FEATURE
BREAKTHROUGH
IN THE
MIDDLE EAST?
The UAE changes its tune on e-cigarettes
BY PHOEBE FULLER
The United Arab Emirates, long known as one of many Middle
Eastern nations strict on vaping, has given the go-ahead to new
legislation which will allow the legal sale of e-cigarettes from mid-
April.
This could pave the way for a boom in the e-cigarette industry in
the seven member states which includes Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
For resident vapers – and those further afield – this is cause to
rejoice, showing that even the most stringent nations are open to
changing their mind.
Currently, the only countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) to allow vaping free of any restrictions are Bahrain and
Kuwait.
For Ahmed Fathalla, Managing Director of the Middle East Vape
Show (MEVS) in Bahrain, this is not the first governmental shift
he’s noticed recently.
He told Vapouround: “We noticed that since the show things
are changing in the market, suddenly the [Middle Eastern]
governments are looking into legalising this industry, that was not
like that before the show.”
And if other countries follow suit, Ahmed sees fantastic
opportunities for MEVS beyond Bahrain.
“We’ve been encouraged to continue looking into expanding the
show, looking into our markets and to keep inspiring the region.
Not all the countries have allowed it yet but still the market that
they have is big, so once we get closer to them – closer and
close to their countries – it will open, this is what encouraged us
to continue.”
In the wider region vaping rules are similar to those in the UAE,
with many nations such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia allowing the
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practice while restricting the importation and sale of e-cigarette
devices and e-liquids.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia are currently in the process of following
the UAE’s lead in fully legalising vaping, but no fixed date for new
legislation has been set.
The UAE has previously never allowed the sale of e-cigarettes
or e-liquids, though purchasing these items (and vaping, in itself)
is not illegal, with many Emiratis widely purchasing vaping gear
online and openly vaping.
But for non-residents visiting popular cities such as Dubai, the
laws have caused a huge amount of confusion surrounding the
legality of bringing e-cigarette devices into the country – given
that the importation of these items is also strictly prohibited.
And with a multitude of reports of e-cigarettes and associated
items being confiscated at borders, many tourists and expatriates
remain unsure about whether they’re breaking the law when they
choose to vape.
This new legislation brings with it a huge sigh of relief from the
vaping community, putting an end to the uncertainty once and
for all.
The rules, confirmed by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation
and Metrology (ESMA), will allow the legal sale of e-cigarettes,
e-pipes, e-shishas and e-liquids provided manufacturers ensure
all products meet strict safety standards and carry similar health
warnings to those on tobacco products.
“The UAE regulations are different from Kuwait and Bahrain, they
are working close to the UK standards so that’s why they will have
specifications like 10ml, they’ll have a maximum nicotine level,
they’ll have caution stickers, they are following the UK