Shisha, also called hookah, nargileh or hubble-bubble is a water pipe used for smoking flavoured tobacco. Its origin is unclear, some say India, while others say Persia or Turkey but shisha has been used for centuries as a social tool to strengthen bonds between family members and business associates or simply to unwind after a long day. A typical shisha has a head, body, water bowl, thin pipe or hose, and a mouthpiece. Today, shisha has become one of the most popular smoked tobacco products worldwide. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey done in 2011, more than 123,000 Malaysians smoke shisha on the regular. Shisha is smoked by passing charcoal heated air through a mixture of tobacco, creating smoke that bubbles through a bowl of water which is then inhaled through a long thin pipe fitted with a mouthpiece.

What are the risks of smoking shisha?

It is a general misconception that smoking shisha is a better alternative to smoking cigarettes because the tobacco is flavoured and passes through water, but this is far from the truth. Smoking shisha poses the same health risks as smoking cigarettes. One hookah session may last about 30-90 minutes. In a single session, it is said that a shisha smoker inhales the same amount of smoke a cigarette smoker would inhale from 100-200 cigarettes.

Some of the health risks of smoking shisha include :

• Cancer – Similar to cigarettes, shisha smoke contains toxic chemicals known to cause cancers, mainly lung cancer, oral cancer, and gastric cancers. The charcoal used to heat tobacco can produce high levels of carbon monoxide and other cancer-causing chemicals.
• Cardiovascular complications – Smoking increases the risk for atherosclerosis by lowering the levels of good cholesterol (High density lipoprotein). This will later complicate to coronary artery diseases and heart failure.
• Respiratory complications – Smoking shisha is known to reduce pulmonary function and can increase the risk of developing obstructive respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
• Addiction – Shisha contains nicotine, the same addictive substance found in other tobacco products which can lead to serious addiction. Although shisha smoke passes through water before being inhaled, the nicotine content in shisha smoke is high enough to create an addiction. On top of that, nicotine may also damage the development of an adolescent brain if taken at a younger age.
• Risk of infectious diseases – Shisha is usually smoked in a group, where the mouthpiece is commonly shared, which makes it easier to transmit communicable diseases such as tuberculosis or hepatitis.
• Pregnancy complications – There have been higher incidences of respiratory diseases and low birth weight of babies born to mothers who smoke shisha during pregnancy.
• Fertility – The substances found in shisha smoke have been linked to decreased sperm quality in men and speed up the loss of eggs (ova). Infertility rates in men and women who smoke are twice as much as those who are non-smokers.

 

 

Second Hand Shisha Smoke

Contrary to popular belief, second hand shisha smoke (passive smoking) can give rise to similar health risks to individuals who do not smoke as it contains the same harmful agents like carbon monoxide and other cancer-causing chemicals. Research done on shisha lounge workers revealed high levels of toxins and markers for inflammation similar to those typical of a heavy smoker.

In conclusion, although candy or fruity flavoured tobacco smoking might sound tempting, it might cost you your life. It has been proven that shisha smoking is equally dangerous, if not worse than cigarette smoking. Shisha smoking can lead to a wide range of health complications including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in addition to cancers of the lungs, mouth, and stomach.