SMOKING BAN INCLUDES SHISHA!
By
Finally, I have a reason to use this blog (as opposed to my personal one for friends only) for something useful, although I will be adding more geek-blogs on open source shortly, as I have been following that with great interest (especially Alfresco).
Following up on my blog a few months ago (I’ve pasted it below from my other blog), I have some VERY sad news. Unfortunately, the UK smoking ban in public places (which I am completely for in regards to normal clubs and bars) includes shisha.
What can I say? I’m not muslim, none of the Greeks, Russians, Spanish, Brazilians and English friends I know are muslim, but we all like to go for shisha during the week/weekends. Yet the British government claims there shouldn’t be special exceptions for minorities such as muslims for the smoking ban. What about the exceptions they do for the other religions in the UK like allowing Sikhs to carry knives? Surely that’s more of a health hazard than Shisha to the public?! I’m not going to turn this into a religious/minority argument like the government has, but I will say again what I stated in my last artical about this:
Shisha bars are unique – people only go to them to smoke Shisha! They have made a conscious decision to expose themselves to smoke, so let us be!
The government wants to get rid of the binge drinking culture, but what options does someone like me have to go and meet up with friends in the evening? Starbucks? Or shall I go for drink at the bar down the road from now on like all the other English?! Shisha was something me and my friends could do regularly in London to meet up, hang out in a cool place, meet loads of new people (everyone sits close together in Shisha bars so you always end up meeting other people from other countries!) that didn’t involve alcohol, or just sitting in a chain-coffee shop.
Anyway, there is an online petition for the Government, please take 2 minutes to sign up if you’re a British resident (you don’t have to be British just a resident living here!) to stop this idiocracy: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Shisha. The deadline is 29th June, and it only has 4000 signatures so far!
Original Blog – 14/02/2006:
I heard some very positive and also disappointing news today.
Today, parliament voted by an almost 200 vote majority, for a total ban on smoking in England in all public places. Now as a non-smoker, I have no problem with this. I hate going into some clubs and coming out stinking of smoke, or having my lungs and eyes screwed up because the club doesn’t have a decent air conditioning system. So overall, I’m in favour.
But I got to thinking about whether this would include shisha. A lot of people on this site have been for shisha in this country, in fact for a few of us its a social tradition that is a good excuse to get together and try something a bit more original than the local pub.
One search on google, bought up an artical from the First Post where it stated that shisha was a predominately muslim activity, and that the home office would not “single out the Muslim community for special treatment,”.
Now, only a couple of people on this site are muslim, but a lot of us enjoy shisha. This is not just a muslim tradition, but a social tradition that non-muslims, non-arabs (especially Greeks) and a number of Russian girls I know, enjoy!
The fact is, this is not special treatment for muslims, its not even special treatment! Unlike a club, pub or restaurant where people primarily go for a drink, food or a party, the only people who go to shisha bars and cafes are the ones who want to go for shisha, and have made a consious choice to sit there and inhale smoke. So many people who are non-smokers like myself, accept it, because its something you can do with friends in a group, but mainly because its something different! Now my choice is to go to a pub/club/restaurant that all offer pretty much the same deal, drink/food and the same western atmosphere you can find in a thousand places.
This is something that adds some spice and diversity to Englands night life. We seem more in favour of extending everyone’s right to binge drink 24 hours, than about protecting something that involves no more than chilling out with some friends and enjoying the atmosphere of something you can’t find anywhere else in the UK.
This ruling will close down businesses throughout the UK. Not just muslim/arab ones either. Anyone who’s been to Cafe Cairo in Clapham will know that hardly anyone there is Arab, but just a bunch of Londoner’s who want to do something different from the usual English night life.
David Gildeh 
I am willing to make my house an alternative gathering place. I see a market here. You an bring your friends over and i can provide the shishas…..I wil even be one of those alternative shisha places where you can have shisha and booze – what a dream. And i promise i will not charge much. No seriously the problem with the shisha places is the same as the problem with the cigar bars (Where fat cats go and smoke cigars ) – as you note on your blogg people enter it fully aware that they will inhale smoke. Whilst i agree your sentiment – i see the government’s point of you – if they do not put a blanket ban – then every establishment even clubs will purchase a collection of shishas and then get around the ban by offering punters shishas as well. Because you simply can not say in shisha place you can only smoke shisha but not ciggs. Personally – i would rather see shisha places close down than an enforced useless ban with a fundamental loophole. One last thing – the shisha is not religious extension of Islam- IF you go to Edgware road (AKA SHISHA Boulevard) – you would be surprised, other than the Arabs, most of the punters are British born Indians with religions such as Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism.
