Yesterday some non smokers were pleased and some smokers thought that this ban would simply force them to take their business some place else!
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Emirates Today reports below!
What do you think?
Shopping malls across Dubai said the introduction of the ban on smoking passed off successfully yesterday.
Posters and stickers warning people of the new rule were on display at most of the centres. And security guards were on patrol to make sure people obeyed the ban.
The new regulation introduced by Dubai Municipality outlaws smoking in all parts of the malls, including food courts and coffee shops.
Non-smokers welcomed the move – but many smokers said the ban should not apply to cafés and restaurants.
Staff at shopping centres in the emirate have been given strict guidelines to ensure the ban is implemented.
Shoppers will not be fined for flouting the rule – for the time being – but employees can warn smokers and can even physically remove them.
Customer service staff at the Mall of the Emirates said they did not encounter any difficulty because people were aware of the rule. “As it is Ramadan, nobody smokes in any public place during the daytime,” said one employee.
“It is only after dusk that we have to keep watch.” A security guard said some shoppers were confused about the posters and thought the ban was due to Ramadan.
He said: “I saw one man lighting up as soon as he entered the mall. When I pointed at the ‘no smoking’ sign, he reminded me that fasting time was over.” Shopper Manaf Obaidat, a communications engineer from Jordan, told Emirates Today he did not know if the ban on lighting up in malls would remain in force after Ramadan.
And some were surprised to find there were no designated smoking zones in some shopping centres.
Indian businessman Ganesh Upadhyay said: “I wanted to have a smoke at Lamcy Plaza yesterday and to my surprise I was told by customer services that they did not have a smoking zone.
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