Time

I need more time!

Do think and do so many stuff!

God, please help me to manage

everything to go smoothly

till my wedding day.

Please Lord.

Thank You.

Sick...

Went to see the doctor again!

Cause still having fever and all =(

Took blood test and wasted money for it!

Cause tested negative for not having either Dengue or Influenza A.

Just only throat infection.

But am suffering...

having difficulty in drinking and eating

very hard to swallow it down

Gone Case!

I fall sick again!
Just recovered last two weeks!
How great is that?! GOSH!!!
I feel cold and warm at certain times. I even felt cold when having two thick blanket on top of me and the fan is NOT even SWITCH ON!
My throat is giving me this terrible pain as it is quite swollen according to the doctor.
And I keep having this headache and it make me sort of spinning but actually in reality NOT!
O God please help me!

My wedding is not far away...
I will be a dead meat by then and looking like a zombie if I keep falling sick again from this day forward till my wedding day!

God,
Please heal me, God.
Please keep me healthy and strong Lord.
I uphold myself to you, Abba Father.
Take this pain away O Lord.
Protect me from harms way and I cast away the spell of the devils' doing unto Your hand, Father.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen! Amen!

Tagged By Pauline Ang Swee King XD

Directions:
Once you've been tagged,you've to write a blog or a note on FaceBook with 16 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end,choose 10 people to tag, listing their names & why you choose them. Don't forget to leave them a comment (''you're it'') and to read your blog. You can't tag the person that tagged you.

16 Facts :
1. I always believed in Jesus Christ.
2. I love my loved ones a lot.
3. I find it difficult to do three things at once.
4. I forget things very easily.
5. I tend to fall asleep when in the karaoke room.
6. I need to achieve good grades for a better future.
7. I do not have much patience.
8. I'm a very good listener.
9. I'm quite generous when it comes to eating with friends.
10. I'm slow in completing tasks and understanding things.
11. I'm terribly hot tempered at times.
12. I consider at least twice before making any purchases on branded goods.
13. I love travelling.
14. I got engaged.
15. I'm getting married.
16. I have to start planning for my future days.

I tag:
* No One *

09-03-2009

Woke up at 9:00 AM and went to take a bath.

Went to pick my mummy and sister up from the house to go to Rawang with Auntie Lily (Lawrence's Godmother), Auntie Penny (Lawrence's Mother) and Lawrence himself. Lawrence drove us there with the Toyota Innova by using the Guthrey Highway. Reach Rawang about noon time and it is raining like cats and dogs. Got myself wet and feeling cold as the wind blow - pray that I won't get sick.

Had our lunch at the Kedai Makanan Lan Je which is famous for it steam Tilapia fish by Sister Lan. It is located at the roadside along the main road heading to Rawang town. I bet most of the Astro AEC "Taste with Jason" show fans have heard about it already. Been there a couple of times with Auntie Lily who recommended me here but it is my first time bringing my family here. Waited for one and half hours for the food to be served to us as the place was packed with people plus today is public holiday as well. Sigh... The fish is fresh and still taste so good as before =).

Head to Caely Girl to purchase some lingerie. Manage to buy a few but need to wait for the new stock to arrive. The purpose we went to Rawang is for the Caely Girl lingerie as the service provided to us by Miss Ann Ng Chew Kim (016-332 2661) is good and better than anyone else even though we can purchase Caely Girl products in Klang, Shah Alam or Petaling Jaya. By the way, Caely Girl is known for it's lingerie to be in good quality and at affordable price (from as low as RM 20.00).

Got back Klang at 6:00 PM and took a nap till 8:00PM. Went to Lavender in Aeon Bukit Tinggi Klang to had dinner with Lawrence's parents. The food that day was not that bad but the taste wasn't appealing to me.

Proceed to Diamond & Platinum shop to look for my wedding band. Manage to bought the wedding band that Lawrence and I like (plus Lawrence's parents agree on it as well and it was the first one we saw last year) after so many hunting been done =P. The wedding rings range from the Unity Collection - Platinum and Gold Wedding Bands. The lady's ring have a small (0.2mm)diamond on it.
Lawrence and I kinda like the wedding band by Soo Kee but Law parents don't agree on it though. Soo Kee wedding band have a unique feature where the sapphire is hidden inside the ring and fine rounded inner band that have a smoother fit and so comfortable wear.