Definately agree with the extension of Islam statement, that was my point when I was listing the number of countries I know that go regualarly for shisha in London. None of them are muslim, or me, but we still go for Shisha regularly. However, I’m not sure how strong the loophole really is. To have shisha in a club/bar completely changes the atmosphere of the place. Can you imagine a traditional English pub serving Shisha on it’s menu? In addition, the costs involved in running a proper shisha bar with only a limited market wouldn’t financially justify the loophole. Most shisha bars have one full time person who sets up the shisha’s and gets them started (usually at the expense of his health by smoking them all!) and goes around replacing coals. This works in a shisha bar where everyone is coming for shisha, but not in every bar/club, as the petition shows, shisha is still a minority activity, and I don’t think that will change because normal smoking is banned in clubs, so most bars wouldn’t really have a market for it, or the local landlord will have to learn how to setup a shisha and remember to top up everyone’s coal! Also, smokers still need proper smokes – aka cigarettes, shisha isn’t really an alternative for them! I can see however, how some “trendy” bars/clubs in some cities may introduce Shisha, its done in Paris, and its done here in Bangkok too, they may be the only places to benefit from a loophole. I don’t see why you can’t ban cigarettes and still have shisha, if the management enforces it, then even if it doesn’t make too much sense to do so, it would still make the loophole less enticing. I can already think of the main loophole that may provide some hope for shisha smokers like me, the ban is only for indoors, and a couple of the places I go to in London (but the minority unfortunately) that have some outside space in front of their bars where I’m sure shisha will continue to be served! Just a shame the English weather will spoil it most the time!
please email me if there is a petiton to keep shisha cafes pl [email protected]
So for those of you who didn’t see the link to the petition in my blog text above, here it is again: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Shisha Below are 2 good stories from New Statesman and CNN on the issue: http://www.newstatesman.com/200703120017 http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/03/10/uk.smoking.ban/index.html
Hi check out my article on the issue at http://www.myspace.com/mariamsheikh. It will be under a blog called “smoking ban includes shisha”. Thanks xx
can you plz keep me updated, and send me a link 4 a patition to keep shisha cafes plz? on [email protected] thnx fazzzzzzz x
This is a great article: http://themuslimweekly.com/fullstoryview.aspx?NewsID=C48FD21390042340A37055EC&MENUID=FEATURE&DESC RIPTION=Feature
I asked someone what will happen to majlis in leicester and apparantly they are applying for some sort of permit? Im not sure what kind of permit this is but it sounds promising with the thousands whom attend Majlis in Leicester from all over the Midlands it sounds like good news but we are not yet to know this issue should be settled as soon as possible. Also i heard from a friend in Cardiff that some Restaurants are not abiding laws and are smoking shisha in the back. But if you have shisha at home it will never be the same.. as you will not meet the people who you immediatly have something in common with or have the shisha man working. All i hope is that Shisha in the UK would still live on because i feel that it is not fair..
I go to restaurants to eat, many of these also offer shishas as an extra just to make a few bob. I dont see why if i go to eat, i should be exposed to shisha smoke. Many will justify that if i dont want to be exposed to shisha i shoudnt go there then, but thats not really answering the question. I should have the freedom to be able to eat any place, including these restaurants that sell shisha without being exposed to high amounts of smoke. Also, these shisha cafes and muslim youths who see shisha as a alternative- their not really taking the right approach. Shisha has higher amount of nicotine in them, they are not as thoroughly checked and cleaned like western cigerettes area. They are just ase Haram as cigarettes, so we shouldnt be smoking them at the first place anyway.
