Dubai Municipality has stated that it will now issue fines of Dhs 2,000 on people smoking Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and vapes inside shopping malls.
The sale and purchase of e-cigarettes are also illegal in the UAE and the municipality conducts continuous checks on shops to remove the products from sale.
Eng. Redha Salman, Director of Public Health and Safety Department said "we take immediate legal action against violating shops that sell electronic cigarettes. The municipality will not allow any violations when it comes to smoking inside closed areas."
Are e-cigarettes bad for your health?
E-cigarettes have caused 'umms' and 'ahhs' over whether they are damaging to your health. There has been many scientific investigations into the effects with very few definitive results.
Although the effects are unclear, electronic cigarettes contain Nicotine which is associated with cardiovascular disease, potential birth defects, and poisoning. Nicotine is highly addictive and it is not recommended for a non-smoker to smoke e-cigarettes or vapes as they can become addicted.
E-cigarettes are almost certainly less damaging to your health than conventional cigarettes.