Plans are afoot to pass a new law in Qatar that would ban sheesha outlets in residential areas and near educational facilities, a Supreme Council of Health official has said.

The new anti-tobacco law, which is expected to be passed “in the next few months,” is supposed to add teeth to Qatar’s existing legislation against smoking, which is not vigorously enforced. 

The Peninsula reports:

Smoking and sheesha are found be major risk factors for several life threatening diseases, especially cancer. About 70 percent of the cancer cases all over the world are directly linked to smoking and other lifestyle factors.

Qatar has already banned smoking in offices and public places, sale of tobacco products near schools and other educational institutions also remains banned. However, the ban has not been implemented effectively in the absence of stringent regulations.

Wonder what will happen to all those smokers in malls if Qatar actually steps up its enforcement of bans!