Hookah Smoking Vs. Cigarette Smoking?

[cab395]

Quick question here. Can anyone provide me with any studies that compare hookah smoking with cigarette smoking? Everything I'm finding online is saying that hookah is worse than cigarettes, but I don't see how that's possible since it's only tobacco, and the washed varieties are 0.05% nicotine. Plus you don't have all those disgusting chemicals they put in cigarettes, right?

Maybe I'm just making an excuse for myself since I love hookah. I'm just curious, I don't think it'll really stop me from smoking. I smoke maybe once a week. You only live once, you know?

Anyway, if someone could point me in the direction of the [b][u]TRUTH[/u][/b], that'd be great. I wish the world didn't try and mislead others based on their own personal bias. Sure, I hope it's not too terrible for you, but I just want to know the truth. Please help.

[Chreees]

Dave's your man on this one. He has all the links saved and can easily post them for you. Just wait for him to chime in.

As for my own personal opinion and observations regarding hookah vs. cigarettes, my sister smokes a pack a day. I smoke hookah several times a week. She coughs and often feels sick. I do not. The times I've smoked cigs, it hurt my throat and felt like shit afterwards. With hookah I never do. I think the main differences between the two that people need to realize and understand is with hookah you're cooking the tobacco, not burning it. Also, cigarettes have hundreds of added chemicals and such (which I also believe makes them addictive compared to hookah). Ask anyone on here if they are addicted to hookah. They may say they're addicted to the habit of it, but everyone on here will tell you they are not addicted to hookah like cigarette smokers are to cigarettes. Anyway, with hookah you don't have all those extra chemicals and such added. These two reasons alone lead me to believe it's waaaay more safe. But please know that all smoking is bad for you, no matter what.

[cab395]

Thanks for your reassuring answer, Chreees. I'm looking forward to hearing from Dave as well. Thanks for offering the comparison between you and your sister. I think the nicotine content of cigs is something like 16%, whereas washed shisha is 0.05%. HUGE difference, I'd say.

And you make a good point about cooking the tobacco instead of burning it. I feel as if it is comparable to how a vaporizer works? Correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks again, and can't wait to hear more about this. I really want to know.

[FunkyBuddha]

[url="http://www.who.int/tobacco/global_interaction/tobreg/Waterpipe%20recommendation_Final.pdf"]http://www.who.int/t...ation_Final.pdf[/url]

[url="http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/healthday/080103/hookah-smoking-as-tough-on-lungs-as-cigarettes.htm"]http://health.usnews...-cigarettes.htm[/url]

[url="http://www.fitsugar.com/Hookahs-vs-Cigarettes-746612"]http://www.fitsugar....garettes-746612[/url]

Few links I meandered across that may prove useful.

Personally I'm only worried about the effects smoking may have on long capacity, but I can still pump out 50 meters underwater in one breath so no loss there in my years of smoking.

Hope this helps.

[herbalsmoke]

i don't know if this will help, but i just quit smoking cigarettes about a week ago. I use to smoke 5-6 a day, and ever since i stopped i didnt have any more coughing, and no more of that phlegm in my throat which is awesome. I never coughed or had any build up of phlegm smoking my hookah at all. Plus when i quit smoking cigarettes i invested that money into hookah. =)

[TheyCallMeDave]

I could go ahead and post every individual link to all the major and minor studies, but this here is your main tool for info on hookah vs. cigs.

The "I'm Tired" thread started with a email battle I had with a health rep from my college, and it only evolved from there. This thread had a lot of time and thought put in by MANY people, including myself. You'll find a lot of useful information in here.

http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/40159-im-getting-really-tired/page__hl__%2Bi%26%2339%3Bm+%2Btired__fromsearch__1

[FunkyBuddha]

[quote name='TheyCallMeDave' timestamp='1313721989' post='520415']
I could go ahead and post every individual link to all the major and minor studies, but this here is your main tool for info on hookah vs. cigs.

The "I'm Tired" thread started with a email battle I had with a health rep from my college, and it only evolved from there. This thread had a lot of time and thought put in by MANY people, including myself. You'll find a lot of useful information in here.

[url="http://www.hookahforum.com/topic/40159-im-getting-really-tired/page__hl__%2Bi%26%2339%3Bm+%2Btired__fromsearch__1"]http://www.hookahfor...__fromsearch__1[/url]
[/quote]


Man do I love in your face factual responses...you can't reason with them!

That made my night/day (whichever it currently is).

Kudos.

[cab395]

Wow, good stuff! Can't thank you enough, everyone. Hookah on!!

[ezxen]

here is a video he filters the cigarettes through a hookah and boils the water to see the tar , as any one know hookah water only gets a little dirty from the juices ive nver had dirty water witha phunnel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwDm0D9ASiA

[joytron]

[quote name='cab395' timestamp='1313699622' post='520368']

Anyway, if someone could point me in the direction of the [b][u]TRUTH[/u][/b], that'd be great. I wish the world didn't try and mislead others based on their own[b] personal bias.[/b] Sure, I hope it's not too terrible for you, but I just want to know the truth. Please help.
[/quote]

Well you certainly came to the right place...

I like to think that hookah is less unhealthy than many would like you to believe but more unhealthy than we would like to admit. But try to keep in mind, you can't desire both the truth and what you want to hear. And from your responses you want the truth if its comforting. Its sorta like asking someone, "tell me honest, does this make look fat?"