I was introduced to ‘shisha’ by my peers - Confessesions of a 19-year-old girl

The smoking of “Shisha” seems to be the new trend among the youth in recent times. In Ghana, a series of videos have popped up on various social media portals showing senior high school girls engaged in the practice.

Despite her knowledge of its dangerous health implications, Yayira (not her real name), a 19-year-old girl says she prefers smoking “shisha” to cigarettes or any other tobacco product. She said, “I know that when you smoke it very often, you can get cancer”.

As she opens up on her experience, Yayira revealed that, she was introduced to the smoking of “shisha” by her peers, one late afternoon. Although she felt weak, dizzy and sleepy during her initial experience; she believes she was saved from the possibility of being raped because she took paracetamol before the experience.

The senior high school graduate gave interesting insights about the types and flavours of “shisha” on the Ghanaian market, places where you can easily assess them and how to smoke it. Yayira asserts that the number of teenagers engaged in the smoking of “shisha” is alarming, owing to the sweet flavours they come in, “some taste as sweet as a strawberry”, she added.

When asked if she has ever sought for help in staying away from smoking, she lamented that she stopped going to church when a pastor accused her of being a lesbian and a witch in front of a congregation. She regretted ever stepping foot in that church. According to Yayira, her parents are not in the know of her current lifestyle and she desires to keep it so as long as she can.

Reacting to Yayira’s ordeal, a clinical psychologist, Dr. Newman Arthur has called on all stakeholders to pay attention to the psychological needs of the youth. He indicated that most young people get into such acts as part of their mechanism to cope with life’s challenges, which include financial neglect among others. Unfortunately, owing to the addictive nature of acts such as smoking, these young ones are unable to easily get out of it on their own.

Dr. Arthur further highlighted that; these young ones need all the support and help. He called on the general public to minimize criticism and engage professional counsellors and health experts, to help these addicted persons out of the possibility of suffering cardiovascular diseases and other types of cancers.

A Regulatory Officer at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Mrs Naa Korkoi Ewudzie, has called on government to ban “shisha” as part of its measures to protect the youth of the country. She said this at the second Regional Technical Family Planning stakeholders meeting held in Cape Coast.