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Islamabad: Ministry of Narcotics Control organized an advocacy workshop against the use of Sheesha smoking here on Friday .Parliamentary Secretary for Narcotics Control Syed Inayat Ali Shah was the chief guest on the occasion. Director General Planning and Monitoring Unit (PMU) Ministry of Narcotics Control Muhammad Shahid, Dr. Nadeem Rehman United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Head Institute of Psychiatry Fareed Minhas (WHO Collaborating Centre Rawalpindi Medical College) and a large number people attended the workshop.
Parliamentary Secretary for Narcotics Control Syed Inayat Ali Shah addressing on the occasion vowed to raise this issue in parliament to legislate against the menace. He further said that there is need of extensive awareness campaigns to educate youth about the hazard of sheesha smoking and other drugs. He also requested to media representatives and civil society to take active part in bringing awareness in general masses highlighting the harmful effects of Sheesha.
D G. Planning and Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Narcotics Control, Muhamad Shahid informed the participants about findings of research on substance abuse amongst women in Pakistan which was conducted under the project titled ”Gender Justice and Protection Project” in collaboration with UNOPS. He said that the study is based on a survey undertaken in fine urban cities of the country including Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta. He said that according to research findings most common drug used by respondents is charas, heroin and alcohol, adding that use of sheesha with charas and other drug is new emerging trend.
He said that drug depended women become mentally and emotionally unstable and half of the respondents confirmed that some in the family encounter violence at house hold level. He said that one female addict is responsible for destroying a generation .
He further added that the use of sheeshe is being taken as status symbol and young girls and boys, unaware of harms of sheesha, smoke sheesha as recreational activity. Presenting research on the topic “Sheesha Myth, Reality or Addiction?” Head Institute of Psychiatry Fareed Minhas said that Hookah or Sheesha smoking has become a very popular trend in the country, adding that using a sheesha to smoke tobacco poses a serious potential health hazard to smokers and others exposed to the smoke. He said that using a sheesha to smoke tobacco is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking.
He said that typical one hour long waterpipe smoking session involves inhaling of 100-200 times, the volume of smoke inhaled with a single cigarette.
“Even after it has been passed through water, the smoke produced by a waterpipe contains high levels of toxic compounds (heavy metals and cancer causing chemicals)” he said.
He said that sharing a mouthpiece poses a serious risk of transmission of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and hepatitis, adding that tobacco is often sweetened and flavoured, making it very appealing.
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