Shisha shops catch them young

Westerners have always been famed (and blamed) for creating the cancer sticks a.k.a “cigarettes”.

On the other hand, the shisha has always been part of Arabian culture and is highly acclaimed by the citizens of Bahrain.
Yet, what is very disturbing is that the shisha is slowly taking a strong hold on the kingdom’s youth. Though it is not advisable to smoke a “shisha” or smoke cigarettes at a young age, teenagers are choosing to ignore all the warning signs.
It is very disappointing, because the youngsters see shisha as the “norm” and holding a shisha handle is considered a fashion statement.
It is also very troubling to see so many shop owners allowing youngsters to gain access to their shisha premises.
The young customers are also gaining full access to the shops’ facilities, such as private rooms that have curtains and a television set, where they can be hidden from the public so that they are not caught doing anything illegal.
The shops involved are not taking any responsibility, as long as the young customers pay up for the services they turn a blind eye. The main motive is profit.
In my opinion, the young are to be only partially blamed. The fault lies with the shop owners that provide shishas and encourage the custom.
The following must be done:
The government must take part in pushing proper legislations that will force the provision of “shishas” only to those above the age of 18.
Regular checks must be taken on the coffee shops and such facilities, such as the private rooms, must be taken into consideration as well.
Shops that are found providing their shisha services to those under age, must face legal action.
Education can also play a huge part in tackling this issue in schools, institutes and colleges as well.
There is no smoke without fire.

Youth Talk
By Ismaeel Na'ar
editor@gulfweekly.com