Send Lawrence's parents back around 10:50 PM and went to pick my sister up to kick her back to her college hostel all the way in Kuala Lumpur =). Reach back home at 12:55 PM and fell asleep right away.

It was definitely a tiring day. So goodnight my friends.

...time...

Sometimes there is no next time,

No second chance, no time out.

Sometimes...it's now or never

Tagged By Penny Yong Yen Yen

Rules:

~Copy it to your blog post, erase my answers, enter yours, and lastly tag 10 people.

~Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions.
~They have to be real. Nothing made up!
~If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers.
~You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.

1. What Is Your Name : Agnes Yong Mei Mei

2. A Four Letter Word : Arts

3. A Boy's Name : Andrew

4. A Girl's Name : Andrea

5. An Occupation : Accountant

6. A Color : Amethyst

7. Something You'll Wear : Anklet

8. Any Noun From The Bible : Amen

9. A Food : Abalone

10. Something Found In The Bathroom Or Your Bag : Air Freshener

11. A Place : Amsterdam

12. A Reason For Being Late : Accident

13. Something You'd Shout : Ants!!!
14. A Movie Title : A Walk To Remember

15. Something You Drink : Alcohol =P
16. A Musical Group : Avalon
17. An Animal : Antelope
18. A Street Name : Anson Street, Singapore
19. A Type Of Car : Aurora
20. The Title Of A Song : Alleluia

10 People I Want To Tag Is
01) Koh Poh Leong
02) Pauline Ang Swee King
03) Crystal Kak Yin Siang @ Kok Yin Siang
04) Angel Choo Sze Jia
05) Yvonne Lim Yee Wern
06) Tan Li Voon
07) Mary Ng
08) Yew Shie Ming
09) Penny Yong Yen Yen
10) Alex Yong Kok Soung

ROM

Hey Friends! Let me tell you all a secret =)
Is totally not a gossip and is a good news.
And it so happens to be a good occasion worth celebrating.

\/
\/

\/

\/

\/

There is a Registration Of Marriage going to be held on this

14-03-2009 (Saturday)

in Hokkien Association, Klang, Selangor.

(^_^)

The Groom: Cham Boon Kwang (Lawrence)
The Bride: Agnes Yong Mei Mei
The Witness:
1) Lee Kwai Lan (Penny) - Lawrence's Mother
2) Chan Yan Lin (Irene) - My Dearest Mummy

Do pray for us and give us the blessings =P
That is not too much right?

----- + ----- + ----- + ----- + ----- + ----- + ----- + ----- + -----
At first we plan to have the registration held on the 21st February 2009 because

07th Feb - My Birthday
14th Feb - Valentine Day
21st Feb - Propose Date Of ROM
28th Feb - The Eve Of My Engagement Day
29th Feb - My Engagement Day

So there will be an event to celebrate every week for the whole month of February =) Isn't that nice =P
But we can't have it on the 21st or 28th because Lawrence's parents and grandparents had gone to China for visiting. Decided to have it on the 7th March 2009 but then again it was close for registration as it was fully book already =(
That is why the Registration Of Marriage is going to be on the 14-03-2009 instead of the above mentioned dates =)

Hello & Welcome Back!

Hello my friends =) How have you all been lately?

You may have known now that I have not been blogging for more than half a year already since end of May 2008. And I am so so sorry about that as I have been very busy - working as well as studying - and being lazy too =P My blog is stagnant as if it is in a coma stage, right? =)

As you all may have notice; I have changed my blog template recently to give it a new look and a fresh start to my blog. I will resume to blogging again after such a long time. But don't expect much though because of time factor, Internet connection and I also have certain priorities in hand.

I encounter some problem when changing my blog template which causes me my links and blog posts to vanish into thin air =D I would really appreciate it a lot if you could just drop by at my chatterbox to give me your site address by saying a few words or even a hello so that I could link you back. Thanks for your help!

I hope that you all would like my blog new look (^_^)

That's all for now. Take care and God bless!

