Some people think that smoking a hookah is safer than tobacco smoking since they believe that the water filters out the harmful compounds before the smoke is inhaled. Little research exists on the health risks of hookah smoking, nevertheless it shows preliminary evidence that suggest hookahs are not any safer than cigarettes, and as with cigarettes, effects may include a higher chance of developing heart disease or lung cancer.
Hookah pipes (also known as water pipes, sheesha, nargile, and argileh) originated in Turkey and are now popular as a leisurely, social after-meal activity. In a hookah pipe, the tobacco is heated by coals, and the resulting smoke passes through tubes and water so that it cools down by the time the person inhales. The tobacco mixture used in the pipes is usually 30 percent tobacco and 70 percent fruit flavorings, molasses, honey.
Some people think that smoking a hookah is safer than tobacco smoking since they believe that the water filters out the harmful compounds before the smoke is inhaled. Little research exists on the health risks of hookah smoking, nevertheless it shows preliminary evidence that suggest hookahs are not any safer than cigarettes, and as with cigarettes, effects may include a higher chance of developing heart disease or lung cancer. Some studies have also shown that a person inhales 100-200 times more smoke (by volume) during a typical one hour hookah smoking session than when smoking one cigarette, as the hookah smoke is cooled by water, it can be inhaled more deeply and held for a longer length of time.
To risk stating the obvious, the tobacco used in a hookah is still tobacco, so its smokers are still exposed to:
• Nicotine: The addictive chemical in tobacco products. While the pipe's water absorbs some nicotine, research suggests that hookah smoke delivers enough of the drug to potentially lead to addiction.
• Tar: Hookah tobacco does not contain tar... until you light it, that is. Tar is produced when hookah tobacco is burned, so hookah smokers' lungs will still be exposed to the brown, sticky material that leads to cancer, emphysema, and other health problems in smokers, as well as causes stains on teeth and fingers.
• Carbon monoxide: A colorless, odorless gas that is toxic to humans. The amount produced by a hookah pipe depends on several factors, including the kind of tobacco, the type of charcoal, and the size of the pipe being used. In general, using commercial (quick-lighting) charcoal makes for higher levels of carbon monoxide. Also, smaller hookah pipes appear to deliver the most carbon monoxide, followed by cigarettes, with larger hookahs producing relatively less.
