Health chief calls for shisha ban

SHISHA CALL: A health official has called for shisha to be banned from Ramadan tents in Bahrain. (Getty Images)

A health official in Bahrain has called for a ban on serving shisha in Ramadan tents, claiming it is a major threat to people's health.

The plea by Health Ministry anti-chronic disease unit chief and family consultant Dr Ejlal Al Alawi has been back by anti-smoking co-ordinators in the Gulf state.

Al Alawi told the Gulf Daily News on Monday: "Now Ramadan is associated with the tents, where people go to meet their friends and socialise with traditional games and food. Sadly though, shisha is served there in huge amounts, which is dangerous."

The World Health Organisation has warned that smoking shisha is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes, because people sit for hours to smoke shisha pipes.

"Some smokers think shisha is less harmful in contrast to tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and pipes, but studies show that it is more harmful. Smoking an entire shisha equals smoking 55 cigarettes," added Al Alawi.

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