How Bad Is Hookah For You

[louman3333]

I don't think smoking hookah is that bad, but some people have been saying its worse than cigarettes which should be false.. Let me know what you've heard or think.

[zeppyrkr]

its bad, technically you can't say if its better or worse then something but the majority of this forum feels its not as bad as cigs but you should know that smoke is smoke and not intended for our precious lungs

[jamesh2]

I don't think smoking hookah is that bad, but some people have been saying its worse than cigarettes which should be false.. Let me know what you've heard or think.

If your old enough to smoke you should be old enough (imo) to realize that you ARE puting co2 in your body, that shouldnt be there. its probably not that good for you. but, most things in this world are bad for you, life is short.
james

[louman3333]

the water must help

[zeppyrkr]

the water must help

barely ...

[.DowN.]

I mean, to be honest, anything you smoke wise you take into your lungs is not good for you, and I mean that is what you would hear from a doctor anyway. But from the research I have found, and what I can gather from it, I really don't think it is at all that bad compared to cigarettes. Cigarettes have WAY more other chemicals and nastiness compared to hookah (No offense to cig smokers). A lot of us here do smoke hookah a lot, but not as much as your average person that goes through a pack like its gum. Hookah is filtered as well, a lot better than a silly little cigarette filter. I could ramble on and on about it, but I hope you get the idea of what I am trying to say, lol.

Happy Smokin'

[shoresidejake]

no it's not good for you - but leaps and bounds better for you than cigerettes - without a doubt.

[Switch]

its not good for you.... you will hear people say its better than cigs, some say worse, others say its the same. Personally, i dont care wether its worse or better cuz i love it and i do it in moderation. or try to. i can guarentee you all the mccdonald junkies are doing worse damage to their bodies by eating the crap all the time. But yeah, its not good, but then again alcohol is bad for your liver but nobody cares bout that.

[Johnny_D]

Not much more to add really.

It's not going to be a health+ But that was not exactly the question.

It's hard to make a direct comparison - however it's been pointed out that if you breather cigarettes smoke through a clean white tissue you end up with crap. Do the same with hookah smoke it's cleaner I believe.

There is no definitive and agreed research document. I'd rather smoke 2hrs of hookah than 2hrs of cigarettes though.

JD

[r1v3th3ad]

Time to flog the myth busters' forum into getting them to break the myth

[Switch]

I'd rather smoke 2hrs of hookah than 2hrs of cigarettes though.

JD

+1 Edited February 24, 2008 by Switch

[mathuv]

I mean, to be honest, anything you smoke wise you take into your lungs is not good for you, and I mean that is what you would hear from a doctor anyway. But from the research I have found, and what I can gather from it, I really don't think it is at all that bad compared to cigarettes. Cigarettes have WAY more other chemicals and nastiness compared to hookah (No offense to cig smokers). A lot of us here do smoke hookah a lot, but not as much as your average person that goes through a pack like its gum. Hookah is filtered as well, a lot better than a silly little cigarette filter. I could ramble on and on about it, but I hope you get the idea of what I am trying to say, lol.

Happy Smokin'

so going through a pack of gum a day isnt weird?

Not much more to add really.

It's not going to be a health+ But that was not exactly the question.

It's hard to make a direct comparison - however it's been pointed out that if you breather cigarettes smoke through a clean white tissue you end up with crap. Do the same with hookah smoke it's cleaner I believe.

There is no definitive and agreed research document. I'd rather smoke 2hrs of hookah than 2hrs of cigarettes though.

JD

i can confirm the tissue bit JD, i have done that and mentioned it countless times. and who in their right mind would smoke 2 hrs of cigarettes :/

[AKammenzind]

Hrm, it seems we get one of these every week or so. Yes smoking is bad for you, and in all honesty smoking hookah is probably only marginally less harmful than cigarettes at best if you smoke it the same amount.

The big difference is that you can't just light up a hookah and smoke it in a couple minutes, you have to take some time and set it up, let the coals heat up while you're packing the bowl, then it'll last half an hour to a couple hours depending on how much you have in the bowl. It's also a more social thing than cigarette smoking, you can't have a group of friends gather around a cigarette (unless you're in middleschool... ) but hookah is best enjoyed with a couple friends, or your significant other.

Both the fact that it takes time, and that it's a more social way of smoking make it generally much less habit forming, and much less likely to be smoked impulsively all day long like cigarettes. Just remember, too much of anything will kill ya... water, food, sex, you name it.

[.DowN.]

so going through a pack of gum a day isnt weird?

I mean considering my friend goes through like 3 packs of orbit a day, hes a gum freak, I didn't have anything to compare it too either, lol.

[mathuv]

so going through a pack of gum a day isnt weird?

I mean considering my friend goes through like 3 packs of orbit a day, hes a gum freak, I didn't have anything to compare it too either, lol.

oh i thought i was weird cos i chewed like a pack a day

[Canon]

so going through a pack of gum a day isnt weird?

I mean considering my friend goes through like 3 packs of orbit a day, hes a gum freak, I didn't have anything to compare it too either, lol.

im the same way. orbit wintermint all the way!

[Ninjalex]

I know that this has been posted before, but I think it there is some relevance since he has his experiment set up in a home made hookah type thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtKchm4KyVY

If the water catches all that instead of your lungs, then I think he just proved that cigarettes are way worse.

