Health Risks Of Hookah Smoking?

[sparklin citrus]

hey, all, i'm considering to start smoking shisha, so i talked to a few friends about getting my own hookah and shisha. then i looked on wikipedia about hookahs and was kind of surprised to find out that there are apparent health risks to hookah smoking because the water draws out more tar than cigarette smoking does and that hookah sessions are usually 45 minutes long, clincally speaking...

can anyone verify the accuracy of these claims from wikipedia?
the page is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hookah#Style_and_health

peace.

[kitefanatic]

Well, truth be told, there are health risks to ANY form of smoking. Smoking is bad for you. You can't kid yourself.

[.cOLt.45.]

yeh..of course its not healthy...The way I see it.. It's enjoyable...Alot of things we do is no healthy...but enjoyable. Its about weighing em between each other...and deciding what you want to do

[yashman19]

Like what was mentioned already, if you are worried about your health and your goal in life is to live past 90, then its best if you don't start at all. Yes there are differences, and in my eyes I think my lungs appreciate me more for smoke hookah as apposed to ciggs, but I'm not kidding myself.

But if you do decide to start smoking hookah, we'll point you in some right directions hopefully

[web250]

Holy crap! Hookah's bad for you!?

No way!

[SanguineSolitude]

wait since when has smoking tobacco been bad for you? next you're gonna tell me i should stop hitting myself in the head with a hammer.

the tests most "researchers" have used are unreasonable versions of real smoking. the smoking machines generally pull constantly for 45 minutes without moving the coal or letting the hookah rest. as a result the tobacco is burned at a level that isnt constant with how real people smoke. the tests thus arent good indicators of how bad it really is

Tobacco is a carcinogen (gasp) and has been linked with causing lung cancer. Hookah tobacco contains tobacco. therefor hookahs probably arent the safest thing in the world.
are you mentally stable? of course its bad for you. what do you mean you were surprised to learn there were health risks?

as with any form of smoking, there is risk. how bad it is we dont really know. Its definately not as bad as being a cigarette smoker (since most of us smoke less than once a day) but i would think a hookah session is roughly equal to a single cigarette as far as nicotine goes. As for tar and such, who knows. its probably worse. Im not overly worried, but if you are.... dont smoke. simple as that.

[ASUSEAN1]

tht article says 36 times more tar than cigarettes? then why on the box of shisha it says 0.0%? these studies make no sense. sure smoking is bad for you but there isnt one legit study to show how bad hookah is.

[CaliforniaRose]

tht article says 36 times more tar than cigarettes? then why on the box of shisha it says 0.0%? these studies make no sense. sure smoking is bad for you but there isnt one legit study to show how bