Given the reports that all UK currency has trace amounts of Cocaine on it, you'd better not take any money there.

Clive Larman, Harrow, UK

David, Cat Spring TX, read the article properly, he had cannabis on, NOT IN his shoe. It could have been you treading on something and getting arrested.

Alan, Chelmsford, Essex

The world is a big place, I certainly will not be in a rush to visit there any time soon. Send me some pictures.

dan, staten island , newyork

"It is there laws.Do not go. If you have cannibas in your shoes you were around it somewhere and the UAE do not want you in there country if you do illegal drugs. FULL STOP
David, Cat Spring, Tx."

Are you kidding? Can you prove decisively that at no time you:
a) stepped on a grain of cannabis while walking down the street;
b) trod on some dog poo from an animal that had recently received medication at a vet;
c) eaten a bread roll, salad or sandwich that contains poppy seeds;
d) failed to wash your hands after flushing a urinal previously used by some one with a drug habit (or a cold for that matter);
e) took a cold/flu/cough remedy;
f) took a legally prescribed medication for just about any ailment...

I hope anyone who is planning a trip to the UAE sees the news first. I, personally, will never go there for fear that the co-codamol I take for the chronic pancreatitis I have had since I was a child would land me in prison. If you must go, check the half life of your medications!

Joanne Stanley, Dublin, Ireland

No-body is trying to 'bash' the UAE, but if they insist on pursuing people for crimes that in any other country would not even raise a policemens pen out of his pocket.

Is it right to punish someone, when they have done something inadvertantly and without intent? If a stolen Item is recovered form a shop with your fingerprints on it, does that mean it was you?

If your answer is no, then you can undersrtand Darrens answer. Don't go there if they are going to treat people with such blindness.

Rory , Luxembourg,

Hello, I am Native American (Navajo) and I would just like to say how childish it is to "bash" countries, period. Grow up.

As for my opinion on this city. I think it would be wonderful to check out. Although I'm not in favor of the harsh laws they impose on people who have very small traces of drugs on them. But it is their laws and if you want to go there. I suggest you respect them.

Timothy, Phoenix, Az, USA

Easy enough to avoid an accidental 4 years stretch behind bars: boycott the wretched country.

Darren, Surrey,

So many people seem to have misunderstood the issue. The argument is not against Dubai's zero tolerance to drugs. Personally I think they are quite right about that. The issue is that they have taken this to absurd lengths and are jailing people who were simply unlucky enough to step on the wrong patch of floor. This will kill their tourism industry and won't help business either. Who would take a risk like that? I wouldn't, so I shan't be going to, or through, Dubai again.

Martin, Newmarket, Suffolk

I've just seen Tixylix on the list of banned medicines! That's kids' cold medicine that we won't go anywhere without! Blimey - I'd be scared to go there on holiday, the list is so long it would be easy to take a controlled drug without even realising. Stay home, not worth the risk!

anne, Gwynedd, Wales

The only connection between the 'exploitation of workers' and the government's psychotic hunt for molecules of banned substances under people's shoes is the textbook example of the tyrrany of government. Low wages, unemployment and poverty are the characteristics of Statist control of the economy. The uninformed person's natural response would be to call for more government regulation. Yet, the only true solution is the elimination of government from the economy altogether. In a free market, wages are determined by the individual business owners who need labor and the potential employees who are willing to trade their labor for a wage. Business employees would then offer a salary according to the skill and experience of the potential employee, and the potential employee would either accept or decline. None of this is the business of the government, but the business of the people. For real-life examples of the folly of government interference see: The Soviet Union, Pre-capitalis

Chris Richards, Easton, MA

For real-life examples of the folly of government interference see: The Soviet Union, Pre-capitalist communist China, Cuba, and the current state of the U.S.A. Socialism, communism and fascism are the death of humanity. But as long as governments hold dearly to the Platonic model of the perfect society, they will continue to consider the citizenry as their own personal property. Long live capitalism and the free market!

Chris Richards, Easton, MA

A ridiculous state of affairs. Some countries have gone hyper-OTT, locking someone up for treading on a spec of a drug-user's cast-offs hundreds or thousands of miles away. Other countries, which I will not name, allow drug-dealers to amass vast fortunes and all the trappings of luxury, whilst still obtaining state benefits - no questions apparently asked.

