Around 8 months after banning smoking in public places in Jordan, Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad issues a decree banning smoking in public places and public transportation. Those who are caught smoking in public will be paying a fee of 2000 Syrian pounds, which makes around 46 dollars. News were also reported about a new draft of a similar law in Iraq, all of which causing some unease among smokers. With such steps taken in Arab countries, non-smokers are certainly happy about such decisions and are hoping for finally attaining smoking-free Arab streets.