‘110 tickets, 296 warnings issued to violators of smoking ban’

AMMAN — The Ministry of Health last year issued 110 tickets and 296 warnings to restaurants, fast-food outlets, shopping malls, hotels and individuals for violating the smoking ban in public places.

In addition, 15 restaurants found in violation of the Public Health Law were closed, according to Fatima Khalifah from the ministry’s tobacco control department.

In a statement to The Jordan Times, Khalifah said the ministry would continue to “work towards complete enforcement of the law” even though it does not have enough inspectors.

She added that new amendments were proposed to the law to curb the prevalence of smoking in the Kingdom and they will be announced after being endorsed by the Opinion and Legislation Bureau.

The Public Heath Law, passed in 2008, was enforced in the Kingdom’s shopping malls and Queen Alia International Airport in March 2009, and in fast-food restaurants in June of that year.

Meanwhile, a Cabinet decision prohibiting smoking in ministries and public institutions went into force on May 25, 2010.

According to the law, smoking is prohibited in public places, which include hospitals, healthcare centres, schools, cinemas, theatres, libraries, museums, public and non-governmental buildings, public transport vehicles, airports, closed playgrounds, lecture halls and any other location to be determined by the health minister.

Any person caught smoking in a public place is subject to between one week and one month imprisonment or a JD15-JD25 fine. The same penalties apply to those who sell cigarettes to minors.