Dangers of the Hookah Pipe

Hookahs are smoked by drawing smoke from heated tobacco, called shisha, through water and then through a hose and mouthpiece. The water cools the smoke, but does not filter out any toxins. Smoking hookahs, like smoking any type of tobacco pipe, can be hazardous to your health.

Addiction

• Most shishas smoked in hookahs contain tobacco. All types of tobacco contain nicotine, an addictive substance. According to the Mayo Clinic, tobacco smoke from a hookah contains about the same amount of nicotine as a cigarette. This amount of nicotine can make the smoker develop a dependence on nicotine.

Smoke inhalation

• Inhaling any sort of particulate matter, such as smoke, is dangerous. According to Harvard Health Publications, researchers have found that hookah smokers take longer, deeper breaths than cigarette smokers. Hookah smoking sessions also last longer than cigarette smoking sessions. Current estimates suggest that hookah smokers inhale roughly 100 cigarettes worth of smoke per session. Hookah smoke also contains the same toxins and carcinogens as cigarette smoke, including tar and carbon monoxide.

Secondhand Smoke

• Like other forms of smoking, hookahs produce environmental tobacco smoke, also called secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is a known cancer-causing agent because it contains nicotine and all the other toxins found in the smoke inhaled by the smoker himself. According to the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke causes nearly 3,400 deaths from lung cancer in non-smoking adults each year.

Infectious disease

• Improperly cleaned hookah hoses can spread cold and flu viruses, as well as other bacteria and germs. According to the American Cancer Society, infectious diseases can be spread through the sharing of mouthpieces and hoses. They can also be spread through the use of improperly prepared tobacco.