E J Murray, Kerry, Ireland

So when transiting through the US I have to subject myself to interminable questioning (I don't want to work there, I am catching a plane out in 40 minutes!), searches (which may now include downloading my cellphone and laptop data) and hostile suspicion - now it seems that transiting through Dubai involves the risk that my airline roll or something I stepped in might land me in prison.

Great, I better start going through China en route to the southern hemisphere then, seems like the less oppressive option.

G, London,

Its complete madness, someone walks on a grain of canabis - probably never touched the stuff in his life and is imprisoned for 4 years.... I have to say Muslim countries need to get a grip.... Its just nuts

Michael, Horley, UK

Sarriah, you say "no one goes to America" and "without us, you have no oil". We are a country that has laws to protect innocent people. You are innocent until proven guilty. You have the right to a trial by jury of your peers. If you came here and unwittingly broke our law, you'd be treated fairly and circumstances would strongly be considered. As far as the oil goes, we have plenty of oil. We have put wildlife, the environment above our need for cheap oil. Should our supply become so expensive that our people suffer, we will turn to our mighty forests for wood, our coal mines, our oceans and rivers for wind and hydropower. We'll tap our own oil sources. We have millions of miles of fertile farmland to grow corn for ethanol. Due to internet tech., many people work from their homes and no longer commute. We could turn more to that. All around me, I see homes adding wood burning stoves and turning to our natural gas supplies. WE WILL SURVIVE! And, Dubai will lose our business

Donna Polofsky, Cranston, Rhode Island

It is there laws.
Do not go. If you have cannibas in your shoes you were around it somewhere and the UAE do not want you in there country if you do illegal drugs. FULL STOP

David, Cat Spring, Tx.

The UK and the US are not the moral authority they once were. We are in iraq to liberate or for the oil? whats the real answer?

sohiab rehman, hemel hempstead, herts

You can fail a drug test by eating poppy seeds - despite what an earlier post said. This was proven on Myth-Busters.

Karl Schmidt, Lawrence, KS

Joe from OK city has no clue what he's talking about when he says that its alright to eat poppy seed muffins before taking a drug screen--they will make you fail. All poppy seeds are coated with a thin trace of opium. Furthermore, poppy straw, found in most bulk purchases of poppy seeds, contains a very high concentration of morphine--relative to the seeds themselves. There is enough opium residue that one can obtain narcotic effects from just $10 worth of bulk poppy seeds. Research it. Fatal overdoses have occurred from poppy seed tea.

Roger MeGently, Greenwich, CT,

Dubai, is a modern sprawling city and I'm glad that they have a zero tollerance approach on crime. If we had the same approach here in the UK, maybe pensioner's wouldn't be scared to go out in the evenings and Yob's rule the streets....maybe just maybe?

sohiab rehman, hemel hempstead, herts

To claim that it’s only down to ‘traveler ignorance’ paints an entirely inaccurate picture of the situation.

A friend of mine, is currently being held in Dubai simply because he had Melatonin on him [a jet lag aid], which can legally be sold over the counter in Dubai.

He’s clean on his urine tests, and has no traces pf narcotics on him [and is a health nut, so wouldn’t have had anything on him anyways].

However, Dubai is not letting him go, because there’s apparently no due process in Dubai. He can either plead guilty or wait forever in detention until he does so.

In any case, customs officials receive rewards for arrests and convictions, and apparently they’ve been making sure they get their rewards frequently lately, even if they have to frame people.

Paul, LA, CA

What a great way to get a rival out of the way. Send him to Dubai with a few traces of banned substances on him. Then he gets a four year holiday.

Alan, Colchester, UK

The comment that said it was an "urban legend" that you can't fail a drug screen by eating food grade poppy seeds is INCORRECT. I know because it happened to me. I failed a drug screen 3 hrs after eating an "everything" bagel that had poppy seeds on it. I was neary fired.

MP, nashville, usa

And people still travel to countries with such inane policies.
And people get upset about hunters killing seals in Canada.
And then there's George W.Bush.

Bruce, Quebec, QC

The man sentenced to four years for having "trace amounts" of cannabis on his shoe is absolutely ridiculous. What kind of justice system would uphold that sentence? 3 milligrams in the tread of his shoe? This is not even a case where someone unknowingly brought poppy seeds in bread, that trace amount of cannabis could have come from the floor of any public place. How can anyone argue that this is justified? This is not against Islam; stupidity knows no religion.

