City shisha bars taken to court for health offences

TWO Cardiff shisha bars have been prosecuted for public health offences following council investigations.

Concerns around the safety of shisha bars were raised in a council meeting in March and since then the authority has been inspecting premises across the city.

There were fears that many young people are smoking the shisha pipes, which contain tobacco, without knowing the health risks.

The inspections led to two Cardiff shisha bars – Albasha Cafe in City Road and Royal Coast Cafe in Charles Street – pleading guilty to failing to prevent smoking in smokefree areas before magistrates on August 16.

Under the law, shisha pipes can be smoked in the open air or in structures where at least 50% of the walls are permanently open.

It is not allowed within substantially or fully-enclosed public spaces.

Ali Mirzo, from Royal Coast Cafe, pleaded guilty to one offence under the Health Act 2006 for failing to prevent smoking in a smoke-free place at his premises on January 18.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge, ordered to pay costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £20.

Osama Saleh, director of Albasha Cafe, pleaded guilty to one offence of failing to prevent smoking in a smoke-free place in January. The company has one previous conviction for the same offence. Saleh was fined £200, ordered to pay costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £30.

The company was fined £300, ordered to pay costs of £180 and a victim surcharge of £30.

The British Heart Foundation has warned that traditional shisha pipes contain tobacco and have toxic chemicals found in cigarettes such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic and lead.

That means there are still risks of heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease and pregnancy conditions associated with shisha smoking.

The BHF also says one puff of a shisha pipe inhales the same amount of smoke as a whole cigarette, and an average hour-long shisha session could see users inhale the equivalent to 100 cigarettes.

A council spokesman said: “The council is currently inspecting premises where shisha smoking takes place in the city and has a range of powers that can be used to ensure that these businesses are complying with all relevant legislation.”