Hookah Or Shisha

For people who don't know what shisha is, please read my previous blog entries or read it at wikipedia for more in depth. If you're too LAZY to do so even!; basically it's something like smoking, except that it is done by inhaling smoke from something like a hose and through a thin and tall, most-of-the-time glass container. It's becoming extremely popular in Malaysia and even sometimes that I either find myself being caught in a little something called 'peer pressure' or found out my buddies are into it as well...(it hurts me when I found out about it-like a knife being stab to your heart!).

"Have you tried shisha before?" says Antagonist.

"Er... no?" says Protagonist.

"Woah I can't believe it. You should try it someday!" replies Antagonist.

"Nah... it's okay. I'm not into smoking," says Protagonist (sticking to his/her principles).

"It's nothing like smoking! The smoke goes through water first so the water acts as a filter. So shisha-ing is not bad for your body," says Antagonist.

"Really?" says Protagonist, believing.

"Yup, and it tastes good too, with flavors and all. Nothing like smoking," says Antagonist.

"Uh-huh..." says the Protagonist.

Thus, it can be concluded from the conversation, that Antagonist is an IDIOT, and that the Protagonist is an even BIGGER IDIOT for (somewhat) eating up his/her words.

Honestly, how bad can the smoke be, right? (As you might say or think). It's already filtered with water and all, as claimed by many people. Or youngster, to be precise.

I know myself, and I know that I would never smoke. Maybe try a puff or two (the key word is try!-this is a deli ma face by mostly all), but never will I chain smoke or smoke to look cool or to please others. It's not worth it, having my lungs look like 2 black coral riffs to look cool. Looking cool is nothing. I'd prefer a more intelligent brain than my monkey brain. Thank you! =)

As time passes, some Malaysian youngsters discovered the almighty shisha, tried it and love it. Most people even think: "Wow, this is something like smoking, but I can do it without getting lung cancer!"

Now, this is a very naive thought or what I would say as deceiving own self. The Star newspaper has claimed that shisha is a wolf in a sheepskin. I do believe them, as how can smoke from burnt tobacco be good for you? Water cannot possibly filter everything, because if it can, shisha-smokers won't come to be, due to the absence of the chemicals in the 'smoke' inhaled. Haha =D. They'll instead stick to cigarettes, right?

The paper even went as far as claiming that shisha-ing is the same as smoking. There are kids out there that claim that they won't smoke, but would probably shisha as there won't be a chance of them contracting a lung disease or what-not, as shisha-ing is supposedly safe. Imagine how they would feel if they actually read the papers and find out that they are, in fact, smoking. They'd feel idiotic, I reckon. Maybe they'll feel emo, lock themselves in their rooms and sob. And paint their nails black. And listen to Simple Plan. And sing along...Nah! I doubt that would happen.

Why won't I smoke (or shisha)?

Well, first things first, smoking wasn't something that I will be EVER interested in. I HATE, DESPISE, SCORN, DETEST & LOATHE when I see people smoking, I don't really think of anything but the fact that the smoke spiraling up from the cigarette and of which they exhale really stings and stink. An eye sore as well! I usually run into these kind of people at restaurants, cafes, on the streets etc (you name it!) and I find it really appalling and disgusting that they can smoke whilst eating. Not only that, they can smoke in front of their own young children or their pregnant wife! (this is something that I, myself encounter as a child because my dad, uncles & dad's friend SMOKE!). If the baby comes out less than perfect, who's to blame? The idiotic smoker, obviously. They never think of others, man...

On top of it, these people like to act real cool and blow the cigarette smoke high above. The trick is to exhale sharply so that the smoke would travel further. So that when it gets caught in the fan people can inhale your 2nd-hand smoke and follow you into your grave. So that they'll look so cool, crossing their legs, wearing shades and smoking coolly.

So that they won't inhale their own 2nd-hand smoke, stupid! Better you than me, right? So I'll look cool and blow bubbles. Wee!

Immature smokers.

Secondly, why not shisha?

