ENOC/EPPCO and Philip Morris launch joint youth smoking prevention initiative in the UAE

The initiative will involve ENOC/EPPCO voluntarily banning the sale of tobacco products to persons under 18 in its forecourt retail outlets in Dubai and the northern emirates. The Emirate of Sharjah banned tobacco product sales to persons under 18 years of age by law on December 11, 2000.

Part of ENOC/EPPCO's Responsible Retailing Programme, a commitment to value, quality and integrity in its retail operations, the programme will be the first of its kind launched by a major forecourt retailer in the UAE. While the company has adhered to the law in Sharjah (established by Executive Council Decision No. 11/2000) since its issuance, the new programme will now extend the ban on sales to people under the age of 18 as a voluntary policy across the UAE. Philip Morris, the leading cigarette company around the world and market leader in the UAE will partner in the programme with ENOC/EPPCO, an extension of the company's own youth smoking prevention programmes.

Hussain Sultan, Enoc Group Chief Executive and Board Member said: "Responsible Retailing is the philosophy on which we have built our retail business. It is based on our commitment to provide the high quality products that consumers demand, at prices they can afford, and in ways that respect the traditions and values of the UAE society. A considerable percentage of adults in the UAE choose to smoke and we offer a selection of high quality tobacco products for adult smokers. Kids shouldn't smoke and we hope that our policy will make it more difficult for kids to get tobacco products, thereby doing our part to discourage youth smoking. We are very happy to partner with Philip Morris on this important programme, and we both hope that our initiative will encourage other retailers to do the same."

"ENOC/EPPCO is an important business partner and we enjoy a strong relationship with them. We believe that a programme like this broadens that relationship and is one of the reasons that ENOC/EPPCO, as a responsible retailer, has been so successful", said Richard P. Reavey, Director Corporate Affairs Middle East at Philip Morris. "It's important that people recognise that Philip Morris is responsible about the way that we manufacture and market our cigarette brands - just as we all recognise the significant health risks of smoking. Adults who choose to smoke are aware of those risks and make an informed decision to smoke. We want adult smokers to choose our brands rather than those of our competitors and, in the UAE, nearly half of all adult smokers do choose Philip Morris brands. What we don't want is for kids to smoke. That's why we supported the Sharjah law and why we have repeatedly called for a Federal ban on cigarette sales to persons under 18."

"We have a track record of concrete action against youth smoking - of which our partnership with ENOC/EPPCO in this programme is just one example."

As of today, sales staff in ENOC/EPPCO outlets outside Sharjah will voluntarily refuse to sell cigarettes to anyone that they believe appears to be under 18 years of age and who cannot produce a valid UAE driver's license or other reasonable form of identification containing a date of birth. If someone under 18 claims to be buying tobacco products for an older relative or friend, they will instead get a notice letter to pass on that asks the relative or friend to support ENOC/EPPCO's policy. It is hoped that this will help raise awareness among adults that asking kids to buy tobacco products for them may encourage the child to begin smoking. Hopefully, this will also discourage adults from asking kids to pick up a pack at the shop for them.

Addressing the business implications of such a policy, both ENOC/EPPCO and Philip Morris were of the same view. "Sales of cigarettes and other tobacco products to kids are sales we don't want. Any money lost from decreased sales because of this programme is no loss, it's a gain - for the community, for ENOC/EPPCO, and for Philip Morris", said both Sultan and Reavey.

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