Two men smoke a water pipe in this file photo.

Lyssna: Police, others seek to shut down Malmö shisha clubs

As police tamp down on illegal water-pipe cafes, patrons say the efforts may cause more harm than good.

Backed by an injection of central government money, Malmö?s authorities are raiding and shutting down the city?s water-pipe, or shisha or hookah, clubs.

Most patrons have immigrant backgrounds and go to the clubs to smoke flavored tobacco that is filtered through water. But smoking tobacco inside restaurants and bars is illegal in Sweden.

So how do those who frequent the clubs feel about the...