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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.
Will it have a great impact on decreasing the number of smokers? What more do you think should be done? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form bellow to send your comments.
Your comments
I respect the right of others in not smoking, but our rights to smoke must also be respected, Parks are open areas, Smoke can't really harm or even reach those families in open air.
Its not about just setting rules without studying the impact. And most importantly respect everyone's freedom and rights!!!!
Amro
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 10:57
I want to bring to notice that in Zabeel Park the authorities have made the Barbeque place just near the play area of small kids so the affect of that is all the smoke of charcoal passes thru the kids
Firoz
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 10:22
People will support more and more if smoking ban strictly imposed in the bus stops where ladies and gents waiting for longtime in the hot and humid weather condition with immediate effect mainly smokers dont care about the neibours who is not smoking(eventhough passive smoking) awaiting dubai municipality action in few days which will save more people to relax
Sirajudeen
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 10:01
This is outrageous! If smoking is banned in open air, why not ban smoking altogether?
Syed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 08:47
No problem to stop smoking inside malls etc.but outside must be a joke.What will be the next step? No smoking on the beach?
Michael
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 08:46
It can only decrease smokers in public areas as these smokers would still find a way to do their vice. Pretty sure they'll do it at home like what our flatmates (girls) are doing.
Analiza
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 08:30
IT IS THE GOOD EFFORT TO CONTROL THE SMOKERS. BUT, I DOUBT IT WILL SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT COZ, TOBACCO SOME IS .00000000001% OF THE SMOKE GENERATED BY AUTOMOBILE SMOKE.WT THE GOVT. EXPECT OUT OF THIS RULE?
Ashfaq
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 06:35
Two thumbs up!
This decision reflects a clear vision of the leadership in Dubai that aims at providing the residents with the safest environment.
Time for other Arab countries to learn from Dubai.
OOOO
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 04:20
I feel its becoming very difficult to live in this place with many restrictions imposed by authorities, I respect that non-smokers should not be affected by the behavior of smokers, but we have also to give people choice and provide alternatives. If the real interest is protect people health, then why do we allow importing and selling it in the first place? And how do we justify allowing alcohol while it?s more dangerous on individual and community than smoking.
Mohannad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 05, 2008, 04:14
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