Did You Know One Full Session Of Smoking Shisha Equals to 100 Cigarettes?

As people world over enjoyed the festive season by engaging in different social activities including eating, drinking and smoking, on 28th December, Kenya banned Shisha smoking sending a wave of anxiety among smokers and importers alike.

Then ban is a relief to many parents, whose youngsters have been addicted to smoking the water-pipe tobacco, widely known as shisha. But a group of 15 people have moved to court seeking a lift on the ban passed by Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu.

According to news from a local daily, Justice John Mativo declined to temporarily lift the ban. The group was directed to file the main case and serve Health secretary, and the Attorney-General with court papers before the hearing on January 4.

100 cigarettes!

Studies by the World Health Organization reveal that smoking Shisha poses grave health risks because smoke from a full session (20-80 minutes) of smoking the flavored tobacco is equivalent to smoke produced by 100 cigarettes.

Moreover, the health agency added: “because of the communal nature of water-pipe smoking, with sharing of a mouthpiece, there is potential transmission of infectious diseases,” including tuberculosis and hepatitis.

Locally, the University of Nairobi carried a study which discovered that some of the Shisha products (eight samples) were laced with prohibited substances such as opium, and also contained amphetamine- a highly addictive stimulant that targets the central nervous system.