Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Waterpipes are popular, especially with young men: Sheesha smoking may be gaining in popularity, particularly among young men with some time and money to burn, a study of Canadian college-age adults suggests.
Waterpipes, or hookahs, have long been used for smoking tobacco in the Gulf States, North Africa and parts of Asia, and 'hookah and sheesha lounges' have been increasingly popping up in the US and other Western countries in recent years. Studies suggest they are particularly popular with college students.
There have been concerted efforts to ban sheesha in certain coffee shops across Bahrain in recent years for health reasons and under regulations dating back to a ministerial decision in November 2006, which also outlawed sheesha smoking in public parks, gardens, on coasts, beaches and corniches.
Other regulations, which are sometimes flouted, insist that coffee shops should instal proper ventilation and meet safety and hygiene standards.
Sickle cell disease affects brain function: Adults with sickle cell disease scored worse on memory function tests than healthy adults, suggesting the blood disorder may affect brain function, US researchers have revealed.
The study is the first to look at brain function in adults with sickle cell disease, and it may mean new drugs are needed to protect the brains of patients with the inherited disorder.
