Speaking at the 17TH World Conference on Tobacco held in South Africa last Friday, philanthropist and World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Ambassador Michael Bloomberg urged countries to put in place policies that stop the use of tobacco smoking and unregulated distribution of shishas.
Bloomberg said shisha smoking was in no way safer than cigarette smoking as advocated by some. According to research carried out by WHO, the volume of smoke inhaled in an hour-long shisha session is estimated to be the equivalent to smoking between 100 and 200 cigarettes. Said Bloomberg:
Using a water pipe to smoke tobacco poses a serious health hazard to smokers and others exposed to smoke emitted. According to the findings, a typical one hour long water pipe smoking session involves inhaling 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhales with a single cigarette
Shisha smoking in Zimbabwe originated in Harare and has spread to other cities. Shisha smoking is also becoming popular in Bulawayo.
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