According to the website Box News, the Ministry of Health is withdrawing the smoking ban a day after the law got passed because it would be impossible implement. This has to be a joke. Why don’t they give it a shot and try it out for more than half a day before giving up? [Link]
I’m upset. Can we also cancel the ban on running red lights and the ban on speeding since those two seem impossible to implement as well…
Update: I just found two things: 1) I shouldn’t rely on Google Translate and 2) it’s not actually a complete withdrawal of the ban as I had understood from the article. The ban is still in place for public places like airports, malls, restaurants etc.. but now does not apply to shisha cafe’s, hotels and other designated areas. This actually makes more sense since I was actually against the idea of banning smoking at shisha cafes. I’ve gone ahead and amended the post title. I am no longer upset.
35 replies on “Ministry of Health withdraws Smoking Ban from Shisha Places”
Publicity stunt?
You didn’t get the memo? Running red lights and speeding are legal now, along with talking on the mobile whilst driving.
Why cant we critisize the kuwaiti government or other known power holding elements on your blog without having them removed???
You can criticize just don’t insult
So can i say that the Kuwaiti Government is ridiculous because of everything it does?
The ban was ridiculous. Not the part which bans smoking in public (ie malls, airport, etc.) but the part which bans it in shisha cafes. WTF was that about?
+1
I agree that smoking should be banned in Airports, malls, hospitals .. etc. even parks and beaches but banning it from shisha cafes or smoking section in Lebanese restaurants for example is just stupid.
Take it one step further. SMOKING SHOULD BE BANNED FROM EXISTANCE.
“or smoking section in Lebanese restaurants for example is just stupid.”
So smoking should be banned from all restaurants except Lebanese ones?
Smoking in the general public should be banned.
I am talking about sheesha.
Oh man, this is one of those that makes me want to bang my head on the table in disbelief. Great examples, Mark. Why does the government even have books on the laws? Let them throw their hands up and say, “What’s the point? Impossible to implement!”
This is farcical.
LEGALIZE IT!
Kuwait is the only country in the world where a law gets withdrawn because some authority does not have the means to implement…
Everyone is under the law, and no one should be above…
And you know which group/people are above the law in kuwait…
BB – It’s called incompetency and a huge problem in Kuwait is that people demand to do everything above the law which is commonly called ‘wasta’. It has been on-going for so many years that people can’t do anything without it and that is because of the failure of this government to implement the law. This is a small country, it shouldn’t be that hard to run this country. I think this ban was enacted only to cancel it a day later – call it a conspiracy – he wanted to appear like he was handling the situation, but the problem is that he didn’t know how to enforce it at all the levels so he cancels it and says well I did my best. It is unacceptable BB, unacceptable.
Once again, their approach was not well thought out, they just lazily banned all smoking in public places. Why can’t they meet with the UAE govenment and see how they structured their laws on smoking and just implement it here? The work is already done for them. Shisha cafe’s are outside, correct? Have them get a ‘smoking permit’, establish smoking zones. What we the public suffer from is blatant disregard for our health in indoor places like malls, hospitals, airports etc. Indoor ban on smoking should be implemented – why is that so difficult?
HHEHE I told you, it was impossible, could have you guys imagined the tension and the amount of fight/quarrels/brawls that would have materialized because of this ? People don’t respect the Law or people trying to enforce it, so it was inevitable..
Another scenario is that a whoooooole lotta people who own coffe shops (قهوة/شيشة) were like WTF?! and these same people are high up on the food chain (WinK WinK) if you know what i mean and lo and behold as Mark said it took less than half a day to overturn this… 🙂
Were talking about Money, Revenue…owners don’t wanna loose money, to them who cares about other peoples health…
Anyway that’s what i think…:)
I’ll still be a smoker who hates smoking in enclosed spaces…open air is my choice
(well a white lie there,i only smoke INDOORS in the dewania cuz we all do :P)
Ciao Peeps..
Perhaps its time we revolt against stupidity? Anyone agree?
@ Jasim DEMAND YOU GOVERNMENT PERFORM! Your elders have failed you and your nation.
Yes I know. I’m prepared to take action 🙂
I love smoking everywhere (except hospitals). My enjoyment of smoke increases exponentially when I realize its annoying some anti-smoking crusader near me.
You have one set of lungs. I dont think they are pleased.
Not sure if serious, but that’s a pretty crap attitude.
Only the truly naive took this seriously – how can you expect to enforce this in a country where the police smoke in the airport, which is supposedly a non-smoking zone.
Ban smoking in public places but keep it legal in shisha cafes that have to apply and get a license to serve tobacco from the government just the way a liquor licence is issued in countries around the world.
Mark, can you please edit the post and make it clear that the ban still exists in public places with the exception of shisha cafe’s, hotels and other designated areas?
Is that what the news article says? I used google translate and didn’t understand that.
I thought you read Arabic 😛 and yes that’s what it says.
thank you for mentioning that. I feel a lot better now knowing the ban is still in place for public places 🙂
The article basically states that an adviser working for the MOH is responsible for implementing the ban on smoking in shisha cafe’s and such, which he did under his own feeling towards smoking. The ministry is going to ask the prime minster to pull the ban since it was simply impractical.
I am not upset now also. Breathe deep, breathe deep. I agree with you, Smoking in shisha cafe’s should not be banned they are cultural areas where smoking is outside. BUT, I will have to look around Avenues the next time I go looking for smokers and see how they are handling it.
I don’t care about smoking in the sheesha restaurants/cafes – my family and I do not go to them because we don’t want to sit in the smoke. I think it is fine to have a place for that.
I am glad (although a bit underwhelmed about the thought of how they are going to enforce it) to hear of the ban on smoking in public places/buildings. My baby has chronic lung disease, and when we go to PEDIATRIC doctors, there is ALWAYS some inconsiderate idiot smoking in the hallway and I have to walk my breathing-impaired child through a cloud of smoke! WTF! It is a HOSPITAL for SICK CHILDREN and you can’t even move your butt outside to smoke?!? That is the ultimate lazy-ass! I swear, now that I know it is a law banning it, I am going to go postal on the next person I see smoking in a hospital!
Mrs.Mohammad…Most hospitals don’t allow smoking without the govt. issuing a ban…it is just NOT something that sick people should be exposed too…the next time you see someone smoking in a hospital…report them!
They will be escorted outside…
Report it to whom? The Asian security guard who can do nothing, or the Kuwaiti guy at the counter who is smoking himself?
the one thing i have been seeing from the ministries is when they see many people doing something they ban it -.- it remind me of parents when you always go out they try to ban it or if you buy a lot they ban it even if you it sometimes they ban eating and start a debate….