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Mthabisi Tshuma
SHISHA smoking has become a hit in Gwanda’s nightspots as bar proprietors have incorporated the activity which is “giving life” to bars.
It is most popular in big cities like Harare and Bulawayo where there are spots which specialise in shisha. While it has its disadvantages, shisha has been deemed to be a “cool” activity by most youths.
Shisha, also known as Hookah, is smoked through a water-pipe. It usually contains tobacco sweetened with fruit or molasses sugar, giving it a fruity aroma and making it a desirable product.
The shisha craze in Gwanda has hit the town’s upmarket club, The Nest Pub and Grill located in the CBD and Injanji nightclub at Spitzkop North. The upmarket pubs offer over 10 flavours of the shisha.
Proprietor of the pubs, Tomang Pindi, said: “Most youths are flocking to the clubs as they want to sample the shisha.”
Other than clubs, Shisha has also become a common feature at shows.
A youth, Bekezela Ndlovu, said he smokes shisha because of the coolness it gives one in a bar.
“We’ve always known shisha from the big cities and now having it in our local spots gives life to a bar. It always shows you’re a cool dude, especially when courting ladies in a club,” said Bekezela.
Most clubs in the town including Mkhekhelezi Leisure Centre and Yellow Door Bar are slowly incorporating the idea through their patrons who are bringing their own shisha.
In Bulawayo, a number of Shisha lounges have been opened including Vintage Bar and Backroom Shisha at Bradfield shopping centre. Hartsfield also recently introduced a section where Shisha is sold. These places with Shisha have proved popular among patrons who say it is a relaxing activity.
However, in the past years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has bemoaned the smoking of shisha, but patrons have taken the development very lightly. According to a 2017 WHO research, the volume of smoke inhaled in an hour-long shisha session is estimated to be equivalent to smoking between 100 and 200 cigarettes.
Also according to SA Health, many young people are not aware that smoking shisha tobacco exposes them to similar or higher levels of harmful chemicals than cigarette smoking as a one-hour shisha session generates second hand smoke with as much carbon monoxide as 20 cigarettes. — @mthabisi_mthire.
Online Reporter