Why Women in the Emirates Are Smoking More Shisha

Cigarettes No, Shisha Yes
Medical experts in the Emirates have been happy about the more than 10,000 smokers who have pledged to quit smoking cigarettes, but over this ‘World No Tobacco Day (31 May 2009) blitz, they are reporting concern that a growing number of women in the UAE are taking up shisha smoking.

Shisha Hidden From View
The medics are not providing any shisha stats simply because they say that women’s shisha smoking is usually private and ‘behind the veil’.

The revealing sign has been the number of women who visit their doctor with respiratory problems and such a conversation soon leads to a confession that they do suck on a water pipe from time to time.

Shisha smoking is not always a social activity that one does with their mates after work. Some people like to relax and rid themselves of the worries of the world by having a solitary shisha.

So Why are Women Smoking Shisha?
1. Is shisha smoking among women being promoted as a trendy thing to do together and social pressure is keeping the bubbles rumbling in the pipes?

2. Has shisha smoking become the new sign of women’s liberation—that whereas smoking the water pipe was traditionally a male thing, now it has become an activity that declares that women can do anything?

3. Is smoking the shisha together good for the diet because it doesn’t pile on the weight like going out to socialize over a coke and pizza or coffee and cakes?

4. Has shisha smoking become increasingly popular among women in the Emirates because of the development of flavors targeted towards the feminine palate such as apple, strawberry, grape, cherry, mint or cappuccino?

5. Do these fun flavors reinforce the notion that shisha smoking is not harmful to the health?

6. Do women enjoy a shisha because it is a distinctively Emirati/Arab thing to do (see article below) and that it gives them a chance to inhale some of the traditional heritage?

Why do you as a woman like smoking shisha and what is your favorite flavor?

Why is shisha smoking increasing in popularity among women in the UAE?

Take a deep breath, have a think and leave a comment below.

Further:
The Abu Dhabi/UAE Daily Photo has a photo and an extensive commentary on the shisha, water pipe, hubbly bubbly, Hookah, Nargila or Qaylan as they call it in Armadinajad country.

Fujairah Exports Hookah Café to USA, Fujairah in Focus, 6 June 2008.

Dr Geoff Pound

Image: “Take a deep breath, have a think and leave a comment below.”