80 per cent of UAE young people would not marry smokers

AJMAN // More than 80 per cent of students say they would not marry a smoker, a survey has found.

And more than a third of respondents said they had tried smoking.

The study, by a Gulf Medical University student, shows a shift in attitudes towards smoking among young people.

Hessa Ali, an Emirati sixth-year student who works as an intern physician at Khalifa Hospital in Ajman, began her research in 2010.

“I wanted to assess the attitude of youth from diverse ethnicities towards marrying a smoker, attitude towards parents’ and friends’ tobacco use, and their willingness to participate in anti-smoking campaigns,” said Ms Ali, 23.

“I wanted to show the realities, too, that they’re not seen as attractive by the community. I wanted to show them the real view.”

The study, based on the World Health Organisation’s Global Youth Tobacco Survey, quizzed 415 students from five universities, including UAE University in Al Ain and the University of Sharjah. The average age of students surveyed was 20.

“Due to cultural factors, a number of questions were removed and some questions had to be re-worded,” Ms Ali said.

Only about 24 per cent of the participants were male, because men were hard to access in gender-divided campuses. Most were of Arab origin and 30 per cent were Emirati.

Thirty-seven per cent claimed to have smoked at least once – 74 per cent of the young men and 26 per cent of the young women surveyed.

Of all the participants, 83 per cent were not willing to marry smokers.

“Most participants, men and women, prefer to have non-smokers as spouses,” Ms Ali said.

Respondents used words such as “stupid” and “losers” to describe those who smoked. She said more public education was needed to deter people from starting the habit.

Ms Ali hopes to continue the study after presenting it this year at the Abu Dhabi University student research competition.

Last year, the Ministry of Health began a three-year campaign called Too Smart to Start, aimed at those aged between 10 and 18.

Its research found that a quarter of all smokers in the UAE had their first cigarette before the age of 10. About 28 per cent of residents under 18 smoke, it said.

This year, a study released by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi revealed that 24.7 per cent of Abu Dhabi residents were smokers, 11 per cent of whom were Emirati.

Ms Ali said a major factor in young people becoming smokers was whether family or friends had the habit.

“There was more access to the cigarettes and less shame within the family,” she said.

Ms Ali’s sister, Hiba, 24, is a trainee dentist who said she would not marry a smoker.

“Most of my patients are smokers and we see many problems because of this,” she said. “It affects many of the things we are trying to do to help them.

“For example, we cannot get good results with implants when someone smokes. Gum disease can also be hidden by the smoking.

“These patients say they can’t quit and are heavily addicted.”

Ahmed Aroub, 26, a Moroccan who lives in Sharjah, has smoked since he was 16.

“We all smoked since we were at school, me and my friends,” Mr Aroub said.

Although his parents do not smoke, he has always had family and friends who smoke around him.

Mr Aroub, who is not married, said he might consider quitting if he met the right woman.

“If I was in love, I might try to quit if it was a problem,” he said. “But it is not easy. I tried once before but I didn’t manage.”

mswan@thenational.ae