Tobacco prices in the UAE are set to double every two years under a new proposal by the Ministry of Health in an attempt to curb teen consumption.

Dr Wedad Al Maidour, head of the UAE Tobacco Control Committee, who submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Economy, said doubling prices would reduce tobacco consumption, especially among teenagers. Continuously increasing the price will also make it difficult for smokers to adjust their budget to support their habit.
In the meantime, the ministry plans to do a study on smoking rates whenever a price hike goes into effect to monitor its success. Wedad said the government might stop raising prices once they observed a reduction in smoking rates.
The tobacco price increase, if implemented, would be a domestic regulation, separate from the 100 per cent GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) import tax for tobacco products. The extra money will be funnelled to the government, which would use part or all of it to conduct health campaigns and assist smoking cessation programmes.
Cigarette prices in the UAE range from AED 4 (EUR 0.70) to AED 7 (EUR 1.23) per pack. The UAE is a signatory to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention for Tobacco Control. (pi)