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Shisha smoking- The truth about the harms

Posted by Anonymous

Most of us enjoy smoking from those gorgeous looking water based pipes; relaxing in the company of shisha for an hour or two, giving little thought to what it can do to our body. Though shisha may be flavoured with your favourite fruits, it is basically tobacco that you smoke and it is toxic. If you regard shisha as just another form of smoking, with low risks, read on to know more about the ill effects of shisha. A World Health Organisation (WHO) report shows that shisha smoking leads to some very serious health hazards. Studies show that smoking shisha is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes at a stretch.

The liquid that you smoke is composed of flavoured tobacco and molasses. Molasses is responsible for the temptingly sweet taste and the clear cut smell. Flavours vary from rose to licorice to double apple. As inviting as it may sound, it is a shocking fact that the amount of tobacco the liquid contains is very high. Studies indicate that 45 minutes of shisha smoking is as good as smoking 50 cigarettes and the levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine in your body will be exceptionally high. In fact, it is twice the levels of carbon monoxide and thrice the levels of nicotine when compared to the levels of these chemicals from 50 cigarettes.smoke shisha

These high levels of carbon monoxide may result in unconsciousness and brain damage. Shisha also exposes you to chemicals such as cadmium that is known to cause cancer. The reduction of tobacco causes the glycerine levels to shoot, which can poison your body. Though shisha does not comprise of harmful additives, the compounds present in it when burnt, release several toxic compounds, some of which cause cancer. Pregnant mothers who smoke shisha are under the risk of delivering underweight babies with breathing problems.

Long term risks of shisha include high risk of cancer, especially cancer of the mouth, gums and lungs. Youth workers from NHS Stop Smoking Services, Leicester, point out that sharing the pipe during smoking, could spread certain viral and bacterial infections such as tuberculosis and herpes infections. It is therefore un-hygienic practice. According to Dr. Bassam Mahboub, physician and Vice Chairman, the Emirates Respiratory Society, shisha increases your blood pressure, thereby increasing your risks of heart attack. He also specifies that the pipe carries smoke directly to the inner areas of your lungs, causing serious harm.
The WHO report reveals that shisha fosters addiction and it also has passive smoking effects, just like cigarettes. Tobacco in the liquid is present in an evaporated form and some studies show that the by-products from the evaporation process, which is stimulated by coal, increases your exposure to toxic substances. All these reports indicate the fact that shisha smoking is life threatening. It is not a safe substitute to cigarette smoking as people presume and there is no evidence to prove that the water filter used in shisha can reduce the exposure to the toxic chemicals.

Smoking in general is injurious and there is no safe way to smoke. If you are a shisha smoker, it is high time you quit this deadly practice. Quit shisha and improve your personal health.

Shisha smoking while on laptop

Shisha smoking has increasingly become one of the most favourite ways of socialising. Boys, girls, men, women and even children relax in the puffs of shisha for a couple of hours with little awareness of the health hazards associated with shisha.

Tobacco contents

Though shisha smoking has become modernised via the use of flavoured fruits and juice, there's still one component found in the water pipe – tobacco. A regular shisha smoker will say shisha is a safe alternative to cigarette smoking as it doesn't burn. Do you want to hear the facts? Maybe not – research highlights that smoking a shisha for an hour is equivalent to smoking about 100 cigarettes on a go.

The tobacco contains 2X the levels of carbon monoxide and 3X the level of nicotine when compared to cigarettes. However, shisha smokers such as you and I will still run to the bars to inhale this toxic substance. To date, there really isn't any accurate report on the amount of nicotine present in shisha because of differences in packing.

The battle to educate people on the harms of shisha is a challenging one. Smoking rates in the UK are dropping but the worrysome fact is that shisha smoking is on the rise. Is this because of the exotic smell? Or attractive waterpipes? Even the shisha smokers themselves might not know the answer.
As a matter of fact, the enticing flavours and exclusive juices mislead users into thinking they are smoking herbs rather than tobacco. This is miles away from the truth.

 

Potential health hazrds

There's no doubt that shisha smoking is a health risk. It is associated with the same fatal and life-threatening illnesses as cigarettes. Remember that the pipe carries smoke directly to the inner areas of your lungs. Here are a few hazards linked to shisha: The charcoal that is used to light up the tobacco contains toxins.


Shisha contains high levels of carbonmonoxide and nicotine (as seen above) and this would most likely result in brain malfunction or unconciousness.


Shisha contains chemicals such as cadmium,cobalt and arsenic. If there's one disease linked with cadmium then that's CANCER. Could be cancer of the lungs, mouth or gums.

Pregnant women shouldn't stand the sight of shisha. Those who smoke shisha have a high chance of delivering premature babies (with breathing difficulties)


Because shisha smoking is now a recreational activity, smokers tend to smoke in groups and guess what; they share the shisha pipe. This could transmit infectuous diseases such as tuberclosis, Hepatitis A and other viral and bacterial infections.

The aluminium foil used when burning the charcoal produces carcinogenic fumes. This agains leads to cancer.
This would be more relevant to the aged. Shisha smoking increases blood pressure levels and of course the risk of a HEART ATTACK.

Smoking a shisha pipe in a non-ventilated room could result in light headaches for anyone in the room, whether smoking or not.

Because shisha was originated and has been incorporated into the Asian, North African and Middle Eastern cultures, many do not see anything wrong with smoking shisha. If cigarette smokers are in denial of the fact that it kills (even when it's clearly labelled on the pack), then what more of the cultural shisha smoking? The easiest way therefore is to educate people on the harms of this habit.

The fact that shisha bars are opening up in all corners in the UK sends the message that shisha smoking is a good practice and health risk-free. If you're looking to quit shisha smoking, do not bother discussing it with
your other shisha smoking friends. Afterall, they love what they do. Seek medical help.

The effects of smoking Shisha


What is Shisha? Shisha refers to the flavoured tobacco used in the smoking process using a hookah, also commonly known as 'hubble bubble' and 'narghile'. It is believed to have originated in Turkey over 500 years ago while others claim it came from Syria and India.

The tobacco is soaked in fruits shavings such as apples, grapes and strawberries. A hookah consists of a base, pipe, bowl and hose or a mouthpiece. Tobacco is placed in the bowl, which is at the top of the pipe structure. An aluminium foil covers the bowl and small charcoal pieces are then placed on the foil, which is punctured using a pin to gently heat the tobacco. When smoked using the hose, smooth, sweet-smelling vapour is filtered through the base containing water. It also comes in floral flavours such as coconut, vanilla and rose.

Is Shisha harmful? While many may argue that Shisha smoking is not harmful, medical experts say otherwise as tobacco product in any form contains nicotine and nicotine is addictive. Tobacco products are dangerous as it contains chemicals which are toxic and carcinogenic.

The common belief is that smoke is filtered by the water when in actual fact, nicotine is not water-soluble. The water filter is a gimmick hence the smoke is inhaled by a smoker.

Reuters reported last week that the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that a single session of smoking Shisha yields a nicotine intake equivalent to more than one pack of cigarettes.

It is also reported that Shisha smoke retained all the carcinogens of cigarette smoke while adding more carbon monoxide and a separate set of carcinogens from the use of burning coals to keep the nicotine flowing, coupled with the risk of infection with tuberculosis or hepatitis from shared mouthpieces.




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