Inspired by city beautiful, Bahrain may well become the first follower of its smoke-free city concept. Motivated by the idea, health officials in Bahrain have planned to contact their counterparts in Chandigarh, which has put a ban on smoking public places, including streets in July.
The change is being contemplated as Bahrain is planning to prepare new anti-smoking legislation, reported a leading Gulf newspaper.
Bahrain may go a step further by providing traffic police powers to fine people caught smoking in no smoking area, informed Mandeep Singh, who belongs to Chandigarh and is at present working with the daily.
A new law that will penalise people who smoke in malls and introduce health warnings on cigarette cartons could come into force in Bahrain early next year.
The legislation is now in the process of being drafted and must be approved by the parliament and Shura Council before it comes into effect. Some Shura Council members have also proposed allowing community police to help enforce a no-smoking ban that came into effect in shopping malls on May 31, revealed Primary Care and Public Health Assistant Under-Secretary Dr Mariam Al Jalahma.
The concept of smoke-free city introduced in Chandigarh has been well appreciated abroad.
“We have taken note of media reports about the ban in Chandigarh, which became effective in July this year, and we are keen to study it,” she has told the newspaper.
She said steps to initiate contact with the UT would be taken in the next few months to hear the views and suggestions of officials there. Dr Al Jalahma added that the draft law, which penalises people caught smoking in malls would be finalised soon. “It will be soon presented to parliament and the Shura Council, after which it will be illegal to smoke in malls,” she said.
The current ban on smoking in malls does not include fines for offenders since it has not yet become law.
From the beginning of next year, it is hoped those who smoke in malls will be fined a minimum of BD20, while outlets that fail to implement the ban will be fined at least BD500, Dr Al Jalahama said. The new law also stipulates each cigarette pack should feature a health warning that covers at least 30 per cent of the packaging.
The Health Ministry is also publicising the fact that non-smokers have a right to tell people to stub out cigarettes in no-smoking areas.