Popular worldwide, especially among the youth, shisha, also referred to as a hookah or ‘narghile’, is a type of flavored tobacco smoked through a water pipe. Hookah originated in parts of Middle Eastern and South Asia. Hookah bars and cafes serve as a great social setting for friends to meet up, and sweet flavors such as mint, apple and chocolate make the experience more pleasant. While many believe that hookah is safer than cigarettes, this article will analyze the impact forums and health organizations have on the credibility of this claim
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How Hookah Work
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As with any other form of smoking, shishas have their own hookah devices which include a water bowl, a tobacco chamber, a hose and a mouth piece. For use, the tobacco is mixed with fruit pulp and molasses, before it is heated or filtered into water with smoke. The smoke can then be inhaled through the hose. More modern products like hookah pens have begun using batteries to turn liquid nicotine into aerosol. However, the health risks of these pens are not well studied (CDC Hookahs)
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Common Misconception
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These are the most common misconceptions regarding the use of hookah and its safety
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The water filtration makes the smoke harmless: People are under the impression that water filters toxins out. However, water only removes 1% of smoke’s toxics and leaves behind 60% of the harmful substances
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Hookah does not have addictive properties: As stated above, Hookah tobacco has nicotine in it, which is addictive. One puff from a hookah can deliver 2.5 times more nicotine than a cigarette. (Healthline
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The smoke from hookah is not dangerous: Even when cooled, the smoke still has carcinogenic elements and other dangerous substances that can harm the heart and lungs(Medical News Today)
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Hookah is less dangerous than cigarettes: Some people think it’s less damaging because of the social nature of use and the lower rate of use. However, just like smoke, a single puff of hookah intensely exposes one to potent toxins
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The atmosphere and marketing around hookah has socially shrouded its dangers. We, however, need to accept the scientific facts that hookah is not harmless
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Risks Associated With Hooka
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Just like with cigarette smoking, Hookah smoking poses a myriad of health problems, with well-renowned institutions like CDC and American Lung Association providing helpful insight.
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Cancer – Given devices like hookahs use flavored tobacco, they contain the same cancer-causing agents as traditional cigars would among consumers, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile aldehydes, putting users at risk of developing lung cancer, bladder cancer, and throat cance



Heart disease: Just like cigar smoking, hookah smoking greatly reduces the user's cardiovascular fitness and even increases the chances of stroke due to the presence of toxic carbon monoxide in the smok



Respiratory Diseases – Continued and sustained smoking may result in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Bronchitis and lower overall lung capacity over ti

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Infectious Diseases – Sharing a common mouthpiece increases the possibility of infectious diseases such as mono, oral herpes, and tuberclosis and even-some cough
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Other Effects: Most notable among them are fertility issues, complications during pregnancy, and speed up degeneration of skin among women due to tobacco int
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Not to mention, passive hookah smoke is equally harmful to non-smokers, especially those smoking bar attendants who are mostly exposed to indoor Global-Hookah air pollution.