Eddie , Houston , Texas

that's terrible, going to traces. they MUSt be aware that traces as small as that which the man was jailed for four years for can be picked up "passively" and so choosing to punish people for it is immoral when there is a distinct possibility the person's done nothing wrong.

yes, screen everyone manically if you don't want the stuff n your country but don't impose such horrendous penelities

julia, wirral, merseyside

I'm a US citizen by accident of birth and have lived in several countries throughout my life. My husband does not share my nationality, nor do my children. My spouse and I live in the US at the moment because, frankly, we've been better able here than elsewhere to put our sons through university, but our residence will likely change someday so we can be nearer our boys.

Having said that, I've seen the good and bad in all the places I've been as a resident and as a visitor, and it's my policy to avoid going to places whose laws I'd have a hard time abiding. It's equally valid for me to say that I have no intention of going to the UAE because there's nothing there of interest to me as it is to say that I find their laws too contrarian to my taste.

People from all nations range from liberal to conservative, bright to dim, and one shouldn't make snap judgments about any country because of a small representative sample. If you don't care for a place, just stay away.

Tracy, Morristown, New Jersey

Poppy seeds do not contain heroin. Heroin is a man-made substance. If you want to get exact, it is an acetylated form of codeine. Codeine can be found in extremely low amounts in some strains of poppy seeds, but not heroin.
Poppy seeds used for cooking contain essentially no codeine, morphine, or other narcotics. There are so many different strains of poppy seeds used; only a very few can be used to harvest narcotics; these are not allowed inside the U.S.
Thebain is the most common chemical found in "narcotic" poppy seeds. Thebain is very toxic and has no narcotic effects. However, it is the "starter" chemical for making codeine, morphine, and other narcotics.
So, eating poppy seeds is nothing like eating heroin, or any other narcotic for that matter.
Urban legend has it that you will fail a drug test if you eat poppy seeds. That isn't correct, either.

Joseph, Oklahoma City, OK

Reading this article gave me goose bumps!!

I lived in middle east in the 90s and i have once unwittingly carried from india two packets of poppy seeds( used in indian cooking) because i didn't know they were banned ...i just thought they were always sold out at the supermarkets!! Luckily didn't get arrested.

I know lot of westerners/asians who have been staying in middle-east for donkeys years and quiet happy to follow the rules and regulations of the country.

Look, if you are in their country or any country which bans cannabis/poopy or some over the counter drugs...you should respect it!! i don't understand these hateful comments about Islam. In that case why should anybody live in countries where 13 and 14 year olds are carrying guns and shooting innocent people in schools and public areas? Then we should not go there? Right!! so you don't go to the place where these substance are banned either...if you want to smoke dope do it at home buddy!!

vm, bangalore, india

Dubai is an abomination. How can you "green" Euros defend this place? The world's largest indoor ski slope in a desert? You have to be kidding me. Not only that, but all of it built with basically slave labor. At least take care of your working class if you decide to build this stuff. I don't defend Vegas either, but that was started 70 years ago.
They need to build everything to be the biggest or the most expensive to try to create a false sense of importance to their god forsaken piece of sand. You can't buy history, so they have to build it on the backs of the poor.
Dubai owns us? Get real.
Let's get this straight, the UAE exists only because we let it. It can't defend itself at all.

Marc, Maryland

Marc, Baltimore, Maryland

"If the travellers were carrying banned food substances found to be containing poppy seeds without knowing what was in the package due to false information given them then I think it's shoddy to put them behind bars. In fact that would be human rights abuse. However, if they were carrying the goods knowlingly then they should be jailed due to drugs."

I agree. I can't believe the ignorance of people here who think outsiders should be able to eat bread with poppy seeds on it. Don' t they know that poppy seeds are heroin? And don't get me started on what I saw yesterday just outside my house: a kid was smoking a pair of hemp shoes!

Steve, Baltimore, Maryland

I love the UK but the comments from some of you are funny. Especially frrom a country which has an extinct Enpire. The United States is the largest economy in the world. We do not have a Northern Rock Bank that went BELLY UP ! Furthermore we pay about $2.85 USD a gallon for petrol and our taxes are considerably lower than yours. We pulled your asses out of two world wars and you are never going to get over it and we sent you packing back home in 1776 ! Didn't want to say this but you asked for it.. You need to sweep around your own door before you criticize America.

Bernie, Pawleys Island , USA South Carolina.

