Crackdown: Stiff smoking fines

Violators of the new anti-smoking regulations in public areas face fines of up to Dh80,000, a senior municipal official warned yesterday.

Salem Bin Mesmar, Director of Public Health at the municipality, told reporters that the city needs everybody’s cooperation to keep indoor air quality clean for the health of all residents.

"We’re trying to get the public to accept the idea," he said, "but we are planning to implement our fines in 2008."

The time for polite warnings will soon be over, he said, when city inspectors begin hunting for violators in full force.

They will issue tickets, Mesmar said.

The matrix of fines is still pending approval of the city legal department but a draft list of set fines was released yesterday by the municipality (see box).

Not only smokers face fines – malls, retailers and restaurants and cafés which do not adhere to the rules also face big fines ranging from Dh10,000 to Dh80,000.

Fareed Abdul Rahman, Vice President and Asset Manager of Majid Al Futtaim malls, said, "We have seen a significant increase in footfall in both Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre since the smoking ban was implemented on September 15."

He said mall traffic has actually increased by 12 per cent.

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Penalty box

1. For violating rules governing the sale of tobacco - Dh2,000-Dh16,000
2. For smoking in a public place - Dh1,000-Dh8,000
3. For hotels, malls and retailers who ignore rules and allow smoking, Dh10,000-Dh80,000
4. For restaurants who allow smoking in unapproved premises, Dh5,000-Dh40,000
5. For amusement centres and recreational centres who allow smoking - Dh2,000-Dh16,000
6. For other facilities (theatres, meeting halls, museums, art galleries) who violate the rules, Dh1,000-Dh8,000.

Source: Dubai Municipality