A war on nicotine could transform society's fight against cancer, heart disease and ill-health.
Medical experts said plans in the US and New Zealand to slash the amount of nicotine in cigarettes could save millions of lives.
US President Joe Biden's administration is reported to be planning an assault on the tobacco industry, just days after Jacinda Ardern's government in New Zealand set out plans to make cigarettes so weak they are no longer addictive.
Reducing the amount of nicotine in cigarettes would push more smokers towards less harmful alternatives and improve public health, doctors said.
Recent government proposals in the US would lower nicotine levels in all cigarettes sold in the country. This could reduce the number of people addicted to tobacco, a report said.
Cigarettes are responsible for around 480,000 deaths every year in the US. In the UAE, around 13 per cent of all annual fatalities are linked to smoking.
It is no secret many still struggle with quitting and will likely keep smoking cigarettes, mentholated or not
Reports from the US suggest Mr Biden is considering requiring tobacco companies to cut nicotine to below addictive levels to encourage more people to quit.
“Reducing nicotine levels would reduce the addictive potential of tobacco, so we could expect the number of cigarettes consumed would also decrease,” said Dr Arun Warrier, an oncologist at Aster Hospital in Al Mankhool, Dubai.
“It would definitely help lower the incidence of respiratory and cardiac diseases, and also cancers which result from cigarette smoking.”
Reducing cigarette and tobacco consumption is a key performance indicator of the UAE National Agenda.
It aims to reduce tobacco consumption from 21.6 per cent to 15.7 per cent among men and from 1.9 per cent to 1.66 per cent in women by the end of the year.
A ban on menthol cigarettes has also been mooted by the US administration, as they are cited as a gateway to stronger cigarettes among young people, a claim strongly denied by the tobacco industry.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded in 2013 that minty cigarettes were harder to quit and posed a greater health risk than regular cigarettes.
“Menthol can make cigarettes more attractive to younger people,” said Dr Warrier.
“They may feel they are similar to chewing gum, but they expose users to harmful chemicals which can have a serious health impact.”
A drive to reduce smoking in the UAE
By 2025, it is estimated there will be around one billion smokers worldwide.
The UAE’s National Tobacco Control Committee involves 12 government entities to draft tobacco control-related legislations and regulations, along with a database about tobacco use, its products and trade.
Since 2010, the Ministry of Health and Prevention said the number of smokers in the country fell 18 per cent between 2010 and 2018, while a network of 16 cessation clinics has been established.
Although highly addictive, nicotine is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases; carbon monoxide, a gas formed in cigarette smoke, has been identified as a leading cause of cardiovascular disease.
Dr Ragab Allam, a specialist in cardiovascular disease at Bareen International Hospital in Abu Dubai's Mohammed bin Zayed City, called for more nicotine research before a similar policy is adopted in the UAE.
“There is no guarantee this kind of measure is 100 per cent effective [in reducing smoking harm],” he said.
“Low-dose cigarettes and e-cigarettes are already available on the market and they should be encouraged.”
A survey by Euromonitor found regional smokers were reluctant to use e-cigarettes as a quitting aid, with just 1.8 per cent turning to vaping in 2020.
That could change if nicotine levels are lowered in conventional cigarettes and smokers are encouraged to use less harmful alternatives.
Vaping as a substitute to smoking
According to medical journal Science, vaping nicotine is set to replace smoking over the next 10 years, and could help to prevent 1.6 million premature deaths worldwide.
RELX International, Asia's leading e-cigarette brand which just launched in the UAE, encourages strict social responsibility and youth prevention policies to deter young people from using e-cigarettes via its Guardian Programme.
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“Adult smokers should first and foremost be encouraged to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether,” said Robert Naouss, external affairs director at RELX for the Mena region.
“It is no secret, however, that many still struggle with quitting and will likely keep smoking cigarettes, mentholated or not.”
Tobacco harm reduction policies have already been embraced in New Zealand and the UK.
Similar plans to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes have already been proposed in New Zealand, where legislators suggest the legal smoking age should gradually increase, eventually outlawing cigarettes for anyone born after January 1, 2004. The nation aims to be smoke-free by 2025.
In the UK, some 70,000 smokers switched cigarettes for less-harmful vaping following encouragement from health authorities.
In September, Dubai World Trade Centre will host a huge vaping expo.
The World Vape Show will be staged from September 19 to 21 and will showcase the latest products from leading international manufacturers.
Organisers said the UAE is perfectly placed to become a regional hub for the growing e-cigarette market, just two years on from regulation changes allowing products to be legally sold over the counter for the first time.
“With favourable business rates and a number of free zones, this may encourage more manufacturers and distributors to start production and distribution from the UAE,” said event manager Jake Nixon, of Quartz Business Media.
“As more people are already turning to smoking alternatives, this development could definitely increase the trend.”
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE's final round of matches
- Sep 1, 2016 Beat Japan 2-1 (away)
- Sep 6, 2016 Lost to Australia 1-0 (home)
- Oct 6, 2016 Beat Thailand 3-1 (home)
- Oct 11, 2016 Lost to Saudi Arabia 3-0 (away)
- Nov 15, 2016 Beat Iraq 2-0 (home)
- Mar 23, 2017 Lost to Japan 2-0 (home)
- Mar 28, 2017 Lost to Australia 2-0 (away)
- June 13, 2017 Drew 1-1 with Thailand (away)
- Aug 29, 2017 v Saudi Arabia (home)
- Sep 5, 2017 v Iraq (away)
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
Long Shot
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogan
Four stars
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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SPECS
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Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
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Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')
Manchester City 0