[amnite]

I know that this has been posted before, but I think it there is some relevance since he has his experiment set up in a home made hookah type thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtKchm4KyVY

If the water catches all that instead of your lungs, then I think he just proved that cigarettes are way worse.

You know when I think about it, how long does it take for the hookah water in the base to change colour. It takes a lot of sessions! Now I believe the reason for this is simply because Shisha Smoke is not the same as Cigarette Smoke! Theres a difference between burning tobacco and warming/heating shisha prepprered tobacco until the flavour goes out. The tar produced by shisha is different, its funny how its so different that the water system from the shisha doesnt seem to turn black after 45 minutes of smoking 30-100 puffs.

Theres even research over the last 30 years that claims the tar from shisha is less harmful, theres even research that says that a lot of the tar from shisha smoke is actually filetered through a shisha. Its only recently that the WHO report published changed everything, the report still exists despite all scientists that highlighted major mistakes from it. And the report is what most 90-95% of the media uses.

However some research coming from ASH made the ridiculous claims that a hookah is equall to 200 cigarettes. I can agree maybe 200 cigarettes in comparision worth of smoke but tar..nicotine??? I dont think anybody has ever seen the experiment/research conducted by them. Either the ASH report or there media department managed to spread funny things around the media because theres now articles that say 100 cigarettes, some 20, some 14. Hmmm maybe because they realised Shisha Smokers cant get fooled that easily.

Nope doesnt end there I've read articles that have quotations from docters that say that in a hookah you actually inhale far more nicotine than cigarettes! Am not sure were they got this from but everybody knows or most people dont get these hookah cravings. You can get addicted just like getting addicted to games, internet, sports even this forum. But its not chemically addicted. If you dont want to smoke a hookah you dont have to! (e.g when your hungry you've got to feed yourself, with a hookah you dont get this feeling). Even more proof is how often people smoke hookah average smokers, its not Everyday! Now according to experts you inhale more nicotine than cigarettes but its funny how hookah smokers arnt running around the streets puffing on portable hookahs because of addiction! Either a serious study error or simply hookah smoke is different to cigarettes.

My belief is that a shisha is less harmful than cigarettes if it is used in moderation and also importantly used how it is meant to be used, that means socially. Remember too much of anything is bad for you Everything should be in moderation. Until proof/hardcore evidence (research in to all types of shisha, coal, water levels) Ill stick to my belief. And if anything emerges the experiment should be made public for people to see and to show there confident of there research/claims. Edited February 24, 2008 by amnite

[BDA88]

I have read articles where a 15g bowl of shisha is equal to about 7-10 cigs. For the nicotine part... cigs contain a lot more than shisha (hince people are not addicted to hookah like they are to cigs). What a lot of the researchers do not put in to question are the coals. I believe that the coals are the most harmful part of smoking hookah because we are not suppost to inhale co2 and the fumes given off from the coals, at the same time you are not smoking filtered papers like cigs which is a lot of times considered worse.

In general, smoking hookah is going to be bad for you, but cigs are worse from what I know.

Oh, and cigs smell like hell...

[crisbeatz]

For me it takes three 1 1/2 hour sessions just to get the color in my base to change slightly! I'm on day four of my journey to quit and I won't lie, I cracked two days ago but I'm still on track. For me, Hookah is my Methadon. How bad is Methadon compared to Heroin? Then again that's just how I look at it. When I fully quit cigs then I may still be slightly addicted to Hookah but it will be managable and I prolly won't do it as much until in a more social seeting with friends or at the lounge.

I think that either way it's bad but the costs and side effects of ciggy's clearly outweigh that of a hookah. here's my math:

I smoked 10 cigs a day
1pack would last two days
each pack cost on average $4.50
average daily cost was $2.25

So for 1 month I would spend....
31 x $2.25 = $69.75

My shisha habit for the last month has cost me this much

Common Hookah $30
All of the different Shisha I got whish is at least a two month supply $40
Two kilos of coals $30

So far I'm over by $30 but what about next month when I don't spend the money on Shisha (-$40) or a hookah (-$30)?

It turns out to be alot cheaper by about $240 a year. Now imagine how much I can save by cutting my Sessions in half. These are of course generally rough estimates but you get the point. hhhhmmmmm? I think I'm gonna go for my daily bowl now! LOL

[Canon]

200 bucks of shisha lasts me 9 months.

[Lysolz]

I go ahead and assume it'll give me lung cancer within the next 5-10 years.

Aim low, shoot high!

Seriously, if you assume it's downright terrible for you, then living an extra several decades lung cancer free will just be a bonus!

[NoPeace]

I don't think smoking hookah is that bad, but some people have been saying its worse than cigarettes which should be false.. Let me know what you've heard or think.

if u smoke hookah everyday then yes it is

[hookah hippie]

Smoking isn't good for you but damn I love it

Momma ain't raise no quiter Edited February 25, 2008 by hookah hippie

[Johnny_D]

I don't think smoking hookah is that bad, but some people have been saying its worse than cigarettes which should be false.. Let me know what you've heard or think.

if u smoke hookah everyday then yes it is

NoPeace -

Could you clarify how/why you think that?

Just interested how you came to that conclusion.

JD