'Severe penalties'
As summer break begins, Sulaymaniyah officials warn against selling tobacco to minors
SULAYMANIYAH — The Sulaymaniyah district administration issued a warning Wednesday to markets and cafes about selling cigarettes and providing hookahs to individuals under the age of 18.
Speaking to 964media, Goran Qadir, head of the Joint Committees of the Sulaymaniyah district, emphasized, “In addition to closure, those establishments will face severe penalties if they do not comply with the ban.”
“As the summer break begins and the school year ends, a number of students frequent places like gaming halls, billiard halls, and cafes. We are alerting all business owners to prevent individuals under 18 from accessing these services,” Qadir said.
According to regulations, shops and markets are prohibited from selling cigarettes and electronic cigarettes to those under 18. Additionally, billiard halls, gaming venues, cafes, and hookah lounges, as well as bars and liquor stores, must restrict access to minors under 18 and not provide them with alcohol. These rules are scarcely followed.
Qadir noted, “To enforce these laws and regulations, our committees are coordinating with the Kurdistan Child Protection Organization, Sulaymaniyah Security Directorate, and all other security forces. Any non-compliant establishment will be shut down and face further legal actions.”
He further urged, “We hope these establishments adhere to the operational guidelines to avoid facing penalties from the joint committees.” He also mentioned that citizens can report any violations to the authorities for follow-up.
Yesterday, following inspections by security forces, the committee shut down four billiard halls that were found to have customers under the age of 18.
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