Illustrative Photo: Creative Commons/Kruscha/Pixabay
HEWLÊR-Erbil, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Transport and Communications has banned smoking cigarettes in taxis and buses in Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
The ministry said in a statement on Monday that the decision was made in order to adhere to guidelines from the World Health Organization about smoking in public places.
The ban applies to both drivers and passengers.
Additionally, the drivers will only be allowed to play the radio with the consent of their passengers.
“The taxi drivers are free to have the radio on when there are no passengers in the vehicle,” the ministry added.
Fines would be issued by the Ministry of Interior and the traffic police if violations occur.
In 2017 the Ministry of Health in Iraqi Kurdistan has decreed to stop licensing the use of shisha pipes in public places in the Kurdistan Region and not renew the existing licenses until the council of ministers makes a final decision on the matter.
Sulaimani’s Tourism Department introduced a bill in November 2016 to ban the smoking of hookah and live music in certain restaurants and cafes, additionally it was reported that the bill banned the smoking of hookah in basement cafes, unventilated places, on sidewalks and for people under 18 years old.
In 2007 the parliament of Iraq’s Kurdistan region approved a law to fight smoking in the province, which stipulates importing and exporting cigarettes from well-known international companies and imposes fines on traders and smokers in public places.
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