{
  "id": 16906562,
  "title": "UAE targets vaping among youngsters in new Gulf health campaign",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/uae-targets-vaping-among-youngsters-in-new-gulf-health-campaign",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T13:51:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/uae-targets-vaping-among-youngsters-in-new-gulf-health-campaign-1.500727145"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United Arab Emirates is launching a health campaign aimed at preventing young people from using e-cigarettes and other nicotine products. The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is participating in the Gulf Health Council’s “Today Before Tomorrow” initiative, which runs throughout October. The campaign targets individuals aged 15 to 24 across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, as well as parents and entities involved in health, education, and youth development.\n\nThe campaign emphasizes the importance of early prevention of non-traditional tobacco and nicotine products, including vaping, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches. These products, which deliver nicotine through flavored vapors, expose users to addictive substances. Exposure to nicotine during a critical period of neurological and behavioral development can impair functions such as attention, learning, mood regulation, and impulse control. Dr. Buthaina Bin Belaila, Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health Department at MoHAP, stressed the need to dispel myths that lead young people to underestimate these risks.\n\nThe campaign highlights factors that may push young people to try these products, such as peer pressure, curiosity, and the appeal of flavored products. It also addresses the role of marketing techniques that use appealing flavors and modern designs to reduce health risks. In addition to raising awareness, the campaign provides practical advice, such as resisting initial attempts to use tobacco or nicotine products, managing social influences, recognizing triggers, and seeking professional help for quitting.\n\nDr. Buthaina emphasized the shared responsibility among families, educational institutions, and the health sector to prevent tobacco use. She noted that the UAE's approach to tobacco control involves a combination of legislation, regulation, and early intervention, supported by public policies and coordinated efforts among relevant authorities. This integrated strategy aligns with the UAE’s broader tobacco-control efforts, including the use of excise taxes to reduce tobacco consumption, and supports the National Policy for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles in the United Arab Emirates. By protecting young people's health today, the campaign aims to reduce future health burdens and strengthen future generations' ability to learn, work, and participate in society.",
  "summary": "Dubai: The UAE is taking aim at vaping among young people, joining a Gulf-wide health campaign that urges teenagers and young adults to say no to e-cigarettes and other newer nicotine products before a habit can take hold. The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is taking part in the Gulf Health Council’s (GHC) “Today Before Tomorrow” campaign, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.…",
  "key_points": [
    "UAE launches health campaign to prevent vaping among 15-24 year olds in GCC region.",
    "Campaign emphasizes early prevention of non-traditional tobacco products, including vaping.",
    "Dr. Buthaina stresses importance of dispelling myths about nicotine risks in young people."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}