In its meeting on Monday, the Health and Environmental Committee of the Majlis Ash’shura discussed controls of selling tobacco products in public markets and commercial centers. The Committee, headed by Hilal bin Hamad al Sarmi, hosted experts from the ministries of Health, Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and from the Muscat Municipality to seek their opinions and observations on the topic.
The meeting looked into the legislative and regulatory aspects of practicing the activity of selling tobacco products in public markets and commercial centers. It also discussed efforts of the concerned authorities in combating all types of tobacco use through a number of decisions and provisions, including preventing advertisement and promotion of tobacco products in media, and determining a specific distance for practicing this activity in residential areas.
In addition, the members reviewed the efforts made to educate the community about the health, social, economic and environmental harms of all types of tobacco, and to strengthen community and civil partnerships to combat the dangers of the spread of the phenomenon of smoking.
The members emphasized during the meeting the importance of expediting the issuance of the anti-tobacco law, which would unify efforts and enhance the regulatory and oversight aspect of practicing the activity by controlling and issuing violations and imposing fines. This is expected to reduce the percentage of violations set by the law, and limit the spread of smoking habits of all kinds in society, among all age groups.
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