JEDDAH, 13 September 2006 — The smoke has not cleared yet over the issue of whether sheesha is indeed banned or not in Jeddah’s cafes.
Recent media reports said “hubbly bubbly” establishments would be banned inside city limits. However, this week other reports followed saying the ban had not, in fact, been imposed, but rather these establishments would have to “abide by regulations.”
So, which is it?
A source in the Jeddah municipality who requested anonymity told Arab News yesterday that it was not clear yet whether the words “abide by regulations” meant sheesha bars would have to indeed move outside the city limits, or simply make sure their health certificates are in order, or obtain permits for the sale of the hubbly bubbly.
The municipal official said that the issue was to be “referred to higher authorities for final clarification.” He said he hopes a clarification would come by early next week.
Investors in sheesha cafes and hookah enthusiasts were angered to hear news that sheesha-smoking establishments had been kicked out of town.
Rumors abound that one establishment in Jeddah caused the latest uproar over sheesha because it was selling hashish to add to the tobacco-and-dried-fruit mix. However, many reports said that it was complaints by residents over unlicensed sheesha joints in residential neighborhoods that caused authorities to react.
City officials may be poised to simply regulate these establishments rather than exile them, but no clear statement has come out of the mayor’s office regarding this matter, possibly because of all the money involved in the lucrative and high-demand business.
It is this kind of confusion over exactly what the law or municipal ordinance is that has upset customers and cafe owners alike.
“We would be delighted to get a license,” said Osama Basha, general manager of the Sawary Group, which has a chain of seven sheesha cafes. “Of course, we will apply. This would be good news for owners, investors and consumers.”
Adding to the confusion is that, according to Basha, when he inquired about the possibility of obtaining a license to sell sheesha, he said he was told no such license exists. He walked away from city officials confused over the state of his investment.
In reality, the law on the books has for years been that sheesha was not allowed in city limits.
“It has been served and sold for the last 12 to 15 years in Jeddah and yet it is not permitted?” he asked. “So why are they allowing it and allowing businesses to start if it is not permitted?”
The answer may be simply that officials have for years looked in the other direction, but Basha thinks there is not, in fact, a specific law against sheesha sales in city limits, but rather an understood municipal ban that nobody has paid attention to — until last week.
“They cannot show us anything,” he said. “They have not shown us anything officially allowing or banning sheesha. There is just no law about it.”
He was adamant that what he and other businessmen most wanted was clarification.
The municipal official’s reaction has done little to help clarify the actual law.
The municipality says it has received thousands of complaints by e-mail about the proliferation of sheesha cafes. But Basha said he was skeptical and said that he would very much like to see the evidence of that.
He was also dismissive of rumors that “narcotic substances” had been put into the tobacco and smoked in cafes.
“Everything is possible — but I cannot believe it really,” he said. “Someone smoking hash here would know how illegal it is, and what the punishment is, would he really toke up in public?”
He said he could not see nor imagine how a restaurant owner would risk his business allowing somebody to smoke hash to make SR20 ($5.33) on a sheesha.
“I would put a hundred thousand question marks on this. Smoking this stuff in public?” he asked. “I do not think we have reached that level.”
The pressure for the lifting of the ban has come both from the consumer and through businessmen and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He said that what businessmen really wanted was a clear relationship with the municipality. “Don’t just ban it — tell us about it. We are running businesses here,” said Basha.
