Hookah

As concerns over public health continue to mount, Parliament is deliberating on proposed amendments to the Health Act aimed at cracking down on indoor smoking, encompassing all smoking products, including non-tobacco alternatives and hookahs.

A 35-year-old Iranian man who was shot in the head by an unknown assailant in central Athens on Friday night died from his injuries on Saturday.

The incident took place shortly before 10 p.m. outside a hookah cafe, at the intersection of Epirou and Michail Voda Streets. The man was taken to the hospital where he was intubated. 

The Customs Agency of Bulgaria has intensified scrutiny on all goods entering and exiting Austria, implemented across checkpoints and territory, aligning with the country's commitment to Austria and Schengen entry obligations.

Shisha smoking is temporarily banned in all public areas of Istanbul by the Governor's Office as a precaution to reduce the risk of forest fires and other potential dangers.

Turkey is working on new regulations against hookahs, the country's president has said, putting the long-disputed hookahs and the hookah-cafes on the main agenda of the country.

"Hookahs are more harmful than cigarettes. We are making some preparations to save our people from this harm," Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a meeting with youth on May 31, World No Tobacco Day.

Restoration works at the Historical Esgher Synagogue in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district will be finished soon. The historical building will serve as the Beyoğlu Municipality Hasköy Youth Center and National Library.

Around 17 million people among Turkey's population of 83 million still smoke despite years-long efforts to discourage people from smoking, an expert said on National No-Smoking Day on Feb. 9.

But Murat Ağırtaş, the provincial health director of the Central Anatolian province of Kırıkkale, said Turkey dropped in the ranking of a list of heavy-smoker countries.

Turkish authorities on May 30 sent official orders on recent decisions to ease restrictions related to the novel coronavirus as the country made advances in its fight against the pandemic.

The Interior Ministry ordered local officials to allow restaurants, cafes, patisseries, coffee shops, and similar venues to open daily until 10.00 p.m. local time, as of June 1.

Turkey 25 banned the import of e-cigarettes and related products, a presidential decree published on the Official Gazette showed on Feb. 25.

The ban covers all kinds of products used for electronic smoking, including e-cigarette devices, accessories, spare parts, and solutions.

The shooting happened Wednesday night in two hookah lounges, and according to police, the suspect was found dead in his home and another body was found in his home.