Shisha smoking: An emerging trend in Southeast Asian nations

Shisha smoking, with origins in India and the Arab world, is today spreading rapidly into other parts of the world. One such region is Southeast Asia, where shisha bars are commonly seen around educational institutions. The general public remains unaware of the harmful effects of shisha smoking and many assume that shisha smoking does not involve tobacco. Shisha smoking is not adequately addressed in the current anti-tobacco policies by most governments of Southeast Asia. Only a few countries have already taken concrete measures of including shisha smoking in anti-tobacco policies. We highlight the emerging trend of shisha smoking in Southeast Asian nations, associated health effects, and the loopholes in the governmental policies that are being exploited by the vendors of shisha. While most research, taxation policies, and health education on tobacco-related products have focused on cigarettes, additional methods of tobacco delivery become more common.