New data suggests that nearly a third of Emiratis in their thirties smoke. According to evidence obtained from a health-screening programme in Abu Dhabi, tobacco use is on the rise and is currently higher than in the United States and the UK. There are several factors contributing to this unfortunate statistic and many preventive measures can be taken to curb smoking.
The first line of defence is the cost of tobacco products. There is no denying that this region has low cigarette prices but there are efforts under way to change this. Saudi Arabia is moving forward with measures that raise the cost of cigarettes to dissuade usage. Similar measures should be considered here, but finding the right price requires time. Given many Emiratis in the targeted group have high socio-economic status, raising the cost of cigarettes will not slow tobacco usage on its own. Rather, a basket of initiatives must be introduced to make smoking a less attractive and a more bothersome habit.
Saudi Arabia has also moved ahead with new laws that limit where people can smoke in public. In the United States, similar laws that moved smokers outside and banned smoking in restaurants reduce usage. Making smoking less convenient can have a dramatic effect on use.
Finally, connecting healthcare premiums to smoking is a useful measure proven to slow usage. When it becomes costly to smoke, more people consider quitting. The Health Authority in Abu Dhabi is intensifying its efforts to highlight the danger of tobacco addiction and provide meaningful assistance to those who want to quit.
There is no simple fix to end smoking. Rather, a slew of measures that collectively make it costly and inconvenient coupled with a community wide awareness campaign is the best way to tackle the problem. Such measures will take time to produce results but recent statistics should be a warning that this problem demands our full attention.
