Rwanda has banned smoking of water-pipe tobacco, popularly known as shisha, starting Friday. Rwanda becomes the second country in Africa to ban shisha smoking after Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli imposed the ban in July last year.

Other countries with similar bans are Pakistan, Jordan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.

The Rwanda Health ministry has also outlawed the importation, advertising and smoking of shisha within its territory over health concerns.

In a public notice effective December 15, 2017, the ministry warns of sanctions to those who flout the ban arguing that “…shisha tobacco smoking is damaging, addictive and dangerous on human lives.

    “The smoke that emerges from a water-pipe contains numerous toxicants known to cause lung cancer, heart diseases, just to name a few,” reads the communication from Health Minister Diane Gashumba.

World Health Organisation (WHO), in a recent advisory note to regulators, revealed that smoking shisha posed grave health risks.

In a single session, it said, shisha smokers can inhale smoke of 100 or more cigarettes.