A third of Dubai’s people exposed to smoking

A survey conducted by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Dubai Statistics Centre reveals that one-third of the population of Dubai is exposed to the risk of smoking, either directly or as passive smokers.

The survey also showed that men in Dubai are five times more likely to smoke as compared to women, and that the prevalence of smoking among Dubai residents is 17.2 per cent..

As part of the survey of 5,000 households in Dubai, adults were asked several questions pertaining to tobacco use and exposure

• The prevalence of smoking among UAE Nationals is 8.6%

• UAE National men are 10 times more likely to smoke compared to UAE National women with the prevalence of smoking among men is 15.5 per cent compared to only 1.5 per cent among females

• Thirteen per cent of smokers in Dubai started smoking by the time they completed secondary school and amongst Emirati men in Dubai who are smokers, one in every five, started smoking by the time they completed secondary school

• Men who smoke start at the age of 10 and women start at the age of 13 and by the age of 20, 50 per cent of men and women start to smoke

• Smoking decreases significantly at age 60 with only 10 per cent of smokers who fall under this age bracket

• The prevalence of smoking in the 18-24 age group is 16.2 per cent, which is nearly equal to the national average 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 (university and above)

• The prevalence of smoking in the lowest income level is 18.9 per cent whereas the highest income level is 10 per cent, similarly, prevalence of smoking among the least educated group is 26.9 per cent compared to 12.1 per cent among those with a university degree or higher

• Most of the current male smokers in Dubai (18.1 per cent) smoke on a daily basis and only three per cent smoke occasionally

• Most of the current female smokers in Dubai smoke on a daily basis (3.4 per cent) and only 1 per cent smoke occasionally

• On average, adults in Dubai smoke for a duration of about 10 years before they quit smoking and on an average, adults in Dubai smoke 12 cigarettes a day

• In terms of passive smoking, about 17 per cent of non-smoking Dubai residents are exposed to passive smoking (i.e., they stay in places where others smoke). Men are twice as likely to be exposed to passive smoking (19.8 per cent) as compared to women (9.1 per cent)

• Non-smoking Dubai residents are exposed to passive smoking (i.e. they stay in places where others smoke) for about 5 hours daily, on an average. 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. About 67 per cent of non-smoking Dubai residents are exposed to passive smoking at public places.