The Higher Committee for Child Protection at the Ministry of Interior called on community members, particularly motorists, to enhance children’s safety and security, and protect them against any potential risks they may encounter in private vehicles.

Major General Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Chairman of the MoI’s Higher Committee for Child Protection, lauded the noble humanitarian principles reflected in the executive regulations of the Anti-Tobacco Law, which were approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which will come into effect as of January 21st 2014. The executive regulations will ban smoking in private vehicles if a child younger than 12 years old is present in the car.

He also stressed the importance of concerted efforts between all relevant institutions to ensure prevention and protection to the various segments of society, children in particular. He pointed out the keenness of the Ministry of Interior to achieve the UAE’s vision of being one of the best countries in the world in security and safety, and child protection. This is based on the vision of Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to make the UAE a humanitarian hub and a center of excellence in all areas of child protection.

“Smoking is a personal choice as long as it does not affect the health and safety of others. Moreover, child protection is a shared responsibility that everyone needs to assume,” he said. He also praised the Ministry of Health’s keenness and commitment in this regard, within the Government’s diligent efforts to establish an effective national anti-tobacco strategy to protect public health. “Tobacco use is a harmful habit, which can cause serious health complications on individuals, the community, and the environment,” he continued.

Major General Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi instructed the concerned authorities at the MoI’s Child Protection Centre to intensify awareness efforts in this regard, in collaboration with the relevant police entities, so as to enhance the traffic and health safety efforts for motorists and other vehicle passengers. He also explained that smoking while driving is a harmful and unacceptable health and societal habit, warning against the other risks such as negligence and lack of attention, which can lead to serious accidents.

For his part, Lieutenant Colonel Faisal Mohammed Al Shammari, Director of the Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Center said indicated that smoking in private vehicles with children on board leads to hazardous health effects; it also gives a bad example to children who tend to imitate their parents. “This was observed in many countries around the world, where smoking is common among children and adolescents who try to emulate their parents, relatives, or peers,” he concluded.
 

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