Because it's as bad as cigarettes. It's a hazard to your health. I'd stick to chocolate milk than inhale chocolate-flavored smoke. Call me weird, but at least I have principles. =P

One thing good about shisha is that people cannot smoke it everywhere. They can only smoke it at restaurants or strip clubs where they have it planted on the table and people take turns smoking it, sharing saliva and viruses in between. The only reason I would shisha is to spread the cough and flu virus my body's currently breeding. Mass production! Mass distribution! Voila...so there is peace on earth. Obviously I won't do that as I'm not that kind of person-just voicing out (^_^)

So guys, the next time you want to smoke or pressure someone into smoking (or it's sibling, shisha-ing), think again. Just because you want to kill yourself slowly doesn't mean others would want to do the same.

It's the Deliciousdoubleswissmushroomcheeseburger theory of 'you laugh I laugh; you cry I cry; you jump I laugh'. Right? =P

A Little Note
To all of my friends whom I might know or not is smoking
Please don't take this to heart
As I'm just voicing out my thoughts and care for YOU ALL
This is my sincerity to all of you!
As you all know, I do still go out and hang out with you guys
despite all those bad and negative things you do

Agape & God Bless,
agnes yong mei mei

Hookah Or Shisha

Top Facts: Hookahs
Smoking a hookah is smoking tobacco.

What is a Hookah and Shisha?

• A hookah is a water pipe used to smoke tobacco through cooled water. The tobacco is heated in the bowl at the top of the hookah and the smoke is filtered through the water in the base of the hookah.


• Alternate names for hookahs include: water pipe, goza, hubble-bubble, borry, arhile, and narghile.


• Shisha is the tobacco smoked in a hookah. It is a very moist and sticky tobacco that has been soaked in honey or molasses.


• There are a variety of shisha flavors including apple, plum, coconut, mango, mint, and strawberry.
  

History of Hookahs?

• The hookah tradition, dating back at least 500 years, originated in the Middle East regions of the world. Countries cited for the first use include Egypt, India, and Turkey.1


• Smoking the hookah is one of the oldest, most popular Turkish traditions.


• The tradition has traveled to the United States and today there are more than 300 hookah establishments in the U.S.2
  

Myths and the Truths

• MYTH #1: Hookah smoke is filtered through water so it filters out any harmful ingredients.


• TRUTH #1: Smoking tobacco through water does not filter out cancer-causing chemicals. Water-filtered smoke can damage the lungs and heart as much as cigarette smoke.3
  


• MYTH #2: Inhaling hookah smoke does not burn the lungs, so it is not unhealthy.


• TRUTH #2: The hookah smoke does not burn the lungs when inhaled because is cooled through the water in the base of the hookah. Even though the smoke is cooled, it still contains carcinogens and it is still unhealthy.1
  


• MYTH #3: Smoking hookahs are healthier than smoking cigarettes.


• TRUTH #3: Hookah smoke is just as dangerous as cigarette smoke. Hookahs generate smoke in different ways: cigarette smoke is generated by burning tobacco, while hookah smoke is produced by heating tobacco in a bowl using charcoal. The end product is the same—smoke, containing carcinogens.4
  


• MYTH #4: Smoking a hookah is not as addictive as smoking a cigarette because there is no nicotine.


• TRUTH #4: Just like regular tobacco, shisha contains nicotine. In fact, in a 60-minute hookah session, smokers are exposed to 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette.5
  


• MYTH #5: Herbal shisha is healthier than regular shisha.


• TRUTH #5: Just like smoking herbal or “natural” cigarettes, herbal shisha exposes the smoker to tar and carcinogens.
  


• MYTH #6: Shisha tobacco contains fruit, so is healthier than regular tobacco.


• TRUTH #6: Tobacco is tobacco, no matter how you look at it. Shisha is often soaked inmolasses or honey and mixed with fruit, but it still contains cancer-causing chemicals and nicotine. Stick to traditional methods of getting fruit—eat an orange.
  

Quick Facts

• Compared to a single cigarette, hookah smoke is known to contain:

1. Higher levels of arsenic, lead, and nickel1


2. 36 times more tar6


3. 15 times more carbon monoxide4
   

• Smoking a hookah requires taking longer and harder drags, increasing levels of inhaled nicotine and carcinogens in the lungs.


• The longer the hookah session, the more nicotine and toxins one takes in.