Awwwww, those poor Americans. Their entire economy only exists only because Communists (China) and the Middle East (Dubai and Saudi Arabia) lend them money. America is broke and its housing market is a complete joke. It's so funny to watch Americans wake up and realize that the EU and places like Dubai have become richer than they are. A bunch of Saudis took down their world trade center and their President holds hands with the leaders of Saudi Arabia. Let the rest of the world know when we can lend you more money as your richest citizens buy homes in Dubai. Boo hoo. America is a third world economy.

Sarriah, London, UK

Its strange to see how so many ppl have taken muslims as their common enemy. Since when has it been fair to blame actions of deviated "islamic groups" on a whole nation. lets look back in time.....do we still ponder on what happen in Heroshima or even the foundation America was built on (the blood of Natives? I view all oppressors as criminals, that includes misguided "Islamic groups" and follewers of false ideologies related to Islam. After all that ive said, i have 2 things to say about UAE (the country that bailed CITI out, donated tons of money to countless American and European orginzations.) IF U DONT LIKE IT THEN DONT VISIT IT!!! beside u can have all the illegal fun u want elsewr. All others are welcome to visit the luxurious country movie stars and the richn famous cant get enough of. HOLLA!!!

Abul Haarith, Columbus, usa

John from Houston, you will "never travel to any country but Canada"? Congratulations, you fit the perfect stereotype of the uneducated, uncultured, naive American. No one goes to America on holiday anymore. The rest of the whole world thinks your country is disgusting. I'm afraid you're in the minority. Maybe a brief trip to Dubai would open up your pickup truck mentality.

Sarriah, London, UK

Someone said that UAE was not a Islamic country. It is a "Muslim" country and practices Sharia Law. !

Ruckus, Myrtle Beach, USA South Carolina.

If you want drugs in Dubai, just go to any pharmacy. They'll sell you anything, for a price, and pricey they are.

OTOH- I wil mirror the comments of many others- there is no sense in going to a manufatcured destination. The only natural thing you can find in the whole UAE are sand dunes.

James, San Antonio, TX

Why would anyone want to go there, that is just incredible! Arresting people for having crumbs of a bagel on your shirt!

Who the hell goes to Dubai any way really.

What a bunch of weridos!

Peter, Buffalo, USA/NY

To all USA people Dubai is not an Islamic Country.

Neyar, London, UK

Considering that 33% of American dollars have trace amounts of either cocaine or marijuana reside, they could pretty much jail anyone they please coming into their country. Its clear, they believe that muslims abroad are "picked on" for heavy searches, That they are doing the same in retaliation only to the nth degree.

Chris, Illinois, USA

'Why a ban on poppy seeds?' These are from the plant that heroin comes from. In the states, truck, bus, and anyone else who is periodically checked for drugs have to avoid poppy seeds because they will show up as heroin in the blood test. As far as Dubai, the only thing to do is never go there. I personally will not travel to any country other than Canada. It is just not worth placing myself in any unnecessary unforeseen danger. Governments everywhere are becoming quite hostile towards their citizens, the USA being no exception.

John, Houston, Tx

We are Americans we do not care what you think. Your confusing us with the French, oh and maybe yourselves.

Scott, NEW YORK, NEW YORK

What *is* wrong with you Americans? Are you all born with a screwed up, arrogant gene?

MN, London, UK

Totally insane laws. The international community needs to lean heavily on Dubai to amend their laws. A spec of cannabis so tiny on the tread of a shoe meriting a 4 year jail term is plainly ridiculous and unfair.

Dr Nick Ashley, Huntingdon, England

Three dollars a gallon for your gas - poor you!

Alison, london, UK

And President Clinton is part owner of the company that manages that big Dubai investment fund.

The greedy have sold out the U.S..

Money is not the root of all evil as some believe.

It is in fact, 'The Love of Money' that is the root of all evil and the rich have proven it.....

ibjohn, whitesquirrel, IL/USA

All psychiatric drugs are banned

Therefore if you are depressed dont bother going there

Henry North London, London, UK

Ahmed, Dubai, UAE

GDP of UAE $187 billion
GDP of USA $13 trillion

QED

John, Reading, uk

Dubai is not wealthier than the USA. Underneath the glitz is 70% of the population working for £500 a month or less as servants, builders etc. who generally have no rights and live in poor conditions- in areas where the tourists don't see.

Chris, London,

Nope, does not hurt me. You can keep it. I am a rich American. Like many other rich Americans we do not need Dubai. There are many many many other beautiful places in the world we can go. (and get high) without repercussions or worry. I have a good friend from London we spoke about the intolerance within London amongst there own people because of the thickness of their accent. Seems to me you are all jealous of the fact that this bumps you even further down the list. No, sorry I am not hurt by it. We are Americans we do not care what you think. Your confusing us with the French, oh and maybe yourselves.

