I've been surprised that the ban on smoking in places like shopping malls and restaurants has been obeyed by just about everyone.
Now there's a new federal law that extends the ban to include public transport and public places(a bit vague that one) houses of worship, educational institutions and health and sports facilities.
There's one more - a ban on smoking in a vehicle with a child of up to 12 years in it.
For a bad example to children and for the damage to their health that's about the worst place to smoke. But I think it's going to be a difficult one to enforce.
Gulf News has the story here.
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You are so right Seabee. Law Enforcement officers here seem to struggle with the basic road safety issues, let alone attempting to spot a smoking felon driving a tinted windowed vehicle.
I know its getting horrible everywhere. In the states there are bans from smoking in your house and in some place smoking on your porch. its like making something illegal and still selling it! wtf? i found a way around this for a while, check it out! www.greensmoke.com/palailama
There are a couple of things about the issues of the smoking ban that caught my attention.
1. In the Khaleej Times the story was accompanied by a front page picture of -- people smoking. Not a great way to discourage smoking is it?
2. The Dubai authorities are worried that the federal law states that tobacco products should not be sold to anyone under the age of 18, whereas they already enforce a ban on selling the same to those under 20. Why worry, you are already within the limit.
3. I have yet to see anyone get fined (or even told off) for breaking the smoking ban in shopping malls. And yes it still happens...
4. Why not ban the stuff in the first place? Or tax it so that it becomes more expensive? (Its not discriminatory against the lower income people as some have suggested. It will actually help them in quitting, and increase their savings.) I am an ex-smoker, who trained my self to quit by a self imposed tax. I would buy a packet of cigarettes, smoke one and throw the packet away. It worked for me, and I quit within 2 weeks. Been 100% smoke free for 10 years now.
The ban on smoking—and the subsequent enforcement—is exemplary of Dubai culture : let's make sure the gods of commerce are satisfied but also have strictures in place should we ever need to resort to accountability( or be held accountable).
Frankly, if they really wanted to ban smoking they could just jack up the price of a cigarette pack like they have done here in the U.S. with taxation and other financial instruments etc.
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