Grocery Stores Ignore Warnings on Cigarette Sales to Youngsters

Source from:  By Bassma Al Jandaly, Staff Reporter March 06, 2008 03/07/2008

Dubai: Parents of teenagers have called for stricter municipal checks on grocery stores as many youngsters are able to buy cigarettes there despite a tobacco ban for under 21s. Parents have said 10-year-old children or younger smoking in public is a common sight. They have said there is an urgent need for regular municipal inspections on neighbourhood grocery stores. The Ministry of Health has prohibited the sale of cigarettes or even single cigarettes to children and ordered stores to put up signs to that effect. But grocery stores do not have a problem selling single cigarettes, parents said. A group of children below 16 told Gulf News they bought cigarettes at the end of their school day. "We usually buy single cigarettes and the grocery man never tells us it is not allowed," said one 10-year-old boy who lives in Sharjah. An 11-year old said he spends his pocket money on cigarettes. "I started smoking last year," he said. When the school bus drops him and his friends near their home they first go to the nearby grocery store "for a smoke", he said. "We also buy chewing gum to get rid of the cigarette smell before we go home," he said. Mohammad Hakim Abdullah said he often sees a group of children smoking. "I feel very bad ... The grocery store owner in the area is an irresponsible person. But he is fearless because the municipality inspectors give this issue no interest. We never hear about a shop being shut down for selling cigarettes to minors," Abdullah said. The monitoring on cigarette sales is handled by the economic department, food control section and police. Healthcare Cessation clinics Two more smoking cessation clinics, one in Ajman and Fujairah, will open as part of the Health Ministry's tobacco control efforts for the UAE. Dr Ali Shakar, undersecretary at the ministry, and Hatem Hammad, Novartis Consumer Health business unit head for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), signed a memorandum-of-understanding yesterday to operate the clinics. Services include a free consultation for all and free medical treatment for Emiratis. The Ministry of Health rules say that shopowners, market stall holders, and owners of hotels, coffee shops and cinemas should not sell tobacco products to people under the age of 21. All sellers of tobacco and tobacco products must place a clear and prominent sign about the prohibition of tobacco sales to minors. In the case of any doubt, the salesmen can request evidence of the person's age. All manufacturers and sellers of tobacco and tobacco products are banned from promoting the free distribution of tobacco and tobacco products to the public, especially to minors. It is also prohibited for persons who have legally acquired tobacco or tobacco products to provide youngsters below 21 years with these products. In cases of non-compliance, penalties will be imposed which range from a written warning to minimum monetary penalties and then cancellation of licence. Municipalities are responsible for enforcing the ban. Enditem