The Law Respect Culture Bureau at the General Secretariat of the Office of H.H Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, will take part in a community-based legal initiative, to support the “Abu Dhabi Says: No For Tobacco” Campaign. The Campaign launched recently by the Abu Dhabi Health Authority aims to reduce tobacco use among youth and teenagers and increase smoking cessation and guarantee a smoke-free environment in workplaces and closed public places on the occasion of the International No Smoking Day.
The Law Respect Culture Bureau’s participation will include awareness contests about tobacco laws and distribution of free educational presents to the public such as data storage devices or USB flash drives containing regulations of the Tobacco Act. This campaign, which will take place every weekend starting today, Thursday, will span over 8 weeks at major Abu Dhabi malls, to educate the public on the disadvantages of tobacco use and the dangers of smoking.
Lt. Colonel Salah Obeid Al Goul, Director of Law Respect Culture Bureau, called on community members, especially the smokers, to take advantage of this community-based campaign which enhances the individuals and parents’ health culture, legal and environmental education. This step would help community members to quit all kinds of smoking and make Abu Dhabi a smoke-free emirate, given that tobacco is harmful to the human and environment alike.
Al Goul said: “The Bureau will resort to every legal means to fight this disease as part of the campaign, which will replace paper publications with electronic awareness tools, to enhance the development of a sustainable environment. The free USB flash drives that will be distributed to the public will contain a number of publications issued by the Bureau such as the ‘Cigarette Trial’ booklet, addressing the legal facts included in the legislations in force in the nation, which seek to fight this habit that weaken communities and consumes its resources.”
Al Ghoul added: “As an integral part of the nation’s structure, the Ministry of Interior recognizes the dangers of smoking and the serious consequences of this bad habit on the safety of individuals, particularly the youth and teenagers. Smoking is the first step towards the gradual process of violating laws and traditions and may lead to drug addiction later.”
Moreover, Al Ghoul added: “As part of the campaign, the Bureau will conduct legal awareness contests in the malls, to focus on the dangers of this harmful habit and educate the public on the details of the anti-tobacco issued in the UAE in 2009. The Bureau will also shed the light on some of the sanctions which will be imposed on violations and may sometimes lead to imprisonment and a fine of one million dirhams in some cases.”
Al Goul continued: “Protecting the environment and achieving a sustainable development in the UAE is a social and national duty characterized with an institutional frame, integrated legislations and developed mechanisms which proved their efficiency, effectiveness and ability for regeneration. Therefore, the Bureau’s participation, in the legal environmental awareness regarding the dangers of smoking, comes in line with this duty that should be pursued by everyone in the fight against this social disease.
The Director of the Law Respect Culture Bureau pointed out the legal protection granted by legislators to individuals through the anti-tobacco federal law, whereas various financial penalties were imposed on those who sell or try to sell tobacco and its products to minors under 18. The law allowed the seller to ask for a proper identification from the buyer to confirm the legal age for smoking, and does not accept