Last updated: July 19, 2021
Duties / Penalties
Post signs
There is no duty imposed upon business owners, employers, or supervisors to post signs indicating that smoking generally is prohibited on the premises, where applicable. (Where there are smoking areas, there is a requirement to post signs at the entrance of the smoking area and the non-smoking area.)
To align with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines, the law should impose a duty upon the owner, manager, or other person in charge of the premises to post clear signs at entrances and other appropriate locations indicating that smoking is not permitted.
Remove ashtrays
The law does not impose a duty on business owners, employers, or supervisors to remove ashtrays in places where smoking is prohibited. To align with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines, the law should require business owners, employers, and supervisors to remove ashtrays.
Steps to require a person to stop smoking (e.g., warn, discontinue service, call authorities)
The law does not require a business owner, employer, or supervisor to take steps to require a person to stop smoking. To align with FCTC Art. 8 and the FCTC Art. 8 Guidelines, the law should impose a duty on a business owner, employer, or supervisor to take steps to require a person to stop smoking.
Not to smoke where prohibited
Law No. 15 does not address specifically duties imposed on smokers to not violate the law’s prohibition on smoking. Such violations instead fall within the law’s catch-all provision which establishes an immediate fine of AED 500 to be paid against reconciliation. In case of failure of reconciliation, the violation is referred to a criminal trial with a minimum fine of AED 3,000 and a maximum fine of AED 10,000. Repeat violations are subject to recurring fines.
