Cameroon has become the latest African country after Kenya, the Gambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ghana to ban the smoking of shisha pipes, reports Sahara Reporters.
Cameroon has banned the smoking of shisha pipes, saying it poses a health risk to the predominantly young people who use them in bars and at home.
After Kenya, the Gambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ghana, Cameroon is the latest African country to ban the smoking of shisha pipes.
According to the health ministry, about 46 per cent of young Cameroonians smoke the substance – which is typically a mix of tobacco, molasses, glycerine and flavours. Doctors say there is a "misconception" that shishas are not as harmful as cigarettes and the British Heart Foundation says an hour-long shisha session can be the equivalent to smoking more than 100 cigarettes.
Smoking of shisha tobacco is widespread in Africa. In recent years, shisha has also been banned in Tanzania and Sudan – though the ban there has since been lifted and reintroduced several times, the report said.