Abu Dhabi's Department of Economics has stopped issuing licenses to new shisha cafes in an effort to curb smoking in the region. The ban on shisha smoking covers coffee shops.

Shisha smoking is extremely popular in the Middle East. Abu Dhabi has around 300 shisha cafes.

A UAE official said applicants for new coffee shop permits are required to submit an undertaking shisha will not be served. More than 150 rules apply to shisha cafes, ranging from a required distance from mosques to outdoor seating arrangements.

A shisha cafe must have a space not less than 43 square yards (40 square meters), sufficient number of exhaust fans and a 2.2 yard (2 meter) long chimney.

Shisha owners said they were disappointment with the prohibition on new outlets as the habit continues to gain popularity and the number of shisha smokers are on the rise.

Aside from shisha shops, regular coffee shops have also sprouted all over the UAE, including outlets of known global brands like Starbucks, Second Cup and Coffee Republic.