Sheesha smoke

As it does every now and then, the sheesha smoking issue has come up again as the apex court takes up the case again; the court had taken suo motu notice of the issue last year. This time we hope the matter will not blow away in a puff of smoke. While the issue of sheesha smoking and its increasing popularity through the country has become a talking point again and again, with city administrations placing periodic bans on cafes serving sheesha, there is as yet no law banning the practice. In its latest hearing, the two-member bench of the Supreme Court sought a report from the federal government on the import of harmful ingredients, including tobacco, used in sheesha. It also enquired into what was being done by each of the four provinces to ban the practice – which is especially popular among young people. No satisfactory reply has yet been given. A law drafted by the Punjab government in 2014 has yet to be converted into law and a law passed through the KP Assembly has not yet been implemented. This is despite the fact that reports from leading medical institutions including the Aga Khan University Hospital have noted that sheesha smoking is extremely harmful, damaging not only the lungs but also the heart. Like other such substances and practices, it needs to be regulated at the very least.

The SC made a sound observation during the hearing that to achieve this, public awareness is also necessary. Bans are extremely difficult to enforce while there is a demand. Only a public campaign against sheesha and indeed the use of other forms of tobacco, sometimes by young people who are legally minors, can make parents and users themselves more aware of the risks. Until then, the fact is that cafe owners will continue to serve up the tempting pipes with the tobacco, often flavoured to make it more appealing, to any customer who opts to puff away at the pipe. Even a law will not change this given how notoriously ill-equipped we are to enforce such rules in our country. We hope the authorities and the law both come together to implement smoking regulations – be it cigarette or sheesha smoke – in the country.