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Shocking photographs of diseased organs and dying cancer patients will be put on cigarette packets on sale in the UAE from early next year, health chiefs have announced.
Tobacco manufacturers will have to print the photographs in a crackdown on tobacco laws in the region, UAE daily The National reported on Friday following an interview with Dr Wedad al Maidoor, the head of the Ministry of Health Tobacco Control Team.
Residents of the UAE spend about $109million a year on tobacco and Dr al Maidoor said the move should help to reduce the number of smokers and, in particular, prevent non-smokers from taking up the habit.
She said: "The pictures will be seen every time someone buys a packet of cigarettes, or takes one out the packet. We expect them to have a much bigger impact than the written words. People will not be able to ignore the photographs like they can the words."
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 10 per cent of those aged between 13 and 15 are smokers in the UAE, while in the GCC 13 per cent of youth are smokers. These figures prompted the Arab Health Council, based in Saudi Arabia, to announce the move.