• A 45 to 60 minute hookah session exposes the smoker to approximately the same amount of tar and nicotine as one pack of cigarettes. 3


• Sharing mouthpieces without washing them can increase the risk of spreading colds, flu, and infections—even oral herpes.7


• Health risks of smoking hookahs include cancer, heart disease, lung damage, and dental disease.5


• Do not think that if you are just visiting a hookah bar, that you are in the clear. There are still high levels of damaging secondhand smoke to all who are present.
  

Reference

• 1 Hookahcompany.com. (2006). Retrieved December 6, 2006 from http://www.hookahcompany.com/hookah_history.htm


• 2 Mel Hovell, PhD., M.P.H. Smokefree Families & RWJ. (October, 2006). What we know about interventions to reduce children’s exposure to environmental tobacco. Retrieved December 6, 2006 from http://www.helppregnantsmokersquit.org/news/capstone2006/Hovell.ppt.


• 3 Asotra, Kamlesh, Hooked on hookah? Research for a healthier tomorrow. (July 2006). Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program. Retrieved August 30, 2006 from http://www.helppregnantsmokersquit.org/news/capstone2006/Hovell.ppt.


• 4 Knishkowy, Barry; Amitai, Yona. Water-pipe (Narghile) smoking: An emerging health risk behavior. Pediatrics. (July 2005). Retrieved September 1, 2006 from http://pediatrics.aapublication.org/cgi/content/full/116/1/e113


• 5 Mayo Clinic staff. Hookah smoking: Is it safer than smoking cigarettes? (February 7, 2006). Retrieved September 5, 2006 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health.com.health.hookah.AN01265


• 6 Hookah. Wikipedia. Retrieved August 31, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.or/wiki/hookah#tobacco


• 7 Levin, Tamar. Collegians smoking hookahs…filled with tobacco. The New York Times. (April 19, 2006). Retrieved September 5, 2006 from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/19/education/19hookah.html?ex=1157601600&en=26f787abca1816e2& ei=5070

By www.tabaccofreeU.org
The Bacchus Network-Saving Lives Since 1975

Hookah Or Shisha

Shisha-Smoking: Alarming Trend Among Urban Youths

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 (Bernama) -- The nocturnal hours at a dimly-lit cafe in the metropolis saw a group of youths sitting close to each other, reclining comfortably on their chairs.

Amidst the laughter and slow-rising smoke rings, the young men and women took turns to inhale from what appeared to be some outlandish objects.

This group of teenagers were actually having one of their regular shisha-smoking sessions.

Shisha, also known as "hookah", is a stand-up device used to smoke flavoured tobacco. For a session of shisha-smoking, the amount usually charged is between RM10 and RM15.

This pastime is fast becoming a culture among the urban youths, particularly the Malays.

One of the oldest traditions in Middle Eastern countries, shisha is believed to make its appearance in Malaysia with the influx of Arab tourists in the 90s.

In the days prior to the use of tobacco, the shisha would usually contain opium or hashish.

NO RESTRICTION

Some may wonder why there is no restriction or ban on shisha-smoking as the government has spent a lot of money on anti-smoking campaigns. And why are the health authorities keeping mum on shisha-smoking although it also uses tobacco?

Based on the latest World Health Organisation's (WHO) statistics, there are 1.3 billon smokers worldwide with five million deaths every year from smoking-related diseases.

The world body has warned that if there is no positive change in the trend, 10 million people would die each year from such diseases by 2020.

WHO's concern is best reflected in its slogan for this year's World No Tobacco Day, warning smokers that "tobacco is deadly in any form or disguise".

Recently, there was a recent report from London about a public ban on smoking in England which is to come into effect in June 2007, dealing a big blow on shisha-smokers.

EASILY INFLUENCED

Malaysian Muslim Consumers' Association (PPIM) secretary-general Datuk Dr Maamor Osman is not at all surprised that shisha-smoking is fast becoming a craze among Malay youths.

"Malay youths are easily influenced by something which they think (they can do) only for fun without checking the background of a culture apart from the risks, especially from the health point of view," he told Bernama, here recently.

Smoking shisha may well be accepted in certain societies like in the Middle East and Africa.

"There are some who think that burning tobacco with fruit or other substances and using water to act as filter would save them from health risks.

"This act is driven by desire and the shisha smokers are merely comforting themselves that nothing detrimental would befall them. In actual fact, they are still at risk," Dr Maamor said.

