According to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, if you analyse the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious. Simplicity, he says, is key. So it’s no surprise that the Porsche Design Shisha pipe – the newest addition to the collection made by Porsche’s subsidiary company – is a vision of simplicity. The luxury firm, established in 1972 and run by Prof. Ferdinand Porsche, grandson of the original Porsche founder, has become a major player in the Middle Eastern market (seven of its 110 stores are in Dubai) and as part of a culturally inspired World Collection it has applied Porsche’s aesthetic purification to a reinvention of the hookah pipe.

The result? A streamlined, Teutonic interpretation of this age-old Middle Eastern piece of smoking paraphernalia.
The sleek, fuss-free design is a far cry from the ornate, brightly coloured bronze and glass structures more commonly offered for post-prandial smokes in Middle Eastern establishments.
The Porsche pipe stands nearly two feet tall and has a hose made of TecFlex – the same durable material Porsche Design use in the manufacture of their pens.
Naturally, the pipe, launching into the Porsche shop in upmarket department store Harrods at the end of the month, won’t come cheap.
At £2,000, it will cost around 100 times more than the regular hookah pipes widely available across London and the UK.
But while there is no denying that the Porsche Design Shisha is a slick feat of engineering, the glamourisation of the shisha market has drawn criticism from health organisations.
Use of the shisha pipe is deeply embedded in Middle Eastern and African culture, but is fast becoming more popular in this country amid ‘social’ smokers.
News of its spread has sparked fears among health organisations, who claim that smoking a shisha pipe is potentially more harmful to the lungs than smoking cigarettes.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a typical shisha smoking session is likely to expose the smoker to more smoke over a longer period of time than occurs when smoking a cigarette.
That’s because typical shisha smokers inhale more often and for longer periods than typical cigarette smokers.
Findings from The Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre (TCCC) back this up.
People who smoke shisha can suffer from high carbon monoxide levels, its research revealed.
It found one session of shisha smoking resulted in levels of carbon monoxide at least four to five times higher than the amount produced by smoking one cigarette.
The Department of Health have said the findings make the dangers of shisha a ‘major issue’, adding that despite the dangers, many people regard shisha as ‘not even smoking’.
Director of the TCCC, Hilary Wareing, says the growth of the shisha market in the UK is worrying.
‘We’re very concerned about any new entry in the market, but a powerful brand such as Porsche could encourage younger people to smoke shisha, who could then move on to cigarettes.
‘I think it’s disappointing that a company like Porsche has produced a product which is known to be seriously damaging to users’ health,’ she says.
‘Shisha smoking is already seen as trendy for young people and Porsche coming into the market will not help that’
Ms Wareing adds that there is also a very real risk that shisha smokers are using tobacco that is not sanctioned by the Department of Health.
‘The majority of shisha tobacco available in this country is unlabelled, with no health warnings and no duty paid,’ says Ms Wareing. ‘The smoker can never be sure what is in the product.’
It is not just the UK market that health organisations are concerned about.
Ms Wareing says that use is growing across the world – including in the Middle Eastern countries where Porsche Design enjoys such success.
‘Use is growing among young women too, which is a concern,’ says Ms Wareing.
‘We have even found pregnant women using it, not realising the dangers. It’s scary.
‘Many people just don’t think it counts as smoking.’
Porsche already make a range of traditional pipes, cigar cases and cigarette lighters, despite being a company that, in its automobile safety standards, proclaims to care about the health and safety of its customers.
Porsche today said that the Porsche Design Shisha was an object of ‘cultural value’.
‘Our brand has very strong roots in the Middle Eastern market,’ said a spokesman.
‘Our brand is very much international and in doing our World Collection (which also includes tea cups and chopsticks) we decided need to include cultural goods from and for the Middle Eastern market as well.
The firm said it was part of their plan for ‘global thinking and unifying cultural backgrounds.’
Harrods, where the Porsche pipes are sold, was acquired last year by the Qatari royal family, who also own 10 per cent of Porsche.

You like to smoke hookah? than enjoy Al Fakher Apple flavour for cheap price.

