The Disease Control and Prevention Department of the Ghana Health Service is alarmed by the high rate of shisha smoking among Junior High School (JHS) girls.

Head of the Department, Dr. Kyei Faried, described the situation as worrying, saying shisha was harmful to the health of the smokers, especially females, and urged them to desist from the practice.

“Shisha contains tobacco and tobacco has over 70 poisonous substances and nothing good in it,” he stated.

Latest survey shows, one out of every 50 junior high school girl smokes shisha, Dr. Faried noted and called on all to join in the fight against the use of all forms of tobacco.

Shisha smoking is a way of smoking tobacco through a bowl with a tube joined on. The tube has a mouthpiece that the smoker uses to breathe in the smoke.

The trend originated from the Middle East and certain areas of Asia but has recently become more popular in Ghana with young people joining.

Dr. Kyei Faried indicated the Disease Control Department was embarking on programmes to end the use of any form of tobacco.

He noted Ghana has no future if 1 out of every 50 junior high school girls smokes shisha and therefore called on pastors, imams, the media and all to join in the campaign to stop smoking.

Dr. Faried urged smokers to make conscious efforts to stop smoking saying “when one decides to stop smoking, within a year all the over 70 poisonous substances leave the bloodstream so it is possible, desist from smoking and you will be fine”.