Tobacco.org

LETTER: Smoking and drugs are dangerously fashionable  

The destructive path: Drugs and smoking, the fashion of the modern era.

Who would think that a habit from the past would ever become the world's greatest killer? . . .

Even though we live in a country with conservative ideals, it is surprising to see smoking and drug addiction on the rise. The youth of our country is indulging in such unhealthy activities. Young boys and girls are seen smoking and taking drugs. Even more worrisome is the fact most of these activities take place in school campuses.

Sheesha is made available to children below 18 years in some coffee shops. Some stores sell cigarettes to children below the age of 18.

What's the use of having 'Cigarettes are the main cause for lung and heart disease' printed on every packet when no one cares about it?

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• More Than 3,000 Minors Caught Smoking at Bahrain Shopping Malls 

More than 3,000 under 18 years were caught smoking at various public places in October.

Despite general ban on smoking of minors here, they were mainly caught by health inspectors at 17 shopping malls.

As part of the ban on smoking in closed public places, 17 women and 662 men were found breaking the law in the same period. "We carried out 173 surprise inspections in 21 premises and gave 55 verbal warnings to those found smoking and violating the rules," said Dr Khalil Rabi, Head of Water Safety and Public health Institution at the Ministry of Health in a statement last week.

He said 2,749 smokers were asked to stub their cigarettes.

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LETTER: Arrest the smokers!  

They should really ban smoking in public places in Bahrain especially in malls and food courts. It is really getting worse every day.

As a punishment, people should not be fined. They should be arrested!

I know it seems a bit too harsh but some people are purposely smoking in front of others, some even near non-smoking signs.

Once, when I was waiting to receive my sister at the airport, a man was smoking a cigarette near a signboard, which clearly said 'No Smoking'.

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E-cigarette consignment impounded  

A CONSIGNMENT of electronic cigarettes has been confiscated from a store in Manama. It is believed more such cigarettes have been smuggled into the country and more raids are expected. The cigarettes were being sold illegally at the store, despite directives that they be sold only at pharmacies, said sources.

"The raid was conducted by a team from the Industry and Commerce Ministry in co-operation with officials of the Health Ministry." they said.

"It was carried out after a tip-off from a member of the public when he saw cigarettes being sold at the store."

It is understood that around 24 of the cigarettes were seized.

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• E-cigarettes seized at airport  

A CONSIGNMENT of "e-cigarettes" allegedly falsely marketed as devices that help people quit smoking was intercepted at Bahrain International Airport yesterday.

Health officials ordered the shipment to be held by Customs officers after the electronic devices were advertised across the country through a mass e-mail.

Bahraini firm Magnolia Contracting imported a large number of the e-cigarettes, claiming they could help people kick the habit.

However, Health Ministry deputy health education head and Bahrain Anti-Smoking Committee chairman Dr Kadhem Al Halwachi described the claim as "absurd".

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified these devices as being the same as cigarettes and equally harmful to an individual's health," he said. . . .

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Magnolia Contracting said the company was now trying to meet all requirements and planned to be in a position to sell the e-cigarettes in Bahrain in the next few days.

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New 'shock campaign' to curb smoking  

SHOCKING pictures of corpses, dead babies, rotting teeth, cancerous lungs and the caption 'Smoking Kills' are to be displayed on all tobacco products in Bahrain and the GCC.

The shock tactics by the GCC Anti-Smoking Committee will be implemented within the next two years, says Health Ministry tobacco control unit co-ordinator Dr Kadhem Al Halwachi.

"The current warning 'smoking is a main cause of lung cancer, lung diseases and of heart and arteries diseases' is being ignored and the new warning would help the cause better," he said.

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Sheesha ban up in smoke 

PLANS to ban coffee shops serving sheesha at a busy Manama coastline have gone up in smoke. A government official confirmed that it would not be enforced because it was "illogical".

The ban came into effect on Al Fateh Corniche at the start of this month, sparking protests by coffee shop owners.

It dates back to a ministerial decision in 2006, which outlawed sheesha in public parks, gardens, on coasts, beaches and corniches.

Coffee shops within 200 metres of homes, hospitals, embassies, educational institutions, government establishments and places of worship were also affected.

"The decree is illogical because it doesn't target smoking in whole. It just targets serving sheesha,"

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Youngsters urged to 'stub it out' 

CHILDREN aged 10 to 13 are being targeted in a new campaign to stop them becoming tomorrow's smokers.

It will start in government and private schools in September and is being run by Bahrain's Anti-Smoking Society.

Teachers will be briefed on how to get the no-smoking message across to children and the campaign will be carried out over six sessions during the school year. . . .

