Tangier Sees 6,500% Surge in Shisha Cafes, Raising Health Concerns

200 cafes offering shisha are now operating in Tangier. A record in ten years, compared to all the other cities in the kingdom. This offends 360 who is amazed at the incredible development of what is nevertheless considered a real danger for the youth. "This does not concern tourism, or the investment of foreign companies, nor even the exploits of the local club, the Ittihad de Tangier," notes the media.

For its part, the Arabic-language daily Al Akhbar, in its edition of this Wednesday, June 12, is more precise and incisive when it writes that "the number of shisha cafes has almost doubled since the Party of Justice and Development (PJD) is at the head of the municipality of Tangier. While there were only 3 in 2009, they increased to 100 during the era of the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM), before reaching 200 in 2019".

The Casablanca media does not mince words to denounce the way the municipality issues operating permits for these cafes, pointing the finger in particular at the authorities of the municipality of Tangier, chaired by the PJDist Mohamed Oufkir, and the Mghogha district, led by his companion Mohamed Bouzidane.

According to Al Akhbar, "The owners of these shisha cafes are asking for commercial operating permits for restaurants or ice cream parlors. The municipality, responsible for issuing the permits, must first send an inspection committee composed of several services (fire department, hygiene...), before granting its authorization." Unfortunately, "the municipality of Tangier does not respect this procedure," denounces the daily.

The irony is that, despite the many complaints emanating every day from the citizens of the city, complaining about these places considered real nests of perversion, the PJDist authorities do not yet seem to realize the danger.