A troubling social trend is spreading across Calabar, Cross River State, where a growing number of young women between 15 and 30 years old have become addicted to shisha, a flavoured tobacco often mixed with molasses and smoked through a water pipe.
These young women, many of them students, are frequently spotted at nightclubs, lounges, hotels, and street corners, exhaling thick clouds of smoke from shisha pipes. They are easily recognizable by their distinctive fashion style — multiple piercings, ankle chains, and bold outfits.
Despite mounting warnings from health experts, many of them see the habit as trendy or empowering, unaware that each shisha session could be as dangerous as smoking over 100 cigarettes.
The Growing Habit
Findings by NDV revealed that most users engage in multiple shisha sessions per night, often leaving them drowsy, disoriented, and vulnerable to exploitation. Some reportedly indulge in risky behaviour to sustain their addiction.
“I can’t do without shisha,” confessed Akpana, a student in a northern Cross River institution. “It boosts my confidence. It’s cheaper than cigarettes, and no one can easily tell you’re smoking since it doesn’t smell much.”
Another user, who identified herself as Anne, was seen shouting joyfully on the street after a smoking session. When asked what made her so excited, she said:
“Life is boring, and shisha gives joy. It keeps me up and makes me happy.”
Health and Social Implications
Experts warn that the shisha craze is fueling a wave of nicotine addiction, exposing users to cancer, respiratory illnesses, and heart disease, in addition to contributing to risky sexual behaviour and substance abuse.
A lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the University of Calabar, Dr. Maureen Ettenma, attributed the surge in shisha use to peer pressure, drug availability, and parental neglect.
“Some of these girls prefer taking shisha or other drugs to food,” she lamented. “Even with repeated warnings from school authorities, they don’t listen. If this continues, it will soon become normal to see young girls smoking shisha in public.”
Call for Action
Dr. Ettenma urged parents and guardians to play a more active role in guiding their children, warning that failure to act now could normalize drug use among young women.
“Parents must take responsibility. The family remains the first line of defence against this dangerous lifestyle,” she stressed.
Health professionals are calling for awareness campaigns and stricter regulation of shisha sales, especially near campuses and entertainment spots, to curb the fast-spreading habit before it becomes a public health crisis.
