UAE moves to stub out smoking

According to the new rules, each cigarette must contain no more than 0.6 milligrams of nicotine, 10 milligrams of tar and produce a maximum of 12 milligrams of carbon monoxide. (Getty Images)

The UAE has stepped up its efforts to crack down on smoking under new regulations requiring prominent health warnings to be displayed on cigarette packaging in the Emirates.

Under regulations announced on Sunday, the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) has demanded that cigarette packets carry health warnings in large Arabic and English print starting September 29.

The toughening of rules also calls for manufactured cigarettes to comply with technical standards on content, and contain only a 'permissible' percentage of nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide.

According to the new rules, each cigarette must contain no more than 0.6 milligrams of nicotine, 10 milligrams of tar and produce a maximum of 12 milligrams of carbon monoxide.

"The move is to provide safety, health, economical and environmental protection through ensuring that the services, consumable commodities and other materials are of quality and in conformity with the national standards," said Mohammed Saleh Badri, Deputy Director General of ESMA.

He added that violators will face penalties upon failure to comply with the new requirements when they take effect on September 29.

Violations of the new law will be punished with a prison sentence, a fine of at least 30,000 dirhams or both, Gulf News reported Sunday.

The move comes as Dubai gets set to roll out the next phase of its smoking ban on September 15, which calls for mandatory designated smoking areas that meet ventilation requirements in all shopping centres, cafes and restaurants.

The third phase is set to start on November 15 and will include a blanket ban on smoking in educational establishments, hair salons, health clubs, internet cafes, foodcourts and offices.

The smoking ban officially came into effect on May 31 with its first phase prohibiting smoking in government buildings and public places such as libraries.

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