Is hookah smoking safer than cigarettes?
Some people feel that smoking a hookah is safer than other methods of tobacco smoking since they believe that the water filters out the harmful compounds before the smoke is inhaled. But, compared to cigarettes, little research exists on the health risks of hookah smoking. To date, there have been no studies looking specifically at the consequences of smoking the non-tobacco substances that are used for flavoring. The little research that does exist, though, 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 and/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 – because the hookah smoke is cooled by water, it can be inhaled more deeply and held for a longer length of time. On the other hand, because hookah smoking is usually a social activity, those who use hookah pipes might not be smoking as often or as much as cigarette, cigar, and pipe smokers.
It’s a myth that hookah smoking is safer than smoking cigarettes. The tobacco is no less toxic. Hookah smokers actually inhale more tobacco smoke than do cigarette smokers because of the massive volume of smoke they inhale. Hookah — also called narghile, shisha and goza — is a water pipe. The device has been used for centuries in the Middle East and Asia to smoke tobacco. Now, hookah bars and cafes are popping up across the United States — fueled by the growing popularity of hookah smoking among teens and young adults. The hookah device consists of four parts: • A base, or smoke chamber, which is partially filled with water • A bowl, which contains tobacco and the heating source • A pipe that connects the bowl to the base and dips into the water in the base • A hose, a second tube in the pipe that does not dip into the water but opens into air in the base and allows users to inhale the hookah smoke When a smoker inhales through the tube, a pressure difference forces air past the heatin
It’s a myth that hookah smoking is safer than smoking cigarettes. The tobacco is no less toxic. Hookah smokers actually inhale more tobacco smoke than do cigarette smokers because of the massive volume of smoke they inhale. Hookah — also called narghile, shisha and goza — is a water pipe. The device has been used for centuries in the Middle East and Asia to smoke tobacco. Now, hookah bars and cafes are popping up across the United States — fueled by the growing popularity of hookah smoking among teens and young adults. The hookah device consists of four parts: • A base, or smoke chamber, which is partially filled with water • A bowl, which contains tobacco and the heating source • A pipe that connects the bowl to the base and dips into the water in the base • A hose, a second tube in the pipe that does not dip into the water but opens into air in the base and allows users to inhale the hookah smoke When a smoker inhales through the tube, a pressure difference forces air past the heatin
