The United Arab Emirates became a Party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on February 5, 2006.

Smoke Free Places: The law prohibits smoking in certain enclosed public spaces and public transport.  Some of these places and means of transport may have designated smoking areas, but healthcare, educational, and sports facilities and places of worship shall not have smoking areas.  With respect to outdoor places, areas adjacent to educational, health, and sports facilities; places of worship; and industrial facilities are smoke free. 

Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship: Tobacco advertising is prohibited in all print and electronic media, including at the point-of-sale. Free and discounted tobacco products also are prohibited, but some point of sale product display and tobacco product brand stretching are allowed.  There are some restrictions on tobacco sponsorship and the publicity of such sponsorship.

Tobacco Packaging and Labeling: Health warnings are pictorial and text and cover no less than 50 percent of the bottom of tobacco product packaging’s main display areas (e.g., front and back).  The government rotates the warnings “as required by the public interest.”  Misleading terms such as “light” and “low tar” are prohibited on tobacco packaging, but other misleading packaging (e.g., colors, numbers, and symbols) is not prohibited.

Tobacco Taxation and Prices: The World Health Organization recommends raising tobacco excise taxes so that they account for at least 70 percent of retail prices. Tobacco excise taxes in the United Arab Emirates are well below these recommendations.