"Shisha-smoking has many similarities to cigarette-smoking, so this habit too has its own hard-core smokers," he added.

In Malaysia, shisha-smoking is similar to taking marijuana which uses a device called "dapur".

"This allows addicts to conceal their drug-taking behind shisha-smoking, which purportedly uses fruit and other ingredients," said Dr Maamor.

"There's also the question of whether shisha-smoking is suitable with Malaysian culture," he said.

NEGATIVE IMPACT

ERA Consumer Malaysia deputy secretary-general Ismail Abd Aziz is concerned that shisha-smoking would have a negative social impact on youths.

Ismail said he had gone out at night to check on the extent of shisha-smoking among youths around Petaling Jaya and other areas.

"The youngsters, including the girls, were not ashamed at all to smoke shisha in public. They seemed to be very proud smoking in that manner and looked so pleased when others watched them.

"They don't know the risks they are taking which can result in long-term health effects," he said.

Ismail is also concerned that shisha-smoking could be abused by adding cannabis, causing more detrimental effects.

He said this could take place discreetly, among close friends or regular customers at premises that provide shisha-smoking services.

CRIPPLING FACTOR

The shisha-smoking craze, if left unchecked, might cripple the government's determination to free Malaysians of illicit drugs, said Dr Maamor.

He recalled the time when cannabis and marijuana addiction was rampant among the Malays and it was common then for addicts to use the "dapur" to take the drugs.

"All those addicts later graduated to taking designer drugs such as syabu, ice and others.

"Our government has made illicit drugs the country's number one enemy. For that we should not allow the proliferation of another negative culture -- shisha-smoking.

"It may be a new trend in smoking but it's still the same (using tobacco)," he added.

He said the rising number of shisha users was making a mockery of the anti-drug campaigns organised by government agencies like Pemadam and police as well as non-governmental organisations.

"Some people even have the nerve to claim that shisha-smoking would not pose any risk.

"Shisha-smoking goes against the Prime Minister's aspiration to create the towering personality.

"This culture is a waste of time and is also unhygienic as people take turns to smoke a shisha," said Dr Maamor.

USERS AT RISK

The very act of inhaling smoke places shisha users at risk to respiratory diseases like bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer.

Dr Maamor said: "The assumption that the risk is reduced if we inhale smoke which has passed through water is wrong.

"The risk remains the same as there's still smoke inhaled. It's the same with cigarettes which have filters, the risk is still there".

He is also concerned about risks for passive smokers.

"Children and pregnant mothers exposed to shisha smoke are at risk. Even those who are not sitting around the smokers are at risk as the smoke pollutes the environment," said Dr Maamor.

"From the religious aspect, shisha-smoking also confuses the public with some passing it as 'halal', others say it's 'haram' while a number considers it 'makruh'," he added.

STEPS TO BE TAKEN

Both Dr Maamor and Ismail are calling on the government to control shisha-smoking before it gets out of control.

"Shisha-smoking is like a small flame that can turn into a huge, raging bonfire if there are no checks and restrictions", said Dr Maamor.

"It needs to be curtailed when still in its infancy. Otherwise, it could develop into something that would be difficult and costly to deal with.

"It is our hope that the government would realise the negative impact of shisha-smoking and adopt a clear policy on this," he said.

Ismail is urging the Health Ministry to check on the smoking device and its contents.

"The police also need to monitor the premises that offer shisha-smoking and inspect the contents of the shisha to ensure there is no cannabis being used.

"The need to have a licence for shisha should be imposed, similar to that on the sale of cigarettes. Tobacco for the shisha should be taxed to keep this unhealthy habit under control," Ismail said.

June 14, 2006 09:27 AM
By Melati Mohd Ariff
Bernama

Hookah Or Shisha

Middle Eastern smoking habit catching hold among city’s young.

RELEASING a long swirl of smoke into the air, 23-year-old Haslina Ismail stopped to sip some tea before she continued to take another long puff of her lemon-mint Shisha.

Clearly she was relaxed while doing this as she joked with her friends with whom she was sharing her Shisha pipe. A cloud of sweet-smelling smoke hovered above them.

