In UK shisha is included in banned list

Published on Fri, 03 August 2007 11:08 am

In United Kingdom ban on public lightening up has begun on July 1, 2007. Innovation is that shisha smoking is also planned to be prohibited, because it used tobacco as key ingredient.

Shisha is more then just smoking, it is a part of culture. For many cultures this is the tradition practiced by generations and fact what it can become illegal is nonsense.

Introducing of ban is expected to affect many shisha cafes across UK.

Smoking through shisha pipe occurs calm and slowly, via a water filter, with flavored tobacco or herbal alternatives. Imagine how it will look to smoke it on the street, as indoor smoking is forbidden.

Many shisha smokers don’t agree with new implementation and sustain that health impacts have not been fully researched. Pipe smoking is less harmful partly because the tobacco quantities are small.

“Where is the scientific evidence?”, asks 25-year-old Brad Barker, who is smoking with friends at a London cafe. Though UK government is firm.

Owners of shisha cafes are worried about their future and that of their family. For instance in Birmingham Ayad Albelbese, owner of the Ali Baba shisha cafe, says local university students used to describe his place as their “second home” during term time.

His cafe - which existed only to sell shisha and drinks - closed completely at 05:59 on the morning the ban kicked in. “Ninety five percent of my business was relying on shisha...[since the ban] I have been without an income, I have a wife and a child to support, I have a mortgage...how will I pay my rent?”

Mr Albelbese is also worried for their culture. Shisha smoking is a part of Arabic culture that was destroyed in one day.

“Where will Asian and Muslim people go? You go to a casino, if you don't gamble why do you go? In the same way, you go to a shisha cafe to smoke shisha.

“How can you have a shisha outside in this weather?”

Problems for Mr Albelbese don’t stop here. Trying to find out another business avenue, deserving of hot food, he has been refused in license.

Similar case is that of Hasan Al Daheri, the Iraqi owner of Panini Cafe in the Edgware Road area. He also lost its single source of livelihood. He is currently awaiting a decision on his application for a hot food license.

“What I've served for 30 years has disappeared.”