The "shisha mania" has seized Lomé. Long time appanage of the Lebanese settled in Togo, the shisha gradually returned to the habits of many compatriots. In the pubs, bars and restaurants of the capital, the flavored smoking tube makes tobacco especially to the youth, indifferently of sex and social classes.
The Esplanade located in Gbonssimé, Premium in Bè, Akif on the boulevard of January 13, Mad Complex next to the Palais des Congrès .... Whether they are restaurants, pubs or night clubs, all these places have this in common attract many young people with diverse profile, coming from all walks of life. They frequent these places to meet friends, eat a piece, have a drink and especially party.
And in Lomé at the moment, there is no celebration for these "trendy" ones without the shisha still called hookah, this great water pipe of Persian origin used mainly in the Arab world to smoke tobacco with a mixture of molasses and Of fruit essences. Offered on average at 2000 FCFA depending on the site and the composition of the content, it makes the happiness of its consumers.
In fact, chicha-themed evenings are organized in some pubs while groups of smokers are created to bring together the aficionados to this "smoke" trend. Most of them put forward the friendly side of the thing, arguing that the shisha would provide a new pleasure with its deodorizing smoke that does not indispose neither the smoker nor the entourage. Eric, a young student, for his part, argues that the use of shisha makes it possible to be in a group to share it, unlike cigarettes, which are often personal; In short, a ludic and social object.
DANGER:
Contrary to popular belief, smoking shisha can turn out to be just as dangerous (if not more) than smoking cigarettes. A hookah session usually exposes smokers to a greater amount of smoke than cigarette smokers. In fact, a smoker usually consumes a cigarette in 5 to 7 minutes, inhaling a volume of smoke of between 0.5 and 0.6 liters of smoke. In comparison, a hookah smoker smokes for 20 to 70 minutes and inhales between 50 and 200 puffs of 0.05 to 0.25 liters each. A hookah session exposes the smoker to a volume of smoke corresponding to more than 100 cigarettes per session.
The lower concentration of nicotine in tobacco smoke may cause smokers who are dependent on smoking to inhale more smoke to relieve their lack. This exposes them to a high level of carcinogenic chemicals and hazardous gases (such as carbon monoxide), especially as part of the nicotine is absorbed by water.
In addition, a session of 45 minutes delivers about 20 times more tar, twice as much carbon monoxide, and three times more nicotine than a cigarette. However, the nature of the tar is different due to a lower combustion temperature. Thus, if 30 to 50 puffs are taken in the same evening by chicha, this means that the consumer takes as much smoke as with 40 cigarettes. Measurements show that the increase in carbon monoxide exhaled at the end of a shisha is equivalent to that observed when consuming 30 to 40 cigarettes. ".
To mitigate adverse health effects, tobacco-free plant mixtures are also proposed. However, they remain harmful as soon as there is combustion and therefore production of carbon monoxide. Another solution, the steam stones, coated with glycerin flavored that can be heated without coal, has recently appeared. It is presented as less harmful to the health of the users and their entourage.
The use of hookah during pregnancy also leads to babies with a lower birth weight.
During the realization of our subject, we discovered that shisha is also the occasion for some young people to discover and try different kinds of drugs; Encouraged by the taste and smell of aromas, more "fun" than those of a cigarette. This is the case for cannabis smokers.
Equally dangerous, there is this special mix made by several consumers with sodabi, soukouday (liqueur presented as an aperitif and sold by Nigerian ambulants at 25 F glass), drugs, all seasoned by An aroma. The smoker, called "kpoga" smokes the "mixture", rejects the flavoring fumes, inhaled by his companions.
THE DEVICE
The hookah consists of several parts: the chimney, the upper bowl, the body (or reservoir), the submerged pipe and the pipe. The hookah can also have a tray located between the chimney and the upper bowl.
The bowl contains the mixture of tobacco, molasses and fruit essences sometimes called tabamel or charcoal, which is laid over it. Some mixtures contain no tobacco and are composed only of molasses and fruit pulp. The bowl is placed on top of the fireplace. The body of the hookah is filled with water half its height, and rose water or other additives intended to give taste can be added. The submerged pipe is then placed in the tank, and connected to the chimney and the pipe. The smoke from the tabamel passes through the water and is filtered through it before reaching the mouth of the smoker, who aspires into the pipe provided for this purpose. The water is changed regularly to remove residues.
The tabamel used in hookahs is specially designed for this purpose: it has the appearance of a wet paste, composed of about 30% tobacco, which is fermented with about 70% molasses, honey and Various fruits, which are intended to give the smoke a fruity flavor and aroma. Tabamels are found to suit all tastes: from apple to cherry, from mint to multifruit, and even cappuccino or cola. The tabamel is heated in the furnace at a temperature of about 450 ° C.
The reservoirs are of various shapes (coconut or other) and can be worked in metal, crystal, glass, copper or pottery. Some are enhanced with gilding or silver parts. The metal parts of the hookah are usually finely chiseled. Some pipes are also decorated. Finally, the tray of the hookah is also richly decorated (with pearls, as in Syria) and chiseled. The forms of the hookahs are very diverse and the decorations (which range from the most "touristy" to the most refined) reflect the decorative influences of the region where they are made. The hookah's mechanism makes it possible to envisage the simultaneous use of the same device by several smokers, as is sometimes seen outside the societies where its use is traditional and where the instrument can be at the heart of an ancient social practice.
The device costs between 20 000 and 80 000 FCFA according to its quality and is sold in several stalls, in particular in Dékon. Accessories such as aromas are sold at 2500 FCFA and pipes at 1500 per meter.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS ?
Law No. 2010-017 on the production, marketing, consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products and Decree No. 2012-046 prohibiting smoking in public places have been in force for more than five years. In accordance with these provisions, smoking is strictly forbidden in all public places. Any offender shall be punished in accordance with article 865 of the new Penal Code with imprisonment from six (06) months to one (01) year and a fine of one million (1,000,000) to Five million (5,000,000) CFA francs or one of these two penalties.
The implementation of the decree is satisfactory at the level of hotels and restaurants, said the National Alliance of Consumers and Environment (ANCE) after a survey carried out last year. A total of 398 public places were monitored and evaluated. 87 out of 117 hotels, 109 out of 124 restaurants and 38 out of 157 bars respect the ban on smoking in public places.
On the other hand, the results are more mixed in the bars, because most are open or semi-open places, which makes it difficult to control smokers and the application of this measure.
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