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Egyptian women replace smoking with qatrouna

In Upper Egypt, while men come together for shisha, women relax by chewing a mix of tobacco and tar — yet health professionals warn of the many dangers.
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ASYUT, Egypt — As the sun sets in the village of al-Nawawara, most men either head to a cafe or sit in front of their houses to smoke shisha. Women gather in groups to chat, while chewing on what they call “qatrouna,” better known in Egypt as “madgha” or "chewing tobacco."

Al-Nawawara, which is 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of Asyut and situated along the Nile, is a large village with red brick houses. Upon entering the village, a cafe where men smoke shisha and play dominos stands out.

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