The Tobacco Control Program of the Ministry of Public Health is doing a great job! Here is a list of cafes and restaurants that went 100% smoke-free
Posts tagged Smoking
Arguile Cafes vs. Salim Slam Tunnel
Sitting in a place that serves Arguileh (waterpipe) is like sitting in Salim Slem Tunnel. Literally!
Tunnel Air Quality
The National Tobacco Control Program recently carried out an Air Quality test inside Salim Slem Tunnel to measure the level of pollution emitted by car exhausts during the busiest time of day. The machine used (called SidePak) manages to capture ultra fine particles. These tiny particles go deep into the lungs and are easily absorbed into the bloodstream.
According to the World Health Organization, humans should be exposed to 25 ìg/m³ (25 particles per million) of these particles or less, to be considered in a safe and healthy environment. One would expect that the notorious tunnel would host ‘off the chart’ measurements. The test result proved this case when it recorded a 429 ìg/m³ which falls into the “Hazardous levels” according to the WHO.
The surprise came after comparing this result with tests previously done in 15 restaurants that served Arguileh, in which the measurements averaged at 376 ìg/m³. Well into the “Hazardous” range, the average air quality result for these restaurants was very close to that of Salim Slem tunnel. Six of these restaurants even had higher levels than Salim Slem, with one reaching a maximum of 723 ìg/m³!
The difference between the two locations, is that in a restaurant that serves Arguileh, you sit for hours, while it takes less than a minute to pass through Salim Slem Tunnel (most of the time with windows closed). Read the rest of this entry »
Cyprus Smoking Ban 2010
Following the steps of Syria and Turkey, Cyprus introduced a law banning smoking from public places:
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Cyprus and Macedonia have become, with effect from January 1 2010, the two latest European countries to toughen up their smoking bans.
In Cyprus, the new restrictions ban smoking in public places including hospitals, schools, theatres, public transport including taxis and in private cars with passengers younger than 16. Also banned is advertising of tobacco products and the sale of such products to people younger than 16.Breaking the ban means fines of 2000 euro for smokers and owners of places where smoking takes place in violation of the law.
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Meanwhile, what is happening in Lebanon?
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A smoke-free Lebanon: Reality or pipedream?
Dr. Georges Saade, again, on CNN this time:
"We are a tobacco-friendly society," says cardiologist Dr. Georges Saade, a former WHO official who now heads the Tobacco Control Project at Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.
Towards a smokeless Lebanon
Yet another about smoking in Lebanon, from Assafir:
,66% من الفتيان
و45% من الفتيات
بين 11 و15 عاماً مدخّنون !في تقديم ورشة العمل، لا يستغرب منسّق البرنامج الوطني للحدّ من التدخين، الدكتور جورج سعادة، أن يكون التدخين «مزدهراً» عندنا، إذا ما كان 27 في المئة من طلاب الطبّ في لبنان يدخّنون على الرغم من معرفتهم عواقب فعلتهم. فيلفت إلى أنه مقابل هذه النسبة المرتفعة، تسجّل مصر في الإطار نفسه 7 في المئة.
وبهدف تحديد حجم المشكلة الحقيقيّة في الأماكن العامة، عرض سعادة لنتائج دراسة تمّ خلالها قياس نسبة التلوّث بالتدخين في تلك الأماكن، وذلك بواسطة آلة أحضرها المعنيّون من جامعة «هارفارد».فيشير سعادة الى أنه في حين يستطيع الإنسان تحمّل يومياً كحدّ أقصى 15 ماكروغراما من المواد الملوّثة، سجّل لدينا وفي أكثر من موقع الرقم: 309 ماكروغرامات. أيّ أننا نتخطّى الحدّ المسموح به بأكثر من 20 مرّة. وهذا لا يعني فقط أن الوضع غير صحّي، فكلّ مؤشّر يعادل أو يتعدّى 251 ماكروغراما هو مؤشّر «خطورة»، الأمر الذي يتطلّب تحذيراً صحّياً في ظروف تصنّف بطارئة، بما أن السكان بمجملهم معرّضون لتلك الملوّثات.
Petition to Stop Smoking in Public Areas in Lebanon
Dear Lebanese Citizens, it is our duty to become a lobbying force when the health of our families and children is concerned. Our demand is simple: ask the authorities to make sure to provide a non smoking section in every pub, bar, restaurant, café or public place.
http://www.stopsmokinglebanon.org
PS: I found out about this from IdentityChef
And the largest Tabbooleh dish goes to…
The world’s largest Tabbouleh dish was prepared today in Saifi Market, Beirut, and earned a new entry in the Guinness book world records, in a giant effort to confirm that “Hummus and Tabbouleh are Lebanese”
Was it fun? Totally.
Was it a priority? I would have preferred to have the public transportation improved, however, a big tabbooleh plate does not prevent the authorities rfom fixing our roads.
Was it worth it? A new entry in the Guiness book, walaw! And economical gain, resulting from the branding of Hummus and Tabbouleh as Lebanese.
TheCedarTree considers this food contest ridiculous, Rami thinks it is habal, Maya that it is pointless, adiamondinsunlight bizarre.
What did Fady Abboud, president of The Association of Lebanese Industrialists have to say?
“The record-breaking attempt hopes to lay claims to the dishes’ cultural heritage and dispel international belief that the dishes are Greek or Israeli in origin. A lot of countries are trying to dishonestly appropriate these dishes and this in turn results in colossal losses.”
Assad decrees Syria smoking ban
Wow, even in Syria, smoking is banned inside cafes, restaurants and other public spaces, as well as in educational institutions, health centres, sports halls, cinemas and theatres and on public transport.
Syria
I wonder when the self-rated smartest-people-on-earth will follow.
Sunrise in Saghbine
Those images were taken from the Macharef Saghbine hotel in Saghbine, a village near the Qaraoun lake in Western Beqaa.
Sunrise
Armigatus 
