Read what others have said..

Robb, London
I Definatly think they should be exempt.There is no passive smoking risk, as people go there to smoke. thats like banning the new outdoor places to smoke because a non smoker wants to stand there, don't go there, if you don't want to smoke!

i'm not gonna tell you
if it's smoking it's smoking it doesn't matter if there are percieved health benefits chances are hey are PERCIEVED

Hurrah to the ban! Manchester
Im glad that this ban is coming into effect, smoking is smoking, and a ban is a ban! If people want to continue, they can do it at home. Try living above one! They seem to be able to open without any consent from existing tenants!There is a partial ban in some places banning public alcohol consumption, and you dont really get passive drinking, do you? :P

Lance, Hamilton Canada
We also have a similar smoking ban in Canada but the cafe's here are working around it with fruit leaf. This is made in the same way as the traditional tobaccos but since it contains fruit leaf and no actual tobacco product it slips under the ban.

Dino, Melbourne Australia
I am also in agreement that cigar houses, sheesha houses should be allowed an exemption. The same rule is coming to effect in NSW and VIC in Australia in a few days time ...Another thing regarding some comments I read here. What makes some people think it's only Muslims who smoke sheeshah? Last I checked a vast number of non-Muslim Arabas from Syria, Lebanon and other countries like it just as much ...

Kawaldip Singh London
What about the Sikhs? Your report is skewed and it keeps talking about how alcohol is banned (not mentioning the groups in which it is) and then takes supporting statements that shisha smoking is culturaly and socially acceptable-to whom? Not the Sikhs! What about the waiters ?(many are young and in their first jobs and don't smoke!!)Your report fails to appreciate that the ban and teh Health Act 2006 is for the benifit and health of workers who have no choice but to work in hazardous environments and not for the smokers!!!Also, in a bar a person drinking alcohol does not get up and spit or splatter it out on to others (non-drinkers) in the room. Shishas have crept in into non-smoking places and restaurants and have become a nuisance to the ordinary non-smoking diners and waiters.

Nisha- Birmingham
Shisha should be allowed to smoke because its not lyk you smoking it outside.shisha is wiked people. keep fighting to keep it open

shisha smoker- east london
If the government was so concerend about our health then they should not sell tobbaco. shisha smoking is a cultural thing and no one looks like they want to ban people from going to a pub so why stop us from having our little bit!

Alaa, West London
The government has done it again.they dont listen to the public. When someone walks into a shisha place its coz 90% they wana do shisha. When someone walks into a pub its coz 90% they wana drink.Shisha places should be exempt and edgware road, westbourne grove is going to suffer(business)hope goverment does a u-turn(they do most of teh time!)

Let common sense prevail
How can those people claim that if shisha is banned so should alcohol be?? Reality check people please!! First lets get rid of the victim mentality......do u really think the government banned smoking so the muslims can't smoke shisha? Come on!! What about all the health risks....maybe thats got something to do with it?! Lets put it all in proportion.....shisha is a form of smoking that contains tobacco, the same as cigarettes. There is no intoxication from either. Whereas alcohol is a completely different kettle of fish! The two are not comparable.....and only because you got to a pub or bar doesnt mean you have to have a drink......they do serve alcohol free drinks you know!!! There is gonna be no exception and rightly so.....smoking is banned as of 1st july 2007 whether it be through a pipe,cigarette,'bong' or a shisha.....live with it!!!!!

Abdul , Wales
Finally this Islamic forbidden hobbie will be banned for public smoking in the UK.

Rufus, Oxford
Smoking (of any variety) isn't allowable in private clubs which have paid staff after 1 July, more's the pity. Shisha won't be exempted, despite its relative harmlessness, because if they do then I would expect almost every pub, club and business that will suffer to become Shisha bars.Not that I'd be adverse to that, I'm quite partial to a bubble or two myself.Incidentally, you can quite easily get tobacco-free molasses for Shishas, but that doesn't help as it's the smoking that's being banned rather than the tobacco.

Gaz, London
The reason the government will impose the ban upon Shisha bars is simple. There's enough cultural unrest in this country as it is, and if they were to become exempt, it would be an excuse for yet more criticism of an 'open door' immigration policy.

