UAE Bans Vaping in Public Spaces

Vaping e-cigarettes is prohibited inside offices and closed spaces across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the health ministry has confirmed. The use of e-cigarettes is now subject to the federal law on tobacco control in the country.

This came as the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) highlighted the dangers of consuming tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, according to the Khaleej Times.

According to the UAE government website, the federal law also forbids and penalizes: the sale of tobacco products to those under 18; smoking in private cars when a child under the age of 12 is present; smoking in houses of worship, educational institutions (such as universities and schools), health and sports facilities; automatic vending equipment and devices for tobacco distribution inside the country; and tobacco advertisement.

The MoHAP said it has collaborated with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to block websites that advertise and promote electronic nicotine-delivery systems.

The UAE had originally planned to ban vaping products because UAE-based doctors had said that e-cigarettes would create a whole new generation of smokers. However, the country changed course after advocacy groups pushed for the harm reduction products.

Meanwhile, citing the National Health Survey, the ministry said the prevalence of adult tobacco smoking has declined from 11.1 percent in 2010 to 9.1 percent in 2018.

The latest edition of the Tobacco Atlas suggests that the UAE has among the lowest cigarette consumption rates. A graphic shared as part of the report shows that an adult smoker consumes 438 cigarettes a year in the country.