Tobacco penalties from today in UAE

People breaking the UAE’s new anti-tobacco law face the risk of being fined from today, according to a Khaleej Times story.

Enforcement agencies across the emirates are expected to target people smoking in cars containing young people, people selling cigarettes to minors and people operating shisha joints in restricted areas.

Anyone caught smoking in a car with children present is liable to be fined AED500. A repeat offence will attract a fine of AED1,000.

Fines ranging from AED100,000 to AED1 million will be imposed on violators of tobacco prohibitions in commercial establishments.

However, the UAE’s anti-tobacco crusader believes most of the government bodies assigned to implement the regulations are only partly ready to get tough on violators.

The head of the National Tobacco Control Committee at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Wedad Al Maidoor, said the authorities might not be fully ready for enforcement of the tobacco bylaws today.

“I also don’t expect the enforcement to be strict initially,” she said.