| |
| Salem al-Oies, head of Sharjah's local and agriculture affairs, |
| told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that the new smoking fines will be |
| implemented inside closed public and governmental buildings in |
| addition to different modes of transport. |
| |
| The fines will range from 10,000 to 20,000 dirhams (2,700 to 5,400 |
| dollars). Al-Oies said they will be imposed on smokers of normal |
| cigarettes, cigars and Hookahs. |
| |
| The move came after the country's Health Minister Hamid al-Qamati |
| announced on Thursday the inauguration of five new medical clinics |
| specialized in helping smokers stop smoking. |
| |
| Al-Qamati stressed that smoking kills at least five million people |
| worldwide annually. |
| |
| Official statistics have confirmed that three out of every 10 |
| citizens in the country are smokers, while 70 per cent of smokers |
| fail to quit. |
| |
| Saturday was World No Tobacco Day. |
| May 3108 1334 GMT |
