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Sharjah: More than 20 grocery stores have been shut down in Sharjah and Ajman for selling cigarettes to underage children, municipality officials told Gulf News.
Gulf News recently reported that teenagers were buying cigarettes from grocery shops in Sharjah and Ajman. Parents of teenagers called for stricter municipal checks on stores as many youngsters were able to buy cigarettes despite a tobacco ban for under 18s in both emirates.
The Ministry of Health has set an under-21 tobacco ban which is applicable across the UAE.
A Sharjah municipality official said the offending stores' trade licences would be cancelled.
The official added that municipality inspectors are monitoring all grocery stores in the emirate.
"We will have no mercy on those who attempt to sell cigarettes to minors," he said.
Surveillance
Store are also under surveillance in Ajman, where the under-18 tobacco ban also applies.
"It is prohibited to sell tobacco or individual cigarettes to children under 18 in Ajman. The municipality has also set rules regarding banning children from entering shisha coffee shops in Ajman. Fines of more than Dh5,000 will be imposed on the offenders," an official said.
The official said in the past grocery stores had tried to ignore the rules but it was time for them to expect that any of their customers could be a municipality inspector.
"If any grocery store is caught attempting to sell tobacco to youngsters the store will be closed, the owner will be fined and their trade licence will be cancelled," he said.
He said municipality inspectors will spare no effort in catching the shops which are selling tobacco to minors.
The stores have also been ordered to put up signs to tell people of the underage tobacco ban.
In case of any doubt, the salesmen can request evidence of the person's age. All manufacturers and sellers of tobacco and tobacco products are banned from promoting free tobacco and tobacco products to the public, especially to minors.
It is also prohibited for people who have legally acquired tobacco or tobacco products to provide youngsters below 21 years with these products.
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Do you think smoking is on the rise among teenagers? If yes, why do you think this is happening despite health campaigns? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com
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