Scott, NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Well, that settles it. "Kids, unpack the family Truckster, we're not going to Dubai".

Clark Griswold, Anytown, USA

I respect their rules so I would never go there now.

B J Deller, Marbella, Spain

If the moral brigands who have hijacked the White House had rather spent those countless zillions of dollars finding an alternative to oil, we would now be free of all foreign control by countries like Dubai.

As long as we are hostages to oil, we are hostages to Arabs and Moslem culture. It's time to end our dependence! It CAN be done.

Erik, Tunis,

Mike, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Opium does not come from the seeds !!
It comes from cultivation of the poppy heads

Jood, Abergavenny, Wales

I was there in 1963 serving in the army and it was totally stone age then and would have remained so except for the discovery of the oil. We didn't have any hassle then as we were carrying
7.62 mm SLRs and we wouldn't have taken any crap from that lot.

m wilson, bidache, france

Dubai is the playground of the world. I see a lot of cross Americans on here who either can't go there because they are banned (Jews are not granted entry) or who can't afford it because their currency is so weak.

America is on the way out! High oil prices and a shifting global psyche mean that Dubai is the new New York.

If the UAE officials see fit to punish drug takers or importers of substances they have baned, that is their call. If you don't like it, stay at home! I on the other hand am going back out for my 3rd trip in a year!

Nick Ansbacher, London, UK

Its hilarious how everyone is bad mouthing dubai, when all its trying to do is stop its rampant drug issues, obviously none of you have ever been to Dubai, cos if you have you would no it is the drug capital of the world, prostitution is rife , its not exactelly 'islamic' and 'backwords', seriously, get of your highhorses, the security in dubai isnt as stict as other airports, ive passed through many times and they havnt even body scanned me or my bags, so this man must have been acting very suspiciously to have been stoped, and hes obviously a druggie, dont read everything you here in the papers, and as for the woman who was imprisoned for 8 weeks for codeine, she was offloaded from her flight because shes was acting like a man woman and was HIGH, so everyone please get your facts right

Lilian, Dubai, Dubai

Why would anyone ever go to this place?

Calvin, Philadelphia, usa

Dubai is soooo much wealthier than the USA. It really does make the US look poor by comparison.

Shirley, London, UK

It is illegal for Israelis and Jews to visit Dubai. And it's becoming the biggest tourist destination in the world. Ouch. That's gotta hurt some folks in the US, lol

Sam, London, UK

Dubai is heaven!! I love visiting there. It's a shame that most people from the US (with a weak dollar and crippled economy) can't afford to visit Dubai. Maybe when Americans can afford things again, more of them will be able to visit. In the meantime, drool over the brochures!!!

David, London, UK

I agree with Alex Campbell. Who on earth would want to visit such a hole - atificial and illiberal

tony parsons, london, uk

Dubai owns America! It's hilarious to read comments from complaining Americans. We now own your economy! And without us, you would have no oil and no stock market and your dollar would collapse! Your President just visited begging us to lend him more money. Quite pathetic really.

Sarriah, London, UK

I didn't need any more reasons to avoid a visit to a fundamentalist Islamic country. This one would have been sufficient, however.

Ken, New York, NY

I lived in the region. The re is a basic problem that all Islam (and Islamic - based states) always regard non Muslims as wrong, in all circumstances, a form of original sin against Islam, and they do not need further proof of guilt. Hence people are chucked in jail until they "prove innocence", or equally often "admit guilt". It has always been foolish to imagine Dubai as "the acceptable face of Islam" - underneath the same rules apply as they do in other ME countries, and number one rule is the non-muslim is guilty.

George Edwards, Rawcliffe, UK East Riding

I won't ever be going there then, when your going down to trace levels you can be contaminated by who sat next to or where you sat or walked. They might as well just give you a
blood and urine test upon arrival.

Steve, Manchester,

They can keep their "Disney World" city and all the loutish soccer stars that have helped the hype.
Maybe we can send the Archbishop of Canterbury over there too.
I will take the liberal democracies and secular states of the western world any day over the dry dusty, women hating middle east.
It is a simple choice of living in the twenty first century or the dark ages.
These cities have literally been built on "pillars of sand."

