Around 8 months after banning smoking in public places in Jordan, Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad issues a decree banning smoking in public places and public transportation. Those who are caught smoking in public will be paying a fee of 2000 Syrian pounds, which makes around 46 dollars.

A study conducted in 2007 shows some scary results of smoking rates in the Arab world as

“Yemen and Djibouti have some of the highest male smoking prevalence rates in the world, above 75%. Rates of male smoking are also exceptionally high, above 40%, in Jordan, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.” -http://www.ishib.org/

News were also reported about a new draft of a similar law in Iraq, all of which causing some unease among smokers. With such steps taken in Arab countries, non-smokers are certainly happy about such decisions and are hoping for finally attaining smoke-free Arab indoor environment...One day!!!