Sunday, 11 MARCH 2012

Meeting Activity

Problem: the increase of teenage smokers in UAE

Date of meeting: Sunday 11th March 2012

Time of meeting: 1030

Venue: W103

Group members:

Chair: Sultan

Secretary: Jasem.

Participant: Hazza.

Participant: Hedley.

Venue preparation:

Grouping of chairs

Agenda:

Increase of teenage smokers.

Smoking in public places.

Tobacco companies and distributors.

Awareness of communities to danger of smoking among teenagers.

Chairman Sultan opened the meeting at 1035, welcomed everyone and started with the agenda.

Good morning gentlemen. 

I'd like to call the meeting to order to discuss the problem of smoking among teenagers in the society.

1-Increase of teenage smokers.

Hazza said it is a real problem and that the UAE government and the society must work carefully about this matter.

Hedley asked if there are rules not to sell cigarettes to underage youths. He gave an example in UK shops are not allowed to sell cigarettes to underage youths or they will be fined and the shop may be closed.

Jasem said there is a law but greed is forcing shops to sell and also if they didn't, the father or big brother will ask the underage brother to go and buy cigarettes for them because the salesman knows the father or brother so they will sell it for them thinking it is for the father or brother.

2-Smoking in public.

Sultan said most of the public areas allow smoking especially in cafes and surrounding areas.

Hedley said when he goes to the club restaurant there is no special area for smokers and it bothers him.

Jasem agreed with Hedley.

Hazza said that he doesn't know where to go at weekends and have dinner with his family especially in big malls.

3-Tobacco companies.

Jasem said that the government should force these companies and try to reduce them.

Hedley agreed but he said that it is a very complicated business because these companies pay a lot of taxes and that money goes to the health system so it is one way to reduce the country’s expenses on the health system, especially in the UK.

Hazza agreed with Hedley but he said that in the UAE there are no taxes so the government can force these companies.

4-Society awareness.

Sultan said that the lack of awareness in the community is a big problem because some people will take their children to these cafes and smoke in front of them, so when these kids become teenagers it becomes a habit.

Hazza and Jasem agreed.

Hedley said that media should take part in promoting awareness in the community in all possible ways.

In conclusion we thought that:

1-Underage youths should not be allowed to buy cigarettes or shishas either in shops or cafes.

2-Government must force and fine public places like malls if they ignored the smoking law.

3-Government must force tobacco companies to pay taxes if they want to sell their product.

4-Society and media should work together to enlighten people of the danger of smoking.