Only one in four smokers who took part in an online survey said the UAE’s tobacco tax had changed their cigarette habit.
The latest figures into smoking habits in the UAE offer the first indicator of the impact of government measures introduced in October to encourage more people to quit.
Of the 600 participants of an Apester poll conducted by The National, 75 per cent said the 100 per cent 'sin tax' on tobacco products had not led them to quit since prices were increased in the final quarter of last year.
Another trend picked up in the results was medwakh’s increasing popularity.
The super-strength pipe-smoked tobacco was smoked by 57 per cent of those who took part in the survey, with almost one in five people smoking it every day.
More than half of smokers said they had tried e-cigarettes or e-pipes for a nicotine hit, despite devices and refills being banned from sale in the UAE.
Of those who had tried alternatives to conventional cigarettes, 54 per cent said they were not prepared to switch to electronic devices to feed their habit.
“Smoking can affect any age group, but most of the patients we come across belong to the middle-aged group,” said Dr Noordin Wadhvaniya, a pulmonologist at Specialist Respiratory Medicine, Canadian Specialist Hospital.
“Tobacco smoke damages most of the body’s organs, due to the presence of many chemical substances in the smoke. Low quality tobacco can have a more adverse effect.”
The Tobacco Atlas report, released this month, revealed fewer men in the UAE smoke than elsewhere in the GCC, at 14 per cent of the male population compared with more than a quarter of men in Saudi Arabia, and almost half of those in Bahrain.
Less than 2 per cent of UAE women admitted to smoking in the report.
A study by Tanta University in Egypt found lung cancer is the most common cancer among Emirati men, with about 30,000 people forecast to be diagnosed each year by 2030 across the Middle East.
The 2017 Lung Cancer Incidence in the Arab League Countries report predicts there will be 29,576 new cases in 2020, up from 16,596 in 2008.
Dr Wadhvaniya said smokers hoping to give up should avoid alcohol and other triggers, and discuss nicotine replacement therapy with a doctor.
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Read more:
Doctors call for 'minimum pricing' plan for tobacco after introduction of UAE's sin tax
Almost 3,000 smoking-related deaths a year in UAE, report shows
More enforcement needed to curb smoking in UAE, say experts
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Doctors are seeing younger patients with smoking-related lung conditions.
“I used to see patients over-45, but recently I’m treating more patients who are just 30 who have come to the clinic with lung symptoms related to smoking,” said Dr Saheer Sainalabdeen, a specialist pulmonologist at International Modern Hospital in Dubai.
“Smoking is a disease more than an addiction. Like obesity, it is driven by multiple behavioural factors.
“There is no safe cigarette, it is like poison. Medwakh is the second-most common form of smoking in my patients after cigarettes, especially in young people.
“There is a misconception that medwakh is less harmful, but it has different carcinogenic elements.
“When you smoke it, large amounts of nicotine immediately enter the blood affecting the central nervous system and heart.
“It causes increased blood pressure, heart rate and has been related to seizures. It is highly addictive and quitting is really difficult.”
Of those who completed The National's survey, 7 per cent began smoking before they were 13, while 16 per cent were under 16 when they started cigarettes.
“Most health issues related to smoking would start around their forties or fifties, as lung function usually deteriorates with age but in smokers it deteriorates faster,” said Dr Arun Arya, a pulmonary disease consultant at NMC Royal hospital.
Smoking tobacco causes more than 85 per cent of cancer cases, 22 per cent of global cancer deaths and 71 per cent of global lung cancer deaths.
According to the World Health Organisation, 16.4 per cent of cancer deaths are attributed to cancer of the trachea, bronchus or lung.
"One hit of medwakh is the equivalent of smoking four or five cigarettes, and some of these young guys will smoke 20-30 times a day – equal to about five packets of cigarettes a day," said Dr Sainalabdeen.
“It is important to stop people from smoking at an early age before they develop an addiction that will be with them for a very long time,” Dr Zaid Zoumot, consultant pulmonologist at the Respiratory and Critical Care Institute at Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi.
“In this region, a lot of people smoke medwakh and that is very hard to control.
“Smokers do not really know what they are smoking as it is not standardised and the quality can vary greatly.
“Awareness and education for younger people is very important. Medwakh is a potentially a big problem.”
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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
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
Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
