Teenage smoking rates ‘shocking’

Levels of tobacco use by young people in the UAE were described as shocking on Monday after a new study had found that more than one in five boys aged 13 to 15 was a smoker, according to a story in The National.

The teenage smoking problem was being blamed on the availability of cheap cigarettes and inadequate education about the health risks associated with the habit.

“We know that youth smoking is at a high rate and smoking among the young is on the increase,” said Wedad Al Maidoor, head of the tobacco control committee at the Ministry of Health.

“The use is high but the good thing is we are acting on this. The sale to teenagers is very highly controlled and marketing of tobacco is not allowed any more.

“Smoke-free areas are increasing and increasing across the UAE. We are making progress.”

A World Health Organisation study found that in the UAE 21.3 percent of boys and 9 percent of girls aged 13 to 15 used tobacco, and it found that most preferred cigarettes to other products, such as shisha or dokha.

The study found also that, among adults, 28 percent of men and 2.4 percent of women smoked.