James, Marbella, Spain

I agree with the other comments. Just leave these monsters to their own land and ridiculous life styles. All the western world needs to do is spend all the money they spend on defence in developing new energy/power sources and the whole Gulf area wouldn't be able to herd goats. Now that is a war worth winning. But will anyone do it? No! Too dumb by half.

Billy, Bangkok, THailand

This is what happens when unsophisticated people are given access to advanced (detection) technology - they use it in completely inappropiately. If the government has any sense then it will work out locking someone up for four years for possessing three poppy seeds is going to drive people away in droves. I won't be going near the place.

Vaughan, Hamilton, New Zealand

Illegal drugs users should be punished wherever they happen to travel.

John Edward, London, UK

The most awful fact about this mess is that the article claims that the man with the cannabis on the shoe was actually just stopping over in Dubai for a layover. A law that insane (microscopic amounts of cannabis) allows the government to imprison anyone they want. How could anyone possibly know if there are microscopic amounts of drugs on their shoes.

If this story is true, the UK government should open an investigation and petition to have this man released.

I wonder if this makes the UAE worse than Israel, probably not.

The Jewish Jackhammer, ny, ny

There's more wealth in one square meter of Dubai than in the whole of Beverly Hills. Not to mention the fact that the UAE pretty much owns the US stock market. Even Halliburton has moved its headquarters to Dubai (that's right, the Vice President of the US has his main office there.) While Americans have been distracted by the facade of a "war on terror," Dubai's wealth has outstripped that of the United States and many of America's most wealthy people have homes there... Tiger Woods, Donald Trump... It's so funny to watch America's naive knee jerk reaction to a country that gives America permission to start its cars every morning.

Ahmed, Dubai, UAE

Alan Carter your post is very humorous. I knew a euro would blame the US for this!

Billy, USA,

The only way to stop this kind of police state over zealous enforcement of what is supposed to be a good law is to hit countries like Dubai where it hurts. Dubai is on a big push for tourism. Picket Dubai's tourism offices in the countries from which they are promoting their tourism products until the local news media picks up on the story. Write letters to Dubai Consulate offices and send copies to local travel writers expressing that you and your friends will not travel to Dubai until it is safe to do so and this state supported policy of unreasonable arrest is stopped. When they see a drop in tourism from those countries proper enforcement at DXB will become the new rule.

I have been in the travel business for years and I know this will work.

It is good that they have laws to prevent the spread of illegal drugs in their country. It is very bad when it is used to punish innocent people.

Gary , Johnstown, USA

I never undertood why anyone would want to go to a "manufacted destination". It's steel, aluminium, glass and swimming pools. It's not real. To experience this plastic world, you risk arrest or worse.

Alex Campbell, Niagara Falls, Canada

Maybe we should all start mailing hundreds of poppy seed rolls to the Dubai Embassy.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

Interesting viewpoint Sohiab Rehman, especially your (correct) assertion that 'we need to respect other countries' rules when visiting them' - I take it that includes those of your faith who visit or live in Britain, too? Some might allege there is not much evidence of that lately.

Colin Cumner, Adelaide, South Australia

This kind of primitivism occurs in Muslim countries where the corrupt and often degenerate pro-American regime is alienated from its own population. The regime then attempts to placate the people with cruel and barbaric practices which have little or anything to do with the real fundamentals of Islam. UAE, Saudi Arabia, (pre-revolutionary) Iran, Turkey, Kuwait, Pakistan. It's another aspect of backlash. Shame on the Foreign Office though - they continue with the pretence that only drug users are in danger. Microscopic contamination of shoes or a bit of a bread roll stuck to a coat are not drug offences, so the guidance is dangerously misleading.

Alan Carter, Brussels, Belgium

These crazy security procedures at DXB are absurd!

Will Simpson, London,

not those kind of poppy seeds

dr. hensel, palmer, usa/alaska

FYI: poppies come from poppy seeds
Opium only comes from the poppy plant
its HARD to imagine getting stoned off three seeds.
or the crap stuck on your shoes... what a joke!

david, BIG BEAR lAKE, uSA

And they are spending billions of $$$ to lure tourists? Hehehehehe

Nemo, Philahelphia, USA

The demonization of Muslims by the general population within these comments is amazing. We need to respect other countries rules when visiting them. In all honesty if “Bush” had spent his money in Oil alternative’s rather than blowing up innocent Iraqi’s, the US and the UK wouldn’t be in this mess.

sohiab rehman, hemel hempstead, herts

The reason why is:

Opium comes from Poppy Seeds!

