation (FIFA).

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Abu Dhabi cracks down on vendors selling tobacco products to minors 

Authorities have recruited schoolchildren as undercover agents to trap shops that are illegally selling cigarettes to youngsters.

Four shops in different parts of the city have already been shut down as the teenage spies, posing as keen smokers, successfully bought tobacco from them.

The students were recruited by Abu Dhabi Municipality to reinforce its campaign banning sales of tobacco products to minors.

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New tobacco control law on the anvil 

A national tobacco control law is expected by the end of this year to reduce consumption in the UAE. . . .

The new document will introduce limitations on the advertisement of tobacco products, smoking in government offices and sale of tobacco to the young.

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• Cigarette company denied role in anti-smoking drive 

The Ministry of Health has declined repeated requests from British American Tobacco (BAT) to support the ministry's plan to help teenagers stop smoking.

While rejecting BAT's proposals, the ministry announced yesterday a major drive against juvenile smokers involving all government bodies.

"We will not carry joint campaigns with the tobacco industry which does not look at the public health but has very different objectives," said Dr Mahmoud Fikri, Assistant Undersecretary of the ministry. . . .

He said BAT has already taken part in a campaign with Abu Dhabi Municipality when the local authorities issued a decision to ban shops from selling tobacco to minors.

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Staff banned from smoking while driving 

People who drive vehicles for the Ministry of Health have been banned from smoking on duty in an effort to encourage healthier habits.

The move follows complaints from employees about passive smoking as drivers and others were often taking the opportunity to smoke during journeys.

A circular has been issued to Medical Zone directors, transport officials and drivers by Humaid Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Financial and Administrative affairs warning of strict penalties.

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Laser therapy helps fight smoking 

A private hospital here has introduced a revolutionary laser treatment to help smokers quit the habit and doctors said the system is three times more effective than nicotine patches and other traditional methods.

Al Ahalia Hospital said the laser machine is the first of its kind in Abu Dhabi but added it was introduced in Dubai earlier and has achieved good results.

"This new technology is a promising one and preliminary reports from Dubai and France have shown efficiency to the tune of 60 per cent, the largest achievable success rate in this kind of chronic smoking addiction," said Dr Rajeev Gupta, a consultant cardiologist.

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Decline in sale of cigarettes 

Sales of cigarettes in the capital has come down following the municipality ban on the sale of cigarettes to minors. Several small time grocery shops who thrived on sale of cigarettes to teenagers said that they are losing about Dh40 to 45 per day as they are not selling tobacco to customers under the age of 18.

A popular brand of tobacco with the teenagers costing Dh6 sells about five to six packs a day. The shopkeepers are strictly following the ban on sale of cigarettes to youngsters.  

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Parents welcome ban on selling tobacco products to minors 

Residents have welcomed the decision of Abu Dhabi Municipality to punish outlets which sell tobacco to minors, and hope stricter measures follow the move to discourage them from adopting the habit.

According to the decision on August 17, any shop, supermarket, grocery or commercial outlet caught selling any form of tobacco to anyone under the age of eighteen will be permanently shut down and fined by the government with no prior warning.

The municipality will take extreme measures against the offender. The shop will immediately be closed down and fined.

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Support for smoking ban swells 

An overwhelming 96 per cent of the Dubai population supports the ban on smoking in public places, according to a study conducted by the Public Relations Section at Dubai Municipality. The study explored public opinions on anti-smoking ways in Dubai, on the occasion of the World Anti-Smoking Day.

Khalid Ali bin Zayed, Head of the Public Relations Section at the municipality, said the study which was carried out by CATi mobile phone system, aimed to specify the best way to fight smoking. The average of accepting a law on banning smoking in public places was among those ways.

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