The residents of Islamabad have demanded of the parliamentarians to make a law banning Shisha smoking at restaurants, cafes and public places because it is injurious to health. A senior citizen Tahir Khan told this agency that most of five star hotels, restaurants, cafes in Islamabad and other restaurants across the big cities of the country are offering the deadly product in variety of flavours. “Not only boys, but teen-aged girls also go to restaurants and smoke Shisha,” he said, adding that the Narcotics Act should be effectively implemented to curb the trend.

Another citizen, Zahid Mahmood said that a large number of school and college students of both genders, under-18, can be seen smoking Shisha at many restaurants and hotels of the country. In fact, every day new Shisha cafes are opening up in the country because of its increasing demand by the younger generation.

He said: “ Shisha is a modern form of the hookah that uses hazardous aromatic tobacco to attract teenagers.” Waqas Ali, a student of “O” level said that almost 50 percent of varsity students are addicted to Shisha smoking and it is more popular among the female students.

Different kinds of flavours are being used to attract the youths, he said.

When contacted, Dr Imran said: “Shisha smokers inhale up to 150 times more tobacco in a single session than a cigarette”.

Imran said that Sheesha smoking causes lungs diseases, cancer and the flavored smoking was many times more harmful to health than a simple cigarette smoking. Shisha smoking has become a ‘fashion symbol’ in the society but smokers don’t know that it is a delicious killer which kills their body parts gradually, he added. “If it continues to exist in our society, it would result in the untimely death of youngsters in the years to come” Dr Imran warned.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), consuming Shisha for an hour is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes.

Sardar Mokhaiz Sahi, a journalist, said that both boys and girls were getting hooked to it and the trend was rising

Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain of the Lahore High Court (LHC) disposed off a petition of two café owners requesting to restrain police from stopping them from offering shisha in their restaurants. On Monday, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Aslam Tareen appeared in the court and assured that police would act strictly as per the laws in this issue. Chaudhry Iftikhar, while considering the submissions made by the CCPO, disposed off the matter.

Petitioners’ counsel, Muhammad Ahmed Pansota, submitted that the petitioners ran several restaurants and cafes across the province, where they had been serving shisha for a long time.

He submitted that on March 17, as per the directions given by the CCPO, some police officials led by the Liberty Market SHO, forcibly entered Arif’s Sheikhoo’s Café at the MM Alam Road and Saleem’s Café Life, at Saeed Ahmad Block, and stopped them from serving shisha.

He said when the petitioners asked police for any law, notification or letter from the government imposing this restriction, police informed them that they were conducting the raid on the directions of the CCPO who, through his various wireless messages, had conveyed to all concerned officers to conduct raids on cafes serving shisha across the city. Pansota alleged that police also confiscated two shishas from Sheikhoo’s Café and four from Café Life.

He said that the petitioners were running a business that was completely lawful under Article 18 of the constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to conduct any lawful trade or business freely without any interference. Pansota submitted that there was no criminal activity on part of the petitioners.

CAIRO: Khaled Mounir laughs at the notion Egypt could ban smoking. It is absurd, he says, as he takes a long drag on his water-pipe, commonly known as shisha. The 74-year-old retired accountant has been coming to the same café in the posh Zamalek neighborhood of Cairo for decades.

“Since before the revolution, this has been my spot,” he tells in near perfect English, a sign of his decade living in San Francisco. “They talk about banning smoking every six months or so these days, but we know it won’t happen because it would cost the government too much.”

His friend, Amir, shakes his head in agreement.

“It is just another rash decision taken that will hurt the average person and the government is overreacting like they have done on many occasions,” says Amir. “I think they need to educate people and teach local cafes about hygiene and that stuff instead of just going in and shutting it down.”

This is exactly what has happened. In downtown Cairo last month, police came into the Borsa area – Stock Market – and shut down a number of cafes serving shisha. The health ministry cited concerns over the manner in which the pipes and hoses were cleaned. But, only days later, all the cafes that lined the streets – it is a popular hangout spot for the younger generation of Egyptians and foreigners – were back at work, serving shisha to its loyal patrons.

