Kenyan MCA urges closure of Shisha smoking venues

In Nairobi, Kenya, an MCA has proposed that Governor Johnson Sakaja should shut down all establishments that have designated areas for shisha smoking. Under the leadership of the County Assembly Health Committee, the Indian Association has noted that despite the ban, many nightclubs are still selling shisha.

Maurice Ochieng, the Mountain View MCA stated, "We cannot allow our youth to be wasted by this type of substance. We will ensure that this situation is immediately resolved.

Westlands, Kileleshwa, Lavington, Kilimani, South C, and Lang'ata are some of the areas where the product is being sold, according to the MCA. Shisha is a type of glass-bottomed water pipe that contains fruit-flavored tobacco. The tobacco is covered with foil and then heated with charcoal. The smoke from the tobacco is drawn through the water chamber and inhaled.

In December 2017, the then Health Minister, Cleopa Mailu, banned shisha smoking in Kenya, citing its encouragement of the sale of highly addictive drugs. Following in the footsteps of Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, Kenya became the fourth East African country to ban shisha. Senator Beth Mugo, also the chair of the Health Committee, supported the ban, citing the detrimental effects of shisha smoking. "We urge Sakaja to close down these shisha bars," she said.

Even after the ban, shisha is still widely sold in the country.

According to data from the World Health Organization, smoking one hour of hookah is estimated to be equivalent to smoking 100 to 200 cigarettes. Last year, Anthony Muthemba, the head of Nairobi's tobacco control department, stated that banning hookah has faced multiple obstacles and disturbances. If perpetrators are caught during crackdowns, they are often released within a few hours. People gather in lounge areas, cafes, and bars to smoke hookah, while some prefer to do so in cool, undisturbed environments at home. Additionally, there are electronic versions of hookah that are smoked at temperatures below 45 degrees Celsius. Smoking hookah is linked to lung and oral cancers, heart disease, and other serious illnesses.

The amount of nicotine released by it is roughly equivalent to smoking and may lead to a dependence on tobacco. The smoke from hookahs can pose dangers related to secondhand smoke.

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