By Nasratu Kargbo
Member of Parliament representing Falaba District Mohamed Billoh Shaw has drawn the attention of his colleague MPs to the alcohol produced by Punjab Trading Centre as harmful for the youths and condemned society’s acceptance of Shisha as a norm.
Shaw in his debate on the Public Emergency Regulations 2024 and the Drug and Substance Abuse Public Emergency Response Regulations 2024, on the 23rd of April 2024, said: “I want to draw the attention of the house on this liquor produced by a company called Punjab, one packet of that product can get a youth intoxicated for twenty-four hours”.
The MP said for Kush, the evidence of its harm can be seen but that other harmful substances such as cheap alcohol can have a slow but deadly impact on the consumer.
“Kush has caused serious damage that is evident, but what about this locally produced alcohol that has 40% to 60% and is sold at a minimal rate of three to ten Leones? What have we done to control the production of harmful products?” he asked.
He said the situation is far past the prevention stage, but noted that if they are to put control measures on harmful substances, the products produced by Punjab should be considered.
Speaking on shisha, Shaw said society has made it a norm to have it in entertainment centres, noting that the society celebrates shisha smokers and creates the narrative that those set of smokers are celebrities, highly civilized people.
He said when one goes to birthdays and other functions these shisha pots are seen all over the place, stating that some people even have their pots.
He said Kush became an upgrade to shisha, and those youths who want to keep up with the trend and show that they are social went further to smoke Kush as they consider it an upgrade to what they have been smoking. The MP said that some even smoke both together.
According to experts, shisha is very detrimental to human health. The Quality Control Officer for the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Reynold Senesie in an engagement with journalists and members of parliament on the 19th of August 2022 explained that studies and statistics have shown one round of shisha is equivalent to between one to two hundred sticks of cigarette.
He stated that due to its harmful nature, other countries like Kenya and Rwanda have banned its use, making it illegal.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (26/04/24)
