'Hazardous' sheesha smoking assuming epidemic proportions in Pak

Islamabad, June 4 (ANI): Residents of Islamabad have demanded that the parliament make laws to ban sheesha smoking at restaurants, cafes and other public places, as it is extremely injurious to health.

A senior citizen, said most of hotels, restaurants and cafes in Islamabad and other big cities of the country were offering the deadly product in a variety of flavours, reports the Daily Times.

The Narcotics Act is already enforced in the country, but effective steps are needed for its implementation, he added.

Every day new sheesha cafes are opening up in the country because of its increasing demand by the younger generation, said another citizen. He said sheesha was a modern form of the "Hookah" in which hazardous and aromatic tobacco in flavours is used to attract the teenagers.

Imran, a doctor, said sheesha causes lungs diseases, cancer and the flavoured smoking is many times more harmful to health than a simple cigarette smoking.

"If it continues to exist in society, it will untimely result into deaths of youngsters in the years to come," Dr Imran warned.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), consuming sheesha for an hour is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes. A journalist said both boys and girls are getting hooked to it and the trend is rising. He said the government must create extra awareness among the smokers against the harmful affects of sheesha , besides cigarette smoking. (ANI)