Farhana- London
there's nothing wrong with shisha.if they want 2 ban it then y dont they ban alcohol aswel.i personally like goin 2 shisha places cos its somewhere i can go & chill with my m8s and cousins,its somewhere where u can go and enjoy the atmosphere. they need 2 allow banning shisha otherwise they're guna have a lot of people 2 answer 2

Asif, london
Smoking will still be allowed in private clubs so maybe all the shisha places should become 'private clubs' for a norminal fee of £1 for lifetime membership?!

Am, Birmingham
if Smoking and sheesha is to be banned, there should be a ban on Drinking in ALL the PUBLIC PLACES TOO, as drinking causes loads of problems, (emotional, psycholigical, social & health)

Naid, Derby
Wonder what would happen if Alcohol was banned in public places. Isnt that declared as a so called health risk to all, especially when one is completely toxicated with such substances!?!?!Personally, dont think there's anything wrong with having Shisha cafes around. They do well and are classified as a normal relaxing and social gathering forum.Hope they stay!!

B10Gyal
Sheesha lounges should be exempt from the ban,if people dont smoke then why would they walk into a sheesha lounge,its like smeone who is tee total and then they walk up to a bar.Alcohol causes more problems than sheesha smoking yet thats allowed.Alcohol fuels violence and crime I mean just look at Broad St.Sheesha is amazing and its more of a cultural thing and is an alternative to going out and binging on booze.

Sandip, London
Smoking ban is a great and Shisha is no different than cigarette smoke in Pub. Can't wait to go into restaurant and actually enjoy a little smoke free air.

Roshni Leicester
ok nw to say da truth i don't think shisha bars shuld be closed dwn i rily luv goin der wid my m8z n' cuzzins its a rily good hang out place sum where, where we dn't get thrown out from its a place we go to chil and have a laugh! dis band is goin to take away da place us youngsters go to chil in a way it keeps us off da streets aswel! so keep da shisha bars open i say! even though dese shisha bars wil be closed down its not gnna stop people from doin it at home, der r places where we can buy da set from and den do it ourself at home but sumtimes its better to go to a shisha bar and relax n' do shisha! i cn't stop thinkin of how its going to be wid out dese shisha bars i have my local place where i go n' i knw il miss dat place badly n' so will many others! am not a muslim am a hindu bt many of my friends are muslim and i rily enjoy there company wen we go. many of our other mates cum aswel and there sikhs, muslims, hindu's, christians, andmany others too we all love goin to our local shisha bars! so from us all (100 peepz plus!) we say save da shisha bars!

Keiran Leicester
yo shisha is wicked it don't harm you! ragooo man. you might think that i am just some youth but i think that everyones opinion is worth hearing. What are people meant to do if their parents don't allow shisha or those whops parents don't have a clue what shisha is!!! it will just encourage youths to be on the streets doing shisha!! does the government really want that? cum on you lot you know u want to keep shisha!!!!!!!!!!!!! big up LE5

Leicester
i am so happy shisha will be banned as well as smoking in public THANK GOD!

today leics
if there hadn't been shisha cafes there wouldn't have been the smoking ban. For all those mainly muslim youngsters who peacefully enjoyed the evening at the local café, they will now be back on street corners causing trouble. It is a zionist drive to make you lose your identity and become western. either go boozing or become part of the sub-class street hoodies. that is the choice given to them. How dare the asian young of this country establish an identity or way of life which doesn't depict the western ideology. Smoking a shisha in dignity cannot be tolerated just as the hijab cannot be tolerated but nudity,sex,porn,gay etc are promoted and encouraged among decendents of a superior culture and civilization.

Mario Indianapolis. IN USA
hope America does not follow suit because it would be sad not to go and hang out and eat some delicious Arabic food at the hookah bar located in Broad Ripple in Indianapolis...i am sorry the UK has taken such an action. Peace to all.

Uncle Bob, Leicester
Leicester probably has the most shisha joints in the country after edgware road. All the youngsters live in the shisha bars year round. Its more of a place for them to chill out and relax then just for the shisha. Most people have them at home. Going into a Shisha bar for a young muslim is like walking into a pub for a young british guy. I`ve had a chance to sample the Desi (Pakistani) hookah, its a completely different thing based heavily on tobacco and very bad for your health. The Shisha's present in the Arab world are based on flavoured water, its basically like drinking ribena!