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‘Smokers consume 12 cigarettes per day’

DUBAI - Smokers in Dubai, both men and women, consume 12 cigarettes per day making them moderate to heavy smokers, according to statistics released by the Dubai Health Authority on Monday.

Data also shows that one-third of the nearly two million people living in Dubai are exposed to tobacco smoke, either directly or as passive smokers with each resident being exposed to passive smoking for about five hours daily. About 67 per cent of them are exposed to passive smoking at 
public places.

The results will pave way for new policies specifically targeting vulnerable groups, said officials after releasing the stats a day ahead of the World No 
Tobacco Day which falls today.

“We have collated and analysed critical data on smoking patterns including the percentage of the population who are smokers,” said Laila Al Jassmi, CEO of Health Policy and Strategy Sector at the authority.

On an average, almost one in six UAE national men aged between 25 and 39 smokes daily, showed the survey. Results also showed that Arab expatriates have the highest smoking prevalence of all men in Dubai — 50 per cent higher than other expatriates and double that of UAE national males.

The results, based on the Dubai Household Health Survey (DHHS) of 5,000 households conducted in 2009, asked adults questions pertaining to tobacco use and exposure within the, ‘Smoking Risk Factor and Preventative Health Behaviours’ section of the survey.

It also revealed that the prevalence of smoking among Dubai residents is 17.2 per cent with men being five times more likely to smoke as compared 
to women. “The survey asked several questions in terms of prevalence of the use of tobacco including shisha and smokeless tobacco as well as the prevalence of passive smoking,” said Eldaw Abdalla Suliman, Head of Research and Performance Management in DHA’s Health Policy and Strategy Sector.

“Based on the data, we will develop a multi-factorial approach to conduct awareness campaigns targeting vulnerable groups,” he said.

The Ministry of Health has also tied up with the US Centres for Disease Control to conduct the Global Adult Tobacco Survey — the first ever for the entire country, said Dr Wedad Al Maidoor, head of the UAE Anti-Tobacco Committee at the ministry. The survey is expected to start in December 
this year.

Key findings:

Men who smoke start at the age of 10 and women start at the age of 13.

Thirteen per cent of smokers in Dubai start smoking by the time they complete secondary school. Amongst Emirati men in Dubai who are smokers, one in every five, start smoking by the time they complete secondary school

The prevalence of smoking among UAE nationals is 8.6 per cent.

UAE national men are 10 times more likely to smoke compared to UAE national women with a prevalence of 15.5 per cent as compared to only 1.5 per cent among females.

The prevalence of smoking in the 18 to 24 age group is 16.2 per cent and prevalence of smoking among the UAE Nationals is 8.6 per cent which is significantly lower than any other nationality.

People in the lowest income quintile and the lowest educational level are approximately twice as likely to smoke compared to people in the richest quintile and the highest educational level.

Most of the current male smokers in Dubai (18.1 per cent) smoke on a daily basis and only three per cent smoke occasionally. Current female smokers in Dubai smoke on a daily basis (3.4 per cent) and only 1 per cent smoke 
occasionally.

In terms of passive smoking, about 17 per cent of non-smoking Dubai residents are exposed to passive smoking at homes. Men are twice as likely to be exposed to passive smoking (19.8 per cent) as compared to women (9.1 
per cent).

About 62 per cent of non-smoking Dubai residents are exposed to passive smoking at work. Men are three times as likely to be exposed to passive smoking at work as compared to women.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com