Fare thee well, sheesha

There goes freedom of choice with another ban slapped in the country under the Prohibition of Smoking and Prevention of Non-Smoker’s Health Ordinance, 2002. A crackdown has been ordered on sheesha cafes, with the intake of sheesha being termed harmful for health.

However, the question persists whether the authorities have nothing better to do than imposing bans and is sheesha really the most harmful thing that exists in our society today?

Despite the fact that smoking the hookah has been a part of South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures and dates back to the 16th century, it was only recently that sheesha smoking had become less of a taboo in modern-day Pakistan. There is a view that sheesha smoking can cause cancer. Was cancer not a problem back when our forefathers smoked the hookah? It should be clear to all that banning sheesha cafes will not stop people from smoking. Just like banning alcohol has not stopped its consumption in the country.

There is also the view that smoking sheesha is ruining our cultural values. If the authorities really seriously feel that this is the case, then how about providing young people with other avenues of entertainment? What other activities do young people in a city like Karachi can look forward to after a long day at work or college? Going to the movies, or to expensive restaurants or to malls on a regular basis all require people to belong to a certain income class and not everyone can afford such activities.

Today’s young people do not need a big brother to hold their hands to guide them onto the ‘right path’. They can find their path for themselves. The government makes cigarette manufacturers give a warning on cigarette packets about the harmful effects of smoking, and then forgets all about its responsibilities on this front. Sheesha cafes can be handled in a similar manner. Those under 18 years of age can be barred from entering them. But anyone over the age of 18 should have the freedom to make their own choices.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2015.