The tough new rules governing Abu Dhabi's shisha cafes, which will finally come into effect early next year, are important for the future well-being of the emirate and its people.
As The National reported last week, after an extended deadline given to cafe owners, the rules will be fully enforced by the Department of Economic Development from January 31. Those who break the law will face fines of up to Dh1 million, two years in jail and closure of their businesses.
The rules – which ban shisha cafes from operating within 150 metres of residential areas, schools and mosques – are not only important for public health, but also for the shielding neighbourhoods from the disruption to life caused by patrons of shisha cafe. The ban should also go some way in ending the traffic melee that occur around cafes.
The requirement that cafe owners display signs outside their premises stating that they cannot serve shisha to people younger than 18 is also welcome – although this must be followed by regular inspections to ensure compliance.
These regulations come at time of a growing trend towards shisha smoking in the country and the region, despite evidence of the health dangers.
Recent studies have shown that the inhaled smoke from a one-hour water pipe session can contain as much tar as up to 600 cigarettes and as much carbon monoxide as 150 cigarettes, depending on the brand.
A report by the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, a World Health Organization initiative, found that water pipe smoking is dramatically increasing, especially among Arab youth, and it has now replaced cigarettes as the most common form of tobacco use. In the UAE, shisha smoking among 13- to 15-year-olds is far higher than the use of cigarettes.
There can be no doubt about the medical evidence. Government figures show that about a quarter of all deaths in the UAE are directly linked to smoking-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
It’s time for people to reconsider not only their use of the water pipe but of all tobacco-related products. When a habit such as smoking shisha has an impact not only the user, but on the entire public health system, regulations such as these are not just desirable for the common good, they are essential.