Strategic plan to combat smoking

Dr Jassim Kulaib, Head of the National Committee on Tobacco Control, MoH, said after a meeting held with members of the Anti-Smoking Committee for the AGCC region, “The AGCC countries have discussed the need for setting up standardised marketing regulations for tobacco products which will be implemented after the Authority of Standardisation in Abu Dhabi approves it.”

Dr Kulaib further said these regulations would include enforcement of 100 per cent tax on shisha and its by-products, regulating the content of nicotine and concentration of tar in tobacco products.

Other recommendations discussed at the meeting which was held recently at the Remal Rotana Hotel in Dubai included working on a five-year strategic plan to combat smoking and implementing the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

A conference on Tobacco Control in AGCC will be held either in Qatar or Bahrain next year and fix a budget to spread awareness of dangers posed by smoking.