The closing of shisha cafes has not been limited to only Cairo. In Mansoura, reports of prohibitions on the Egyptian pastime have been flowing in telling of closures of the city’s cafes ability to serve shisha.

“People here in Mansoura say Shisha is completely prohibited,” Mohamed el-Gohary wrote on his IRCPresident Twitter account last month.

The government has been quick in their attempts to curtail the spread of the H1N1 influenza, commonly known as swine flu, although world health officials have repeatedly stated the virus does not pass from pigs to humans. Here in Egypt, after the initial report of the outbreak in Mexico and the United States, all pigs were culled, sparking massive criticism both domestically and globally over what World Health Organization officials called “rash.”

Then, in September, the government closed down all schools and universities, fearing that by allowing students to return would allow for a possible outbreak among students. Schools were reopened in early October after the delay.

The health ministry has repeatedly stated it is doing everything in its power to ensure that Egyptians remain safe and the H1N1 virus does spread across the country in large numbers like it has in other countries.

“The reason shisha is being cut back is because of the poor conditions that often come with the local cafes that people go to. Swine flu can spread quite easily in the pipes if they are not cleaned properly, so we decided that in order to keep people safe from getting sick that these places be shut down, but at this time we have no intention of closing the places where they clean the pipes and use the medical hoses,” the official added.

Other reasons the government has given for ending smoking is the easy manner tuberculosis can spread through the hoses from one puffer to another. In 2007, Parliament banned smoking in public places. But, a quick walk through any government building and the dozens of ashtrays with the spent butts of cigarettes reveal the ban didn’t stick.

The health ministry says they are determined to get onto the global calls for banning smoking, saying that in Egypt, at minimum, smoking indoors should be curtailed. But tell that to the millions of Egyptians who daily puff away at their flavored water-pipe.

For the elderly men in Zamalek, at one level they agree with the ministry’s decision to close down the ahwa, saying that they agree with the government’s assessment.

“These places are not clean and have not been for years, which is why we have been coming here,” adds Mounir. Their frustration is with how these things are carried out by the government.

“Just like when they all-of-a-sudden decided to kill all the pigs, there was no warning and people didn’t have a say. It will hurt Egyptians livelihoods greatly and I am certain that it will cause more pain than what the government knows or cares about,” believes Amin.

For now, at least, if Egyptians and foreigners want to puff away on their water-pipe, the place to do it is the upscale, clean cafes in the more affluent areas of Cairo and the rest of the country. Or just wait a few days, and all will be fine for those who enjoy the very Egyptian tradition.

Joseph Mayton
17 November 2009

RAS AL KHAIMAH — Despite a ban on smoking of shisha outside shisha cafes and coffee houses, there’s a marked increase in the number of people who can be seen puffing away in public places in Ras Al Khaimah.

The trend has sparked concern among residents about the health risks related to smoking of shisha.

Residents fear that smoking shisha in places like coffee shops poses risks to their health because shisha contains tobacco.

Ahmed Hassan, who resides in the Corniche area, said the spread of shisha outlets attracts even youngsters who are below 18 years.

He noted that in the evenings, scores of men and even women can be seen sitting in coffee shops and smoking shisha.

“Many youngsters are attracted into smoking shisha because of the sweet smell of flavoured tobacco or due to peer pressure,” said Hassan.

Uthman Ali, another resident, said: “Unlike the shisha houses which are specifically visited by the smokers, some coffee shops and places around the Corniche, where people smoke shisha, are visited by several others who are not shisha smokers. The health of these people could be affected.”

For Saeed Ahmed, shisha houses operating in public places like shopping malls, beaches or other places of entertainment, which are visited by many people, do pose a risk to public health..

Mahdi Rajab, a shisha smoker, said he enjoys smoking shisha.It’s now a pasttime for him on weekends.

“Visiting shisha houses or coffee cafes to ‘smoke shisha’ involves many other social activities and it does not mean that everyone merely sits quietly smoking their pipe,” he said.