“I smoke Shisha almost daily and normally I share it with my friends. It is like having a dessert after a meal because it is pleasantly flavoured and there are many flavours to choose from,” said Haslina, who was introduced to Shisha smoking two year ago.

Her friend Fairuz Zabidi, 21, claimed that it was not addictive like cigarettes and first started smoking it while in the secondary school.

“I don't know about the legal age to smoke Shisha, but it was rather easy to buy it from the shops as I was rarely questioned about my age when I used to purchase this when I was under 18,” said Fairuz.

For Looi Mei Lin, 27, her Middle-East boyfriend introduced Shisha to her.

She enjoys smoking Shisha for its relaxing effect.

“It is a way of socialising for the middle-easterners,” said Looi, who has also learnt the art of preparing Shisha from her boyfriend Bharam Kashan, 35.

Kashan said the charcoals must be properly aired and burned to enjoy a good Shisha.

“Otherwise it could give you a headache,” added Kashan who came to Malaysia 13 years ago.

Feroz Khan, 22, smokes Shisha as an alternative to cigarettes and spends about RM150 on it every month.

“It's my way of chilling out,” he said, adding that grape was his favourite flavour.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Mohd Asjad Hassan or better known as Max has been selling Shisha since 1999.

He learnt its preparation while working in an Arabic restaurant in Kuala Lumpur before setting up his own stall at various locations over the years including in Sri Hartamas and Bangsar.

Currently, Max's stall is located at Suzy's Corner near Jalan Hulu Klang, Kuala Lumpur. His stall opens from 9pm till 5am.

He said the smoking trend picked up about three to four years ago especially among young people who liked chilling out with their peers.

“People like Shisha because it comes in flavours and is safer than cigarettes. The smoke is filtered through water and the flavour-infused tobacco is also mixed with honey which has many healthy properties.

“Some of my customers who has sinus problems, including my sister, find relief after smoking Shisha,” he said.

He claimed that smoking three to four times a week without inhaling the smoke would do no harm to one's health.

Max added that it was also important to constantly clean the ‘hookah’ especially the smoke pipe for the sake of hygiene.

Playing his part as a responsible citizen, Max only sells Shisha to customers above 18.

Saturday March 24, 2007
By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ
The Star

Hookah Or Shisha

What is Shisha?

SOME say it originated in Turkey over 500 years ago while others claim it came from Syria and India.

In today’s context, Shisha refers to the flavoured tobacco used in the smoking process using a hookah, also commonly known as ‘hubble bubble’ and ‘narghile’.

The tobacco is soaked in fruits shavings such as apples, grapes and strawberries.

A hookah consists of a base, pipe, bowl and hose or a mouthpiece.

Tobacco is placed in the bowl, which is at the top of the pipe structure.

An aluminium foil covers the bowl and small charcoal pieces are then placed on the foil, which is punctured using a pin to gently heat the tobacco.

When smoked using the hose, smooth, sweet-smelling vapour is filtered through the base containing water.

It also comes in floral flavours such as coconut, vanilla and rose.

Is Shisha harmful?

While many may argue that Shisha smoking is not harmful, medical experts say otherwise.

Kuala Lumpur health department deputy head Dr Sellehudin Abu Bakar said Shisha was tobacco mixed with molasses and fruit flavours and tobacco product in any form contained nicotine.

He said all tobacco products were equally dangerous as it contained more than 3,500 chemicals of which 200 were toxic and 43 were carcinogenic.

“It is difficult to compare which product is more dangerous.

“It depends on several factors such as frequency of use, how deep the inhalation or if other ingredients are added besides tobacco itself,” said Dr Sellehudin.

He added that Shisha smoking was also addictive as it contained nicotine from tobacco smoke.

“Shisha smoking can lead to physical addiction and can also create psychological and habitual dependence to the user.

“The water filter is a gimmick. Most of the toxic chemicals and nicotine are not water-soluble. Hence, they pass through the filter and is inhaled by a smoker, although other irritant substances, which are water-soluble, will get filtered.”

Meanwhile Reuters reported last week that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had announced that a single session of smoking Shisha yields a nicotine intake equivalent to more than one pack of cigarettes.

