A nationwide survey on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) has identified an alarming rise in shisha smoking in the country, particularly among young women.
The survey found that shisha smoking is notably popular among persons aged 18 to 29 with 44 percent of women smokers actively engaging in it as compared to 6.6 percent of men smokers, attributing the reason to the perception that shisha is less harmful than manufactured cigarettes. "The proportion of current smokers who smoke shisha is 7.8%, with its use being more prevalent among the 18-29-year age group and highest among women.
While only 6.6% of men who currently smoke use shisha, 44.0% of women who currently smoke use shisha.
This may be due to the perception that shisha is less harmful than manufactured cigarettes.