The society is currently running the 'Women Say No to Smoking' campaign under the patronage of the Supreme Women's Council, with the support of the Social Development, Health and Education ministries.

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Owners protest 'we are being cheated'  

OWNERS of coffee shops affecting by the sheesha ban claim they are being unfairly targeted.

One of those at Al Fateh Corniche said it was unaware of plans to develop the coastline into a 5km resort, while all complained that business would be severely hit.

"This is not fair," said Layali Zaman manager Arabi Mohammed. "Either we are all banned or we all serve sheesha according to conditions set out by the municipality."

Seven coffees shops will be affected by the ban, but their owners said it was unfair that others located at the neighbouring King Faisal Corniche would be allowed to continue.

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'Stub it out' call to Bahrain's smokers 

AS many as one in four adults in Bahrain smoke despite efforts to highlight health risks in anti-tobacco awareness campaigns, health studies have revealed.

The latest Health Ministry survey on chronic diseases found 24 per cent of people aged between 19 and 65 were smokers.

Another found 14.6pc of people aged between 20 and 64 were smokers, with the highest group of 20pc aged between 20 and 29.

An earlier study in 2002 showed that 33 per cent of those aged from 13 to 18 had tried smoking.

Health Minister Dr Faisal Al Hamer yesterday announced that 8.4pc of people aged 20 to 64 smoked sheesha. The largest group smoking sheesha was 12.4pc and they were aged between 20 and 29. . . .

The World Health Organisation is calling for a total ban on tobacco advertising," he added.

Meanwhile, American Mission Hospital (AMH) anti-smoking clinic head and general practitioner Dr Babu Ramachandran said he was worried about the increasing number of youth, especially girls who were taking up the habit.

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• Alarm as more students smoke 

ONE in every four male students in Bahrain's secondary schools is a smoker, it emerged yesterday.

This is compared to one in every five students who smoked only a few years ago, said Bahrain Anti-Smoking Society head Dr Mariam Al Jalahma.

"The results of the recent survey confirms that the number of smokers in schools is increasing all the time," she said.

Dr Al Jalahma was speaking ahead of the World No Smoking Day being marked in Bahrain on Saturday under the theme Tobacco Free Youth.

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• Underage smoking targeted 

British American Tobacco joined forces with prominent cooperative societies to launch the Partners in Responsibility youth smoking prevention campaign in Kuwait. The campaign, which aims to raise awareness of laws that regulate underage smoking, was launched on the 4th of May 2008 in all outlets of Dasmah and Bnaid Al-Gar, Bayan, Al-Adeliyiyyah, Kaifan and Al-Rawda and Hawally cooperative societies. Bassem Bekdache, Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs for British American Tobacco in the GCC stated that "We hope that the Partners in Responsibility campaign will help increase awareness of the law. We take the matter of youth smoking prevention very seriously and are backing up words with actions. In addition to Kuwait, this campaign has also been rolled out in Bahrain and Qatar with more countries to follow by the end of 2008."

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• Shura Council stubs out anti-smoking law 

A LAW aimed at combating smoking had some of the fire taken out of it by the Shura Council yesterday.

They approved a softened version, without jail sentences for people who sell tobacco products to children.

Councillors dropped parliament's proposed six-month jail sentence for those who sell them to children aged below 14, sticking instead to a maximum fine of BD100. . . .

They also decided to remove an article which stipulated that tax revenue from tobacco products would go to the Health Ministry, rather than the national budget.

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• Bahrain's tobacco industry will be affected by anti-smoking bill 

MANAMA -- Tobacco industry in the kingdom will be severely affected by an anti-smoking bill which is expected to be ratified by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa soon. The bill will ban planting or industrialising any type of tobacco.

Bahrain's muasil (traditional type of tobacco for f+ishishaf-i) trade which has a great demand in the Gulf region, Europe and Northern America will be hit and the ban will affect its export revenues. The f+imuasilf-i comes in many flavours such as apple and strawberry and it is known for its strong smell and fruit taste.

The bill, which was approved by the Lower and Upper Houses, will also ban smoking in closed public places

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• Shura stubs out anti-smoking law 

A DIVIDED Shura Council yesterday stubbed out an anti-smoking law, dismissing it as un-enforceable. Members initially approved the proposal last week, but yesterday decided to refer it back to the services committee for complete re-working.

Some objected to part of the draft, which stipulated that adults who smoke in cars with children aboard be prosecuted, saying it was unworkable. Others said prosecuting people who smoke in malls and other closed areas would be even tougher, as courts demand that offenders be caught red-handed.

Members were also presented with a letter contesting the law by tobacco importing company Talal Abu Ghazaleh & Company International, which has a branch in Bahrain.

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