The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Tuesday banned shisha/hookah in all restaurants and cafes operating in the country, starting from Tuesday until further notice.

The issue was discussed earlier by the council which saw that such cafes and places pose risks to the public health and could encourage young people to smoke.

The Health Ministry has denied the emergence of a disease called "SOL" transmitted by smoking Shisha.

A person who smokes while driving a vehicle which has an occupant under the age of 18 is punishable with a maximum fine of QR3,000, according to Article 18 of Law No. 10 of 2016 on the control of tobacco and its derivatives.

There is a strong association between water-pipe (shisha) smoking and cancers of the head and neck, oesophagus and lungs, it has been revealed in a comprehensive study by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q).

Harmful effects of smoking shisha were discussed at the latest instalment of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar’s (WCM-Q) Grand Rounds.