Non-Smokers Rights in Kuwait

Kuwait is one of the few countries that gives to Smokers MORE RIGHTS than t0 non-smokers. For example, if you go to any restaurant, you will notice the best seating areas are reserved for smokers while non-smokers are seated in the back, just right next to the kitchen like we are second class citizens.

I am really fed up with having to put up with the stinky smell. My lungs are senstive whenever I am exposed to smoking, I develop a very bad cough that takes weeks to go away… I’ve started to excercise my rights NOT to eat at the restaurants that don’t pay attention to non-smokers’ health. One time I was at Casper & Gambini’s in Marina Mall. Imagine how small their inside area was and there were 3 tables that had smokers. One table consisted of two women and a toddler. I mean if you want to kill yourself, go ahead, feel free to do it but don’t kill your baby with you.

Anyways, I had only ordered water because I was waiting for my cousin to arrive. The smell was starting to annoy me as I felt I was inside a chimney not a restaurant. I asked them whether they had any area reserved for a non-smokers, they said no so I ordered the check and told them I was going to a place where smokers were not allowed to smoke. They replied there weren’t any restaurant/cafe in Marina that forbid smoking. I told them I knew a place… Starbucks doesn’t allow smoking so I left and went to starbucks. I was right. Each table had a notice that smoking wasn’t allowed. What I like is that they have this RULE & they ENFORCE it… a couple of men lit up their cigartetes and with in a minute, one of the startbucks employees approached them and asked them to put down their cigarettes. They didn’t want to so they left.

To ALL RESTAURANT Owners:

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make your restaurant a SMOKE-FREE environment. You have an ethical responsibility to everyone who eats in your restaurant. Everyone knows what are the bad effects of second smoking. It’s bad enough almost every person in Kuwait knows a family member or a friend who have died of Cancer. Why be a part of adding more to the list!!! Whether you like or not, you are contributing to the problem. Everyone knows Kuwaitis spend their free time in cafes and restaurants and by allowing smokers to smoke in your restaurant, you are passively encouraging smoking behavior.  Please take an Ethical Stand and say “NO! This is a smoke-free Restaurant”  You can contribute to lowering the number of diseases by protecting people from being exposed to second hand smoking in your restaurant.. There are many people who are sick with Asma or have sensitive lungs and many people who don’t want to be exposed to second hand smoking… Wallah Haram!! It’s in your hands whether they can enjoy a good meal without having to worry whether they’re going home with a bad cough and/or stinky smelling clothes. If you are worried about the loss of income, here is: