UAE-wide ban on smoking is a good move

I refer to Smoking ban to be increased (November 6), which says there will be a UAE-wide prohibition on smoking in public spaces from next year. Finally! At the moment there is no restaurant or bar that we can go to and not come home smelling like a chimney. Maggie Kozinkova, Dubai I thought all the places mentioned in the story – such as hospitals and cinemas – were already non-smoking. I am sick and tired of coming back after a night out feeling like I’ve smoked a packet of cigarettes and smelling like an ashtray. I hate it. Ivana Maglione, Dubai This ban needs to include bars and nightclubs, because second-hand smoke can cause damage. Why should people who wish not to smoke have to put up with other people’s smoke? S Ledden, Dubai Unfortunately I can’t see such a ban happening, but I hope it does. Name withheld by request Healthy eating leads to fitness The Task Spotting poll on fitness ( The survey says : The regime to keep fit and healthy, November 5) raised some interesting points. Membership at a popular fitness centre in the UAE costs more than Dh5,000 a year, when the equivalent in, for example, Australia is about half that much. However, personal trainers don’t make any difference. Fitness should start with nutrition, then exercise. You are what you eat. If you eat fast food every day, you won’t be fit. John Paravalos, Dubai A decent gym for women would be a great start to getting healthy in the UAE. I have looked everywhere and the ones I have seen have the most useless equipment that is an insult to women who want to get fit. It’s scary enough driving in the city, so walking and cycling are out of the question. S Ahmad, Abu Dhabi I think there are not enough free facilities and not enough real fitness experts. Then there’s the weather. Who wants to walk outdoors in 40-degree heat? Rejane Serao, Dubai Clothes don’t tell your story Rym Ghazal's opinion article, Judging you, judging me ... why can't we let people be? (November 5) is very interesting and thought-provoking. Many of us are quick to judge people on the basis of their outward appearance and dress sense. It is wrong to make such impulsive decisions – especially when it concerns the people around us. Our judgement can be wrong at times, which is why one should refrain from judging a book by its cover. In my opinion, it is absolutely unfair to tag a woman as impious based on what she chooses to wear. One does not have to prove it to the world to qualify as being religious. It is all in our deeds, thoughts and intentions, not in a niqab, abaya or short dress. Fatima Suhail, Dubai We often hear complaints from tenants, but there are also some very good landlords in Abu Dhabi ( Rent rise a big concern for expats, HSBC survey shows , October 22). I have lived in Khalidya for five years. It is a beautiful place, with first-class service and great owners. I have only had very positive experiences with my landlord. Name withheld by request I was pleased to read Animal lover lands a plot to house her abandoned dogs (November 5). Amirah William and the SOS Animal Rescue group truly deserve this. What they are doing for these animals is highly commendable. Thank you, too, to the ruler of Umm Al Quwain, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, for providing the land for this shelter. Shilpa Parmar, Dubai A better way to wash windows I was pleased to read Drone deployed to assist stranded Abu Dhabi window cleaner (November 5). But why not make a drone that can clean buildings? Zeeshan SH, Dubai