Mike, Philadelphia, PA, USA

It's pretty simple. It's 'their' country and they can rule how they want. If you want to make a statement in protest of human rights violations and their strict laws, don't visit the country. Spend your money elsewhere.

Stu Guzzone, Philly, USA

With insane laws such as these no one in their right mind would ever travel there. For a country that is planning to make money on tourism, law inforcement tactics like these will insure they starve.

ryno, hoboken,

and we are suppossed to be tolerant??? I think people should remember the oppressive governments of some of the muslim countries when they start judging how we deal with them.

J Jones, Greenville,

Can't fault these peoples logic......... Why does anyone go there???

Gordon, Nottingham,

This country is on a building binge, hoping to become an international business and vacation destination? Investors beware!

Hank, Anytown, USA

Let them have their laws (as absurd as they may be) and just don't visit the place. It's their country. Why get your blood pressure up over it.

B.G, Austin, Texas

Why go there in the first place? They hate us. As long as we are stupid enough to leave our oil in the ground and be ripped off for their oil they will do whatever we are willing to accept. The more we are willing to accept, the worse it will become. Wise up people. Stop going there and demand our govt stop the enviro whacko insanity. Pump our own oil and stop the madness

Frank, Spring Hill, Fl

How funny and ironic!
Saudi Arabia is one of the United States terrorists' biggest allies. Someone arrested for poppy seeds when their biggest ally's CIA controls and runs the world's largest supply of poppy fields and heroin out of Afghanistan? An amazingly funny wurld we live in.
George Bush Sr. and his CIA are nothing more than sociopathic drug dealers and mobsters running a very large, very well protected criminal organization.
That's what you call IRONY.
And that's completely unbelievable.
Or is it?
It's the land of the corporate Fascists

Home of the free and the brave?
lool
How funny.

brian, New York City, USA

Voluntarily dealing with these people is insanity.

Why are we so timid when it comes to insisting that Moslems comport with our mores while fearing that the imposition of our values upon their delicate, Islamic sensibilities is somehow offensive, even in our own home countries?

Mike G, NYC, USA

Come down people! You act as though they are beheading people over there. Oh wait.....

Jdog, Dallas, TX

So we ban drilling on 1,000 acres in Alaska--might inconvenience the elk, and off the Florida coast--better to leave it up to the Cubans and Chinese. Instead, we import from the UAE. We send our wealth abroad so that our good friends can bail out Citibank whose customers can't pay their mortgages because of $3/gallon gas.

Jack
Minneapolis

Jack Shotton, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Why go to a country of freaks like that when one can go to Amsterdam? Just boycott the medieval country and let the lack of tourism 'throw' them back to the stone(d) age!

Andrew Nyazai, Godalming, UK

Lets see how their tourism ministry tries to spin this.

Brian, West Hollywood, CA

Instead of going to Dubai come to Las Vegas and you wouldn't have this problem!

tyrone, Las Vegas,

Typical radical Muslim attitude. They are fanatics and their country should be banned from any visits and business with them until they come to their senses. Is that not where they are making all those high dollar homes on the artificial island? All the movie stars are buying the houses will be facing some serious problems with the radical government there.

Glenn, Massillon, Ohio/USA

It was always my understanding that Dubai was building on a mega tourist industry, perhaps to supplement it's economy in the future when the oil runs out. If the country is really interested in painting itself up as a nice place to vacation -- arresting travelers for microscopic amounts of plant matter is not the best start for them. Then again, we're talking about the Middle East where logic and reason have no merit.

Patrick Duffy, Arlington, Texas

If the travellers were carrying banned food substances found to be containing poppy seeds without knowing what was in the package due to false information given them then I think it's shoddy to put them behind bars. In fact that would be human rights abuse. However, if they were carrying the goods knowlingly then they should be jailed due to drugs.

Marie-Claire Oliver, Bath, United Kingdom

I looked at the list and it just goes to show that Dubai and similar countries are really backwards. Not one drug listed warrants such treatment.
The problem stems from their religion which states that they can treat non-muslims any way they want. Dubai and other Muslims, please do the rest of us a favor. STAY HOME!!! We don't need or want your stupid religion.

Hal Howell, Abilene, USA/TEXAS

Ahhh, The wonderful world of Islam. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

Steve T, Chicago, IL USA

The people who travel to the middle east maybe need their head examined. Their are so many other great areas in the world to see. It's all about the money. If we did not buy oil or have to worry about the muslim radicals eliminating the rest of the world we would not be there and they would be on the National Geographic channel on their camels.

