Officials Inspect Kiulap For Tobacco Offences
By Ubaidillah Masli

Bandar Seri Begawan - Officials from the health ministry last evening inspected several locations in the Kiulap area where smokers were likely to be lighting up, to counsel smokers to refrain from smoking in public according to the newly-enforced smoking regulations.

Among the locations visited were sundry shops and restaurants. A restaurant in the area, renowned among members of the public for its Arabic food and shisha, as well as an environment that recreated the atmosphere of an authentic Arabic restaurant, was one of the places inspected last night.

Under the Tobacco Order 2005, smoking is prohibited in all restaurants. Shisha, a tobacco product, is also forbidden in all public places.

One of the restaurant's managers estimated that around 60 per cent of the people who came to the restaurant would smoke shisha. He stated that his "business will become bad", since shisha was no longer one of the attractions on the menu for his customers. While some customers may still continue to eat at the restaurant, he was uncertain how the restaurant would cope without the sale of shisha.

"We perceive (shisha) as a growing problem especially amongst non-smokers," said Dr Hj Zulhilmi POKHPDSS Hj Abdullah, the head of the Tobacco Control Unit, who was among the inspecting officers yesterday.

Generally, non-smokers think shisha is not a tobacco product, thus it is safe to smoke. "What they don't realise is that (the) dangers of tobacco (are) also present in shisha," he told The Brunei Times.

"We are actually trying to stop non-smokers from smoking and shisha smokers from smoking as well."

Dr Zulhilmi stated that there is hardly any difference between the second-hand smoke of cigarettes and that of shisha.

However, he felt that because shisha had fruit flavourings mixed with the tobacco, the smoke emitted by shisha masks the dangers present. "It carries the same risks as cigarette smoke," he emphasised.

The new order also bans the sale of shisha tobacco in the sultanate. One supplier of such tobacco products said that all he could do was to "abide with the rules".

The officers also visited several restaurants where those found to be smoking were asked to put out their cigarettes. They also briefed the waiters and managers as well as distributed leaflets on the new Order.

The officers had also inspected The Mall, Gadong and its restaurants yesterday afternoon. Fliers containing information on the Tobacco Order 2005 were also given out to members of the public. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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