I go out to shisha bars like more than 2wice a week and having a ban to that could lead to more trouble caused on the streets by the youth shisha keeps the youth off the streets and causing trouble with this ban there will be noithing for us to do therefor we will become street rats!
jus wanna say that shisha isnt a muslim fing…yes, you may see muslims down edgwere road smoking it but infact it was originally from the greeks n not only muslims smoke it but many other people too. its quiet offending that everyone seems to think shisha is a muslim thing!
SORRY to inform you but the shisha smokers will be treated as another person smoking in public….a public place is were a person can be allowed to walk into and sit….and we feel they can be no excuse for shisha smokers and we will impose this for ALL smokers……as the title is intended “smoking ban”..it matters not what you may wish to smoke sir…..one hopes this helps you in this matter.
I have one question re this shisha debate the ban is for smoking in ‘enclosed public spaces’ so what if a shisha bar/cafe is to become a members only cafe, and thereby a private cafe – could shisha then be smoked indoors?
This seems to be a pretty delicate issue and it’s hard to find the right solution. If the authorities decided they should also ban shisha, that means shisha also involves certain health risks. Smoking always involves health risks. I am decided to quite, no smoking ban will affect me anymore, I should ask for professional help in drug rehab centers.
Hi, like all shisha smokers know shisha is a social activity that is best enjoyed with friends and family. I am glad to see that new shisha cafes are opening up despite the legislation. I’ve recently been to a shisha cafe with a lovely yard at the back that the owners converted into a shisha garden with temporary roof and heaters for rainy cold days. If you live in Middlesex check out Ali Cafe on 115 The Greenway, Uxbridge, UB8 2pr. LONG LIVE SHISHA!
Its good to see however in London there isn’t much outside space for something similar, especially in central London… After living in Washington DC/Baltimore for 5 months, they also have a smoking ban across their cities which has been around much longer than the UK, but you can still find exceptions for shisha bars as long as they don’t serve alcohol – I think that is a good compromise! Stops clubs getting around the smoking ban by having shisha and lets the places that want to sell shisha sell it indoors!
A smoking ban remains a smoking ban and if that includes shisha then we should comply with it. Shisha is a smoking product and it’s nature fits the banning conditions, I don’t think we should make a big debate out of this. There is no doubt that some of the smokers find it hard to accept this, I am a smoker too and I am seriously considering drug rehab help to kick the habit.
Shisha pipe smoking has become harder and harder to find in England with the smoking ban. However, if you look hard enough you will be able to find a social shisha smoking place. I prefer to smoke in the summer when it is warmer outside making the smoke even more pleasurable. Otherwise during the winter I like to socialise at home with a shisha I bought.
I live in the Uk and just received my first hookah through a late nights alcohol delivery company. Me and my friends simply ordered the hookah and shisha molasses over the telephone while placing an order for our late night drinks!
The night with the shisha was fantstic and kept us up until the early hours, smoking almost 250grams of apple shisha between us!
a great place to go for a shisha smoke would be Majlis Gardens,
203 Belgrave Gate,
Leicester,
LE1 3HT
Great roof top,Great heating,Great Shishas.
so if the weather isn’t great the roof will keep you away from the rain, is ur feeling cold every table has its own heater and if you want a great smoke.
Take care
fay xxx
Majlis Gardens
shisha and cigerettes isnt haram.
Granted, people may have objections to the ban. However, 4 years on, it is clear that the effect has certainly been positive. The atomsphere within public places has now changed, and thats not including the smokey nature of the air, but it more clear to think – rather than the typical dull and downbeat feeling associated with it. Also, as a result of the smoking ban, outside areas will therefore require more attention.
its not a muslim thing its an arab thing
People should not inflict their smaoke onto others in public ENCLOSED spaces. A group of friends may be out and a portion of them may not smoke at all. It is a health hazard which should only be inflicted upon those who chose to do so, its not fair to affect others in a passive manner. HOWEVER as technology advances I am sure there would be some form of powerful extraction fans which could stop the smoke from spreading. I have never done shisha but surely if people can inhale smoke out of a pipe, then they could exhale into some form of exit pipe??
To dgildeh: Yes Sikhs are allowed to carry knives but it means a lot to be a fully knive weilding Sikh, they are not just handed out willy nilly. To be a true Sikh the knive is there for defence of the vulnerable NOT offence. Obviously as how many Sikhs have caused havoc ever with their knives? Even one incident would spark a media outrage?