Dan , Minden, Nevada

This is the first I have heard about bad conditions in Dubi. The reports from other news sources tell us how great Dubi is for visits. I guess I will scratch this office my list of places to visit. Oh well, there is always Truth or Consequences New Mexico.

Dennis Dunn, Decatur, Georgia USA

Westerners have no business going to third world countries ... especially Arab or Islamic countries where white skin equates to a bulls eye. People are not very bright. They go to these countries and acted shocked that they are spending years in prison and will probably be lucky to return alive. Western countries don't have the will, or desire, to support their citizen abroad. If the country you are going to does not have a extradition treaty, etc., with the country you are going to you are at great risk. A great example of this is that poor Australian girl rotting in a Bali prison while the Australian government does nothing. The EU, US, Australia, have become quite the bunch of gutless wonders.

Brad, duluth, USA, Minnesota

Idiocy. Pure and simple. There is a complete lack of reason in the cases involving trace amounts of banned substances found on people. If people want to continue to fund this type of lunacy through spending tourist $$ then it will continue.

Rob, Mclean, Virginia

Why would anyone want to go to Dubai?

Bob , NY, NY

Why a ban on poppy seeds?

Maximo, San Diego CA, USA

I personally hope that Dubai goes down with the subprime credit it was founded on.

fajensen, århus, denmark

I can't wait for the day we develop petroleum independence and tell the ME to go to he!! in a handbag.

John, Northampton, USA

I wont be going there any time soon.

Lori, Alexandria , USA

To the poster who believes the workers in Dubai are being "exploited", ask yourself this? Why are they still flocking to the country for those jobs?

The truth is that pay and working conditions there, while poor by our standards, are far better than these workers could receive elsewhere. WIthout these jobs, most of those immigrants workers would be working even longer hours for even less pay, in substinence agriculture roles in their home nations.

Mike, Atlanta, USA

that's curious, i lived in dubai in '92 and '93 and there existed problems with local youths smoking hashish and shooting heroin, sometimes while driivng. these locals, when apprehended, were never punished. indian, filipino, and indonesian workers, however, were prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for transportation of alcohol.

joe bob briggs, austin, tx, usa

No country that has such harsh punisments for idiotic offenses such as .003g on the soul of a shoe should be allowed to trade or invest in the free world...A perfect example of a totalitarian goverment gone amuck....And what is worse, the USA calls them "friends". ....What happened to human rights and equality of justice ? CALL FOR TOTAL EMBARGOS against UAE until they stop harrassing the people. Or better yet, get GW Bush to pull a regiem change for Democracy's sake....Fat chance.

Spanky T Smackme, Rienfield, USA

Meanwhile some in Britain want to give Muslims the option to have disputes heard under Sharia law in Islamic courts. Seems fair.

Karl, New York, NY

interesting that Cialis, Levitra and Viagra are not on this list...
REALLY now. These governments are INSANE. Uh Oh did I just start a jihad?

George, Beaverton, Oregon

More great news from the peaceful religion of Islam. Arrested for 3 poppy seeds on a jacket? There are millions of Muslims who want the world under Sharia Law and are willing to kill millions in their way. When is the world going to stand up to such craziness?

Tim, Atlanta, Ga

Isn't Tiger Woods building a posh golf course in Dubai?
If it's true he' s got some screwed up priorities!

fred, hoboken,

Another one of twenty good rteasons for science to come up with a "free" energy paradigm,like N.tesla was working on 100 years ago.This in turn,would cut the sash flow to the mide east and they would no longer have any funds to be politically assertive and the rest of the world could police them with an iron hand for a change.Western peoples are quickly reaching a point of no return between this sort of thing and incremenal leftism.

Htos1, Fernandina, Fl./USA

The harsh reality of dubai is that it has been built on pure exploitation of workers, the workers of Sonapur, a shanty town of half a million workers is a 90 minute drive from dubai, this is where the full hypocrisy of the dubai govt comes into full view. workers are exploited, poor pay conditions, inhuman living standards, workers passports are confiscated, open sewers, little human rights, its modern day slavery! behind those gleaming towers and malls is a history of exploitation. 85% of the UAE's popn is from overseas, most are these immigrant workers. New York-based Human Rights Watch demanded the UAE "end abusive labour practices", describing working conditions in Dubai as "less than human". The way they have treated the above people comes as no surprise.

Mark, Adelaide, Australia