Globally, the popularity of hookah, shisha or waterpipe smoking has surged, especially among young people. Its social appeal accompanied by the flavored tobacco contributes to the misconception that it is a "safer" option to cigarette smoking. But one question still remains: does hookah actually get you high? In order to answer this, we need to examine the science of hookah use and its affects on the body along with the culture that surrounds its usage
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What’s in Hookah Smoke? Hookah Myths Debunke\

Most folk have the wrong notion that traditional hookah tobacco, or mu’assel, does not contain nicotine, tar, or even cancer-causing ingredients. It is a plain fact that hookah tobacco contains all those as well as flavorful fruits. Flavored tobacco is heated using charcoal which produces smoke. The water in hookah does not filter out harmful chemicals, its sole purpose is to cool the smoke
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Key components of hookah smoke include
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Nicotine: Highly addictive tobacco stimulant Carbon Monoxide: traces of CO linked to heart problems due to charcoal burning Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Known carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyd
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1. The Role of Nicotine: Stimulation Rather Than a "High""\
   
   
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Research indicates that during a single 1-hour hookah session, users are typically exposed to 1.7 times the amount of nicotine found in one cigarette. This greatly contributes to dependence without any true "high.