Amid the «alarming and rapid spread of shisha cafés» across several neighborhoods in Laayoune and in light of the «neglect or complacency of certain authorities», the central office of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights and the Environment has expressed deep concern over what it describes as a «chaotic situation that threatens public health, social stability, and environmental safety, while constituting a blatant violation of Moroccan law». The association notes that many of these establishments operate without proper legal authorization or in clear violation of existing laws, including Decree No. 2.06.388, Law No. 31.13, Articles 79 and beyond of the Moroccan Penal Code, Article 1-2 of the Child Protection Law, Royal Decree-Law No. 1.75.292, and Law No. 11-03 on environmental protection and rehabilitation. It strongly condemns the unchecked proliferation of these cafés, calling it a flagrant breach of the law and a driver of deviant behavior that endangers the fabric of society. The association urges local, security, and environmental authorities to enforce legal provisions through inspections, monitoring operations, the closure of unauthorized or suspicious establishments, and legal action against violators. It also calls for public awareness campaigns, particularly targeting youth and teenagers, to highlight the health risks associated with shisha use. These efforts, it stresses, should be carried out in collaboration with civil society organizations and local media. Finally, the association underscores the urgent need for swift and decisive action to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and uphold the city's moral and social values. Any continued inaction, it warns, will be viewed as implicit approval of the spread of illegal and harmful practices.
