Rwanda’s government has with immediate effect banned the importation, advertising and smoking of Shisha in the country over health concerns.
In a statement released by the country’s health ministry, the ban was based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) note warning about the potential health effects related to the smoking of Shisha.
“Shisha tobacco smoking is damaging, addictive and dangerous on human lives. The smoke that emerges from the water-pipe contains numerous toxicants known to cause lung cancer, heart diseases, just to name a few.” the note read.
The Ministry of Health informs the general public that the use, advertisement and import of water-pipe tobacco smoking known as #SHISHA tobacco is banned in #Rwanda effective 15th December 2017. @RBCRwanda @DianeGashumba @P_Ndimubanzi @CondoJeanine pic.twitter.com/msm6KYMaWT
— RwandaHealth (@RwandaHealth) December 15, 2017
Some Twitter users reacted to the move by the government
Great initiatives to protect #Rwanda from #NCDs risks caused by Shisha : @WHO report shows that smoke inhaled in a typical one hour #Shisha session is equivalent to 100 cigerrete sticks! That's how dangerous shisha gets!
— Lilliane Gahima (@LillianeGahima) December 15, 2017
Why don't you ban cigarettes as well?? Or it's because cigarettes have more taxes than shisha?? Hahaha before taking some decisions just find priorities than others
— Armel Papa bientôt (@Amarmelabizera) December 15, 2017
Rwanda has joined other countries such as Tanzania, Pakistan, Jordan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia in the banning of Shisha.
Shisha is a single or multi-stemmed instrument for vaporizing and smoking flavored tobacco, or sometimes cannabis, whose vapor or smoke is passed through a water basin—often glass-based—before inhalation.
