New Zealand has taken a similar approach towards e-cigarettes as that employed by the UAE and has seen mixed results in the number of smokers switching towards less harmful alternatives.
The country has around 550,000 daily smokers, and aims to be smoke free by 2025.
In 2017, the Cabinet of Social Policy Committee decided in principal to legalise the sale of e-cigarettes with appropriate controls, although a recent change of government has stalled those plans.
While individuals can import up to three-months supply of nicotine containing products for personal use, it is illegal to sell or supply the products.
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Read more from e-Cigarette Summit in Washington DC:
Support growing for e-cigarette revolution in anti-smoking crusade
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Despite the ban on sales, New Zealand allows vaping in smoke-free places.
“Current legislation in NZ is not ideal and has created a messy situation,” said Professor Hayden McRobbie, clinical director of the Dragon Institute for Innovation, and a professor in public health interventions at the Queen Mary University of London.
“Most people are in agreement there should be an 18 age restriction on using these products and further restrictions on advertising.
“There is also widespread agreement that e-cigarettes have the potential to make an impact on New Zealand’s 2025 smoke free goal and improve public health by offering a route out of smoking, without offering a gateway to smoking for children and non-smokers.”
Proposed changes to the law on e-cigarettes in the country include a ban on vaping in workplaces and other no-smoking areas, but to allow all retailers to display e-cigarettes and liquids at point of sale.
UAE smoking poll: only one in four have changed their habit since introduction of 'sin tax'
Restrictions on advertising and the sale to under-18s will remain prohibited.
The daily smoking rate is about 13.8 per cent of the population in New Zealand, but it is about 42 per cent in the indigenous Maori population.
In a nationwide survey, 17 per cent of smokers said they had tried e-cigarettes, and 3 per cent were regular users.
Amongst those who vape on a regular basis in New Zealand, a variety of reasons were given for taking up e-cigarettes, despite them being banned from sale.
Almost half who admitted using e-cigarettes said they did so to help quit smoking altogether with 46 per cent using e-cigarettes as they acknowledged them to be less harmful.
A further 36 per cent said they vaped as it was cheaper than tobacco, while 35 per cent said a preferred smell was the reason for switching.
Just 29 per cent said they took e-cigarettes to help reduce the number of conventional tobacco products they were smoking.
Read more: UAE's 'Sin tax' driving smokers towards cheaper brands
A survey of more than 600 smokers conducted by The National in March found more than half had tried e-cigarettes or e-pipes for a nicotine hit in the UAE since a 100 per cent ‘sin tax’ had been introduced in October.
“It is clear these products are aimed at people who smoke, but the best advice remains that they should be looking to quit smoking completely,” Mr McRobbie said.
“We should be supporting people who have tried to quit and failed, by encouraging the use of e-cigarettes.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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STAR%20WARS%20JEDI%3A%20SURVIVOR
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Teaching in coronavirus times
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
SPECS
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Predictions
Predicted winners for final round of games before play-offs:
- Friday: Delhi v Chennai - Chennai
- Saturday: Rajasthan v Bangalore - Bangalore
- Saturday: Hyderabad v Kolkata - Hyderabad
- Sunday: Delhi v Mumbai - Mumbai
- Sunday - Chennai v Punjab - Chennai
Final top-four (who will make play-offs): Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos