A Positive Hookah Article

[dEsturbed]

Hello Hookah Smokers!

I am looking for an article that is bias torwards hookah. An article that is postitive towards the use of hookah, instead of being negative and saying how bad it is. Can anyone help me out?

Would relly be appreciated!

<3

[Johnny_D]

I doubt you will find one.

I assume that you are looking for something that suggests it's less damaging [health wise] than cigarettes?

Your big problem is that those idiots at the WHO [World Health Organization] have published there now, infamous, document that suggests 1 hookah session is equal to 100 cigarettes.

Lots of ameteaur[1] science has been discussed around the forum and i think the general conclusion is that it's probably less harmful than cigarettes, but it's still smoking and thus ain't going to make you healthier!

JD

[1] I can't spell it. Spell checker hasn't got a bloody clue neither!

[Estariol]

Here's an article I found a while back that's pretty positive. I can't remember where on the web I got it but I saved it to my computer because it was a rare specimen of positivity. It's by a persian writer. Enjoy:

[indent] Hookah - The Lesser Cigarette Vice
By Shailja Shah Purohit

Now that the hookah bug seems to have bitten everyone - lets get down to the brass-tacks of what a hookah is all about - and what it means in terms of health bytes.

The bottom-line being that the hookah is not as harmful as cigarette smoking - and so is a safer bet as far as your health is concerned.

Cuts The Craving
The first fact is that the hookah or the nargile (as it is called in the West) is not so addictive. A dependent narghile smoker who remains up to two days without smoking, will not feel any serious craving for it.

Not So Exposed
Another important fact to be borne in mind is that, the tobacco mixture used in the pipes is usually only 30 percent tobacco and 70 percent fruit flavorings, molasses and even honey (the amounts vary by manufacturer). So exposure to tobacco toxins is less than in cigarettes.

Water -The Purifier
Many people familiar with the hookah say they are not as bad as cigarettes because the water in the basin of the pipe absorbs the dangerous chemicals found in the tobacco, a theory that is not too far from the truth.

Passing the smoke through water, as is done in a hookah pipe, does remove some toxic compounds, but existing research documents that still many toxins do remain in the water-filtered smoke.

The Nicotine Catch
Nicotine, the main addictive compound in tobacco smoke, has been shown to make it through a water filter, so nicotine addiction is still a theoretical possibility for hookah smokers.

Warn health experts, hookah smokers have to remember, that no form of smoking is safe. After all one IS taking in some amount of nicotine, even with the hookah. Although, yes, it is a better alternative to cigarette smoking, as the amount consumed is far less.

Taking It Easy
Further, it is not so easy to become dependent on narghile as it's very process takes a long time. This is a great difference from cigarettes, which you can light up in a minute and get an instant 'kick'. With the hookah you have to be patient.

[font="Arial"][size=2]Another plus to the hookah is that smoking a hookah pipe is a social activity. In that those who use hookah pipes are generally not smoking as often, or as much, as other smokers of cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.

[/font="Arial][/size=2]Can I ask what it's for? Convincing parents? Lol. You hear a lot of that. Edited November 4, 2007 by Estariol

[Johnny_D]

Gpod article.

Right up until...

30 percent tobacco and 70 percent fruit flavorings, molasses and even honey (the amounts vary by manufacturer).

JD

[ahwahoo2006]

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if this was correct by mass.

[ghostofdavid]

How does glycerine then figure into the weight?

[Zildjian]

http://hookahhookah.com/sitemap.html

this has a lot of great info in favor of the hookah. i am using this source for a proposal for a class, which incidentally part of the project is trying to put it in motion (the project is to try and change a policy at school...im doing hookahs in residential areas)

[RayVer]

hmm I guess since they say 1 sessions of hookah = 100 cigarettes then next time I fill in a form with the question "How many cigarettes do you smoke a month?" I'll fill in "4,800 cigarretes" haha Edited November 4, 2007 by RayVer

[IceCreamCakes]

hmm I guess since they say 1 sessions of hookah = 100 cigarettes then next time I fill in a form with the question "How many cigarettes do you smoke a month?" I'll fill in "4,800 cigarretes" haha

LoL thats a good one to put on like doctors papers

[Sonthert]

Tangiers is less than 18% tobacco. Nahkla is like 10%

[Johnny_D]

Tangiers is less than 18% tobacco. Nahkla is like 10%

What else is in there?

Especially nahkla. it's quite bloody dry in comparison.

Looks like i was wrong. Again.

JD

[barrenwizard]

Damn, looks like I can print that Middle East Writer Comment on Hookah (Accept for the Percentage part about Tobacco) on my Hookah Menu for my Stall. Hehehehe, nice one.

[ASUSEAN1]

Looks like i was wrong. Again.

JD

looks like you are striking out JD haha.. cmon you are usually on top of your sh*t

[dude3516]

Health benefits and risks

Today's media sometimes suggests that hookah can be a more health threatening activity than smoking cigarettes. Research suggests that a session of hookah tobacco smoking (tobacco molasses) which lasts 45 minutes delivers slightly more tar and carbon monoxide (around 5-10%) than a packet of cigarettes.[8] This study has, however, come under criticism for using unrealistically high temperatures for the tobacco (600-650 degrees C) and using arbitrary figures for tar filtration rates.[citation needed] This could possibly have skewed results, as the carcinogenic and toxin levels of smoke increases dramatically with temperature (Wynder 1958). Common practice is to keep temperatures to degrees which do not "char" the hookah; that is within a temperature range of 100-150 C. (Chaouachi K: Patologie associate all'uso del narghile). The effects of these lower temperatures on tar are inconclusive, though Chaouachi indicates the tar would be less harmful.

Some hookah tobaccos claim to contain 0.0% Tar, but this is misleading due to the fact that tar is created when tobacco burns.

However research has indicated that the use of the hookah may reduce comparative cancer risks, though such studies are not conclusive (Hoffman[9], Rakower, Salem 1983 and 90, Gupta Dheeraj 2001, Tandon 1995, Lubin 1992, Hazelton 2001, Stirling 1979). The levels of carbon monoxide produced during a hookah session varies widely depending on the type of coal used. Japanese charcoals are thought to produce lower amounts of carbon monoxide. However there is a notable difference in areas of carbon monoxide absorption, in that while cigarettes have a notable effect on the small respiratory tracts rather, shisha smoking mostly affects the major airways (Bakir 1991, Kiter). This means a lessened FEV vs FEV1/FVC ratio compared to cigarettes, which is believed to be less harmful for the airways long-term. It should be considered as a "safe" alternative to common cigarette smoking.

A report[10] released in 2005 by WHO (World Health Organization) claimed to have researched the effects of water-pipe smoking.

A popular article by K Chaouachi, a French researcher who has been studying hookah usage and effects throughout the world since 1997, highlighted the mistakes and errors made by the WHO TobReg in its report[11]. The WHO TobReg's report is used in a lot of media articles about hookah smoking and its effects. Chaouachi also authored a book[12] in 2007 which offers a complete look at data collected from his studies on hookahs and hookah users.

Hookahs can also be smoked with herbal flavours. These contain Sugar Cane Bagasse with no tobacco, nicotine or tar. The popular brands are Soex, Highlife & Black Label. This new method of smoking is aimed at replacing tobacco and its health effects. Therefore no research or discovered health risks have been conducted on herbal flavours. There has been a study that claims that this could be safer than traditional tobacco used in hookahs.[13]

Many articles[14] suggest that there is simply not enough research to provide answers to determine the effects of hookah smoking. Research is under way by Fogarty International Center-funded Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Egyptian Smoking Prevention Research Institute, Research for International Tobacco Control-funded Tobacco Prevention and Control Research Group at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. Edited November 5, 2007 by dude3516