iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
Charlie Appleby and William Buick team up to win the prestigious English Classic for the second time in three years following Coroebus in 2022
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Tobacco Bill Bans Sale to Under-18s
ABU DHABI - The Federal National Council on Tuesday passed a federal bill banning the sale of tobacco or its products to people under the age of 18.
The legislation also prohibits smoking while driving if a childaged less than 12 years is in the vehicle.
The bill, which provides for jail penalties and fines of up to Dh1 million, was passed after a lengthy debate.
The cultivation of tobacco and its products will also be banned, although the bill grants tobaccogrowers and producersa grace period — to be determined by the Health Ministry and included in a bylaw — toclose downtheir businesses.
Council members demanded that these farms be given two years to do so.
Health Minister Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Quttami noted that the workforce in these multi-million dirham businesseswill be adversely affected if they are shut down. A decision on the matter would be made later.
“The final goal of the lawis to deal with the healthaspect without affecting the tobacco trade in the UAE,” Al Quttami said.
Khaleej Times first reported in January the details of the draft law and fines.
A seller of tobacco will have the right to demand proof of age from the buyer, according to the bill.
Under the law, coffee shops will not be permitted to sell tobacco or its products in residential buildings and within a specific radius to be determined later by the bylaw.
The bill also defines the places where tobacco and its products could be sold and their daily working hours.
The coffee shops operating in residential buildings must adjust their status according to the new law within two years from the date of its enforcement. They must either change their business to continue operating or move out of the residential buildings.
Offenders will face a jail term of not less than a year and a minimum fine of Dh100,000 and up to Dh1 million.
According to the Bill, authorities will destroy seized tobacco orask the importer to dispose of the shipment at his own expense. Failing to do so will attract a fine of not less than Dh50,000 and not more than Dh200,000.
More news from
A UNESCO report found that journalists and news outlets reporting on environmental issues dealt with about 750 attacks in the past 15 years
Here is everything you need to have in hand before you register for the procedure
The discovery was made after Sharjah National Oil Corporation drilled a well
Over 500,000 people, who are not on the taxpayer list are liable to file their income tax returns for 2023
From interacting with authors to learning computer coding, an adventure awaits at every corner
HD Revanna and son Prajwal Revanna are facing a probe over allegations of sexual harassment by a woman who worked in their household
Alsuwaidi bagged a second gold for the Emirates in the Adults Male -56 Kg category as Thailand topped the medal table on day one