DOHA: There is an alarming increase in the number of female ‘shisha’ smokers in the country and the dangerous trend is catching up, particularly among the young.
The situation has come to such a pass that some shisha joints have begun publicising their activity and reserving spaces for female patrons.
“Earlier, it was okay for a man to smoke and people found it strange if a woman smoked, but now shisha smoking is kind of a rising trend among women,” says Dr Amina Al Hail.
Citing reasons, the psychologist with the Supreme Education Council (SEC) said women smoke shisha largely because it is in fashion.
“Then, there are those who smoke for enjoyment and others to beat stress,” Al Hail said.
Al Hail told local Arabic daily Al Watan in remarks published yesterday that the family’s role in curbing wrong behaviour of youngsters is important.
”But the thing is that today the world is so open and youth are hard to control.”
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) psychiatrist Dr Taher Shaltout agreed and said shisha smoking was on the rise among women.
There is a general impression among women that shisha smoking is less harmful than cigarette smoking.
“This is what has led shisha smoking by women gain social acceptance,” he said.
Some media reports suggest that in the Gulf some women believe that shisha smoking can help lose weight and that is making the killer habit increasingly popular among women.
Ali Al Haddad, a citizen, talking of the menace of shisha smoking in his community, said the situation was such that shisha was increasingly reaching homes.
“Some people are smoking shisha at home,” he said, adding a law is needed that must make it illegal for shisha joints to patronise people under 18.
Dr Ahmed Al Mulla, from HMC’s anti-smoking clinic, said recently there had been an increase in shisha smoking among women.
It is far more harmful than cigarette smoking, he reiterated, adding it affects a woman’s fertility and causes other harms.
He said the percentage of smokers in Qatar was high at 37 and 15 percent of school students aged 15 and less were addicted to the habit.
Smoking shisha once means smoking at least two packets of cigarettes at a time and so it is far too harmful.
Al Mulla said that for the first time HMC, in coordination with an American university, is conducting a study on smoking in general and shisha smoking in particular in the Arab world.
THE PENINSULA