It is also reported that Shisha smoke retained all the carcinogens of cigarette smoke while adding more carbon monoxide and a separate set of carcinogens from the use of burning coals to keep the nicotine flowing, coupled with the risk of infection with tuberculosis or hepatitis from shared mouthpieces.

Saturday March 24, 2007
By The Star

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What is Shisha?

In recent years, shisha (nargile, peacepipe, hookah, hubbly bubbly) has made a reemergence outside the traditional shisha smoking countries, especially with those not of Middle Eastern descent. In fact, the Shisha is very much "in vogue" in the UAE. With Ramadhan just around the corner, when Shisha tents are set up at the large hotels and in suburban areas to bring some convivial spirit to the month, we thought it time to give you the lowdown on this tradition that dates back hundreds of years.

For those of you not 'au fait' with the shisha, it essentially is a water pipe used for smoking purposes, originating about 500 years ago. The tobacco is heated by coals and the smoke is purified and cooled through the water after which it emerges through the the suction tube, from where it is smoked. Our little friend above and on our home page demonstrates this. The Shisha ranges from the mini (usually bought by tourists who probably won't smoke it again) to the regular metre high contraptions to the two metre monsters which grace some of the cafes. The cost to smoke one in the UAE ranges, in general, from about 35-50 Dirhams (USD10-20) depending on whether you are in a trendy 'to be seen' place or not, though some exclusive joints can charge upward of a thousand Dirhams! Flavours vary from the popular apple (and double apple), mint, strawberry, apricot, rose through to the super cool grape.

If you remember back to your childhood, you may recall Lewis Carroll's most famous work - Alice in Wonderland. Chapter 5 introduces the caterpillar:
"The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addresed her in a languid, sleepy voice. 'Who are YOU?' said the Caterpillar."
Opinions divide whether the shisha smoking caterpillar was representative of the voice of wisdom, or Carroll's representation of a drug enduced trance. Both are probably correct - the Persians designed the shisha (contested by the Indians, Africans, and even the Americans!) for the purpose of smoking any number of drugs - whilst the British, in Victorian times, associated it with a symbol of non-Christian wisdom.

Many would argue that it's certainly not wise to smoke the shisha. Speculators equate an hour of shisha smoking (the rough time it takes to smoke one) to getting through 50 cigarettes. Realistically though, the filtration process through the water removes much of the tar and nicotine and more often than not, the mu'essel used (tobacco with molasses) and sold in many of the shisha cafes do not necessarily contain much tar or nicotine. Either way, it certainly doesn't add years to your life, but neither do the rigours of modern society!

Shisha is all about the social element. It's not what you put in your pipe, but who you smoke it with. Rarely will you see a solo shisha smoker. In Britain, lifestyle revolves around the pub, in the Netherlands, the 'coffee' shop - and in the Middle East, one of the social hangouts are the shisha cafes. Men get together (and an increasing number of women) to share gossip or conduct unofficial business. Elders will usually indulge in a game of Backgammon or Dominos while they puff into the evening and sip on their Turkish Coffee or Mint Tea. And the younger crowd will end up in the cafes after a night out on the town. Indeed, smoking shisha has become a night out in its own right, as demonstrated more and more in the US, youngsters keen to go out will opt to go to a 'shisha bar' for a smoke in those years before alcohol is legal. And in most places where shisha is smoked, alcohol is a religious taboo, and thus this replacement of enjoyment is particularly apt.

From its seemingly dodgey beginnings, Shisha has become the nucleus of social interactions and eventually a symbolic tradition. Do we condone smoking? No, tobacco is bad for you and you know it. However Shisha should definatley be one of those things on your to-do list, whether visiting or staying in the UAE. And if you do try it, go for grape shisha - it's the flavour favoured by those in the know!

SOME TIPS
-If you are going to smoke shisha, try and limit it to occasional use. After all, it's a social tradition.
-Smoke outdoors.
-The longer the pipe, the less carbon monoxide
-Blow occassionally into the pipe to get rid of the smoke building up in the water chamber
-Replace the water if smoking for longer than an hour
-Don't inhale too deeply
-Shisha is not a substitute for cigarettes. Cigarette smokers trying to give up should not shift to Shisha to kick their habit, for risk of inhaling too deeply
-Share your shisha. It gives you a break!

By grapeshisha.com