Enjoy post-midnight shisha? Last orders now… Jan 31 deadline

The Abu Dhabi Business Center, affiliated to the Department of Economic Development, Abu Dhabi, announced that it would start the application of the Regulations of Federal Law No (15) of the year 2009 on tobacco control early next year 2014.

This came during a joint coordinating meeting between the Department (DED), the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the Department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture, during which it was agreed on determining the time remaining for cafes in the emirate of Abu Dhabi to adjust their positions until January 31 of next year, calling for the owners of cafes to review the regulations of the law and the terms contained therein for the exercise of their activity.

Ahmad Tarish Qubaisi, Acting Director of the Department of Trade Protection at the Abu Dhabi Business, assured that the Department of Economic Development(DED), will begin in cooperation with the relevant authorities to implement a plan designed to clarify the regulations and conditions contained in the law for practicing that activity of cafes.

He added that the opening hours for cafes have been set out to be from 10am until midnight.

The regulation also stipulates that cafes must not provide water pipe tobacco and tobacco products to those who are under the age of 18 years and prohibits their presence in places providing shisha (water pipe).

Al Qubaisi stated also that the Regulation pointed to several conditions and controls to be adhered to, including air pressure, air conditioning and the distances between smokers should be in the rate of 2 square metres per person, and many of the safety requirements and controls regarding cafes in hotels, calling the owners of cafes to abide by what was stated in the regulation of decisions.

In turn, Burkan Khalifa Alkhalifa legal Counselor of Abu Dhabi Business Centre assured that, according to Article ( 4) of the Act establishing the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi (2) of 2009 , the Department is the competent authority to exercise the powers prescribed by the competent authority in the federal laws related to being a party entrusted with the regulation, supervision and inspection of economic activities in the emirate according to the Administrative Decision No (25) of the year 2008.

He explained that the application of the provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law of tobacco and its implementing regulations issued by the Council of Ministers No. (24) of the year 2013 and the appendices attached thereto falls within the jurisdiction of the Abu Dhabi Business Centre with respect to installations economic capacity as a representative of the Department, according to the decision of its inception No (73) of the year 2013.

Abu Dhabi Business Center initiated by holding several coordination meetings with the concerned entities to develop a mechanism to implement and enforce the provisions of the law and its implementing regulations and appendices attached therein, and a proposal and a time plan were presented for this subject; and the work and coordination are in progress to implement it through informing the owners of cafes installations in Abu Dhabi to adjust their status within the period prescribed by the law, to avoid falling into the violations set forth by the law.

It is noteworthy that the sanctions stated onto the violation of the provisions of the law amounts up to imprisonment for a period of two years and a fine of up to one million dirhams and doubled in the case of repeated offenders , according to the provisions of Articles (13), (14), (15), (16) of the Act.

Abdul Rahman Marzouki, Director of the Department of Environment, Health and Safety in the Department of Municipal Affairs that the Department, represented in the Emirate municipalities in the regions of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region, commenced since the issuance of Federal Law No. 15 of 2009 on Tobacco Control, in the implementation of awareness-raising campaigns in the emirate aiming at combating and prevention of tobacco smoking and promote smoking-quitting.

He added that the Municipalities Affairs has distributed brochures and awareness signs in the markets and commercial centers that illustrate the negative effects of smoking on the health of the members of the community, especially in enclosed spaces, and indicate clearly the penalties pertaining to for violation of this law.

Marzouki said in this context that the department has prevented smoking in each of the malls, men and women salons, while coordinating with the concerned authorities to implement and enforce the provisions of the Act and the Regulations.

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