Dubai published a ban guide

Dubai Municipality published a guide to help the public facilities to regulate smoking ban and its successful implementation.

That guide contains detailed information on health and safety regulations, areas where smoking is permitted, violations and proposed fines for offenders. This decision ought to make the implementation of ban more effective and obvious, according to municipality.

Starting with September 15, 2007 cigarette smoking was banned in all Dubai shopping centers and malls and with November 18, 2007 in all local restaurants and cafes. It is planned to introduce restrictions on smoking in hotels and hotel establishments including motels, resorts, dormitories and furnished apartments.

Salem Bin Mesmar, Director of Public Health Department, said this guide is greatly helpful for the public facilities, as it will help them to implement the ban more efficient. Also, it would educate people about places where usage of cigarettes was banned, such as inside the facilities such as entrances, walkways, lifts & escalators, stair cases, lavatories, amusement & entertainment areas, places of employees, offices, cinemas, meeting & conference halls, stores, food courts, prayer rooms & ablution areas, closed car parking lots, shops & showrooms, reception & waiting areas, rest areas, and places close to food services.

Guide contains a list of places where smoking is allowed, as the specially-designated areas in the public buildings.

And last but not least, the municipalities made the list of violations and stabled fees concerning the importing and distribution of tobacco and tobacco products, tobacco selling, smoking in a prohibited places.