Some of his non-smoking friends put up with the smoke because of the relaxing aroma, he said.
Licence to serve

Hamad Al Shamsy, director of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Ras Al Khaimah, admitted that there has been an increase in the number of licensed cafes which serve shisha, but all of them have to comply with the laws.

He said huge penalties would be imposed on those violating
the rules.

According to the DED, there are 39 registered shisha cafés in
Ras Al Khaimah.

By Sebugwaawo Ismail
9 November 2009, Khaleejtimes

The smoking ban needs updating to offer shisha bar owners clearer advice, Harrow Council in west London has said.

The bars, where herbal tobacco can be smoked through a communal pipe, tend to have an awning open to the street.

But the law on outdoor smoking shelters means those with roofs should be at least 50% open, so air can circulate.

And when cafes are fitted with low roofs and cushions to create a pleasant atmosphere, they can block ventilation and fall foul of the smoking ban.

‘Authentic experience’

One shisha cafe in Harrow has already been issued with a £200 fine.

Another settled out of court over breaches of the smoking ban rules.

As in any place of work, smoking is banned on the premises of all shisha bars, which are also known as hookah bars.

Councillor Susan Hall, Harrow’s portfolio holder for the environment, said: “These cafes are becoming increasingly popular across London, but the legislation on smoking in public places wasn’t framed with them in mind.

“It needs to be updated so all councils have clear guidance on what these cafe fittings should look like.

“We can then balance the right of customers to sit and enjoy the authentic shisha experience while continuing to deliver clean and safe streets.”

Shisha bars, which are typically decked out with low stools and soft cushions to create an inviting atmosphere, are popular across London with both Middle Eastern customers and a young crowd.

© News.bbc

Imagine lying in a hospital bed paralysed. You cannot breathe and your legs – including your gangrenous toes – have been removed, all because the arteries that carry blood to them have become blocked. In case you’re wondering, you’re suffering from Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), a condition you’re two and a half times more likely to contract if you’re a smoker.

Of course, PVD isn’t the only potentially lethal condition that smokers are more likely to develop than non smokers. According to the World Health Organization, every eight seconds someone dies from a smoking-related disease. ‘Of course you die younger,’ Dr John Callaghan, chief medical officer at the General Medical Clinic in Jumeirah, says.

‘If you take identical twins, and one starts smoking at 20 and the other doesn’t, then the smoker pops his clogs up to 10 years before the other guy, all things being equal.’ The prospect of taking 10 years off your life (not to mention the increased risk of contracting a crippling disease), of course, should provide ample incentive for anyone to stay off the fags. However, here in Dubai it isn’t just smoking cigarettes that offer dangerous temptation to both the smoker and non-smoker alike

For some reason – perhaps its deep cultural roots and its sociability – here in Dubai and elsewhere in the Arab world shisha has an air (or should that be a cloud) of respectability that the humble cigarette would, er, kill for. This perception and its sweet smell may even have persuaded some that it’s a safer option. Indeed, while non-smokers might never consider picking up a Marlboro or Pall Mall cigarettes they may be tempted to try a puff on the ornate water pipes that you can find all over this city, as our young interviewees bear witness.

‘Shisha is worse (in comparison to cigarettes) because in the shisha there’s no filter and you inhale more of the impurities with each breath,’ Dr Sabina Aidarous, of the Imperial Healthcare Institute tells us, firmly stubbing out the notion that it is safer.

‘People tend to justify smoking shisha saying it bubbles through water and therefore isn’t as harmful,’ Dr Callaghan says. ‘Bubbling of the water just reduces the temperature a little bit.’ And Dr Sabina warns that there are hidden dangers, too. ‘They are still getting addicted to the nicotine in the shisha. We have an indication of how much nicotine there is in cigarettes, but in shisha we don’t really know how much nicotine there is because it’s so unregulated,’ she says. ‘It’s interesting, because the water that the shisha bubbles through makes it worse, because the water, combined with the humidity, makes the smoke from the shisha stay in your lungs longer.’