DANGERS OF SMOKING HOOKAH

Dangers of Smoking Shisha Photo Credit man relaxs image by Arkady Chubykin from Fotolia.com A majority of smokers mistakenly believe that smoking a shisha, also known as a hookah pipe, is less dangerous than smoking cigarettes, according to an article by Khaled Aljarrah and colleagues in the December 2005 issue of the journal "Tobacco Induced Diseases."




The belief that the water in the pipe filters the smoke of toxins is not true. It is well known that cancer-causing substances and other particles stay in the tobacco smoke as it travels through the water in air bubbles. Smoking a shisha has many health risks. Contagious Diseases A hookah pipe is usually smoked by several people who share one mouthpiece, which creates the risk of contracting a contagious disease. Herpes, hepatitis and tuberculosis can be transmitted by the pipe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Cancer Society reports that a fungus called aspergillus, which causes a severe lung infection, and Helicobacter, which causes stomach ulcers, can be spread from the pipe or the method of tobacco preparation.

 Shisha smokers smoke for longer periods and inhale more frequently than cigarette smokers, explains Harvard Medical School. Often, the equivalent off 100 cigarettes is smoked during one smoking session, notes HMS. Hookah smokers are exposed to high levels of cancer-causing substances and toxins. The charcoal used to heat the tobacco adds even more of these chemicals. Cancer of the lung, bladder and mouth can result. The risk of mouth cancers are thought to be higher from shisha smoking than for other types of tobacco smoking, due to the length and frequency of the smoking sessions. Nicotine Addiction Hookah smoke contains 36 times more nicotine than cigarette tobacco, according to a 2009 article in the journal "Tobacco Induced Diseases." Nicotine produces pleasant feelings and is highly addictive, notes the article. This addiction results in the repeated tobacco use that can cause many diseases. Withdrawal symptoms occur in the absence of nicotine and include irritability, impatience, anxiety, hostility, low mood, difficulty concentrating and restlessness. These withdrawal symptoms make quitting very difficult.

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