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Dubai Drive to Help
Smokers Kick Habit

DUBAI — This Ramadan, the Dubai Health Authority is campaigning to bring about a radical change in habits of both male and female smokers.

As part of a three-tiered “Tobacco-free Dubai — Together for a Society Free from Smoking” campaign that was launched in June this year, the health authority on Friday started an awareness programme to educate male and female worshippers at mosques and Ramadan tents.

“We want people to fast from smoke and continue doing it even after Ramadan,” said Dr Hanan Obaid, leader of Tobacco free Dubai project and Head of Nad Al Sheba Health Centre, explaining why the campaign was launched at the end of the holy month.

“There is a need to change people’s perceptions about smoking, which despite several awareness campaigns are still incorrect. We want to target their belief about smoking,” she said.

“People still think that smoking shisha is safer than a cigarette. This is incorrect since one hour of smoking shisha equals to having smoked 100-200 cigarettes,” she added.

Shisha is part of Arab culture, especially during Ramadan. However, Dubai has banned all kinds of smoking in Ramadan tents this year.

The authority has already distributed educational brochures on hazards of smoking in 40 mosques and several Ramadan tents in Dubai as part of the awareness programme. “The message has also been sent across to both male and female worshippers through the Friday sermon,” said Dr Hanan.

The campaign is based on the recommendations by the World Health Organisation that also includes six policy statements against tobacco outlined in the global health body’s mPower project. The second phase of the campaign will target students from G7-12 through lectures while the third phase will be launched in January 2010 in institutes and shopping malls.

The fourth phase, in March 2010, will focus on women, through counselling at associations, clubs and colleges.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.ae