Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Charles Swamy, 26, customer sales representative, from Tubli I was against the ban on the corniche. I believe that since it is open air it isn't as harmful to others and they should first think of banning sheesha in closed spaces. I have been a sheesha smoker for eight years and it's really a social thing - there is nothing to do in Bahrain so we go to coffee shops and smoke sheesha.
Ala Saleh, 28, internal auditor, from A'ali
I smoke sheesha once a month on average. I used to smoke weekly but then started to cut back. Apparently it's not good for you.
In this part of the world sheesha is considered part of our heritage and culture.
We have coffee shops all over the country, high- class cafes and traditional ones, where people can meet and just hang out while smoking the many flavours of sheesha.
As for the latest ban on sheesha, I really didn't understand why they tried to ban it on the corniche. It didn't make any sense.
The corniche is one of the last great locations to actually go and smoke by the water, like Al Sheraa which is one of the best places to go for this. It is actually a tourist attraction, right by the financial harbour.
Yes, I believe the country should do its best to try to decrease the number of sheesha shops and sheesha smokers but in a sensible manner.
Mohammed Al Sayed, 21, a student at the American University in Dubai
I have been smoking sheesha for maybe seven years and no less than three times a day.
It would bother me if they banned sheesha in Bahrain as I smoke it quite a bit when I come to visit. It is officially part of my lifestyle.
Perhaps work on a way to inform people of the hazards of smoking.
Don't force people to stop because then they will just do it behind closed doors.
