Dubai outlets to stub out cigarette sale today

Dubai outlets to stub out cigarette sale today Sajila Saseendran / 31 May 2013 The sale of an estimated 42,000 cigarette packets will be halted in Dubai today as 420 outlets will refrain from selling cigarettes for 24 hours to observe World No Tobacco Day. A total of 34 groups of companies with branches across the emirates are voluntarily taking part in the Dubai Municipality initiative of stopping the sale of cigarettes for a day voluntarily. The civic body’s Public Health and Safety Department had started the day-long anti-tobacco drive in 2010. Over the years, the number of participating outlets has multiplied. “There are two main objectives for the initiative. Firstly, this is part of our World No Tobacco Day celebration with the World Health Organisation which focuses on sending a message to the youngsters to quit smoking… Secondly, it gives an opportunity for the retail sector to take voluntary action in support of public health,” Director of the Department Redha Hassan Salman, who initiated the voluntary drive, told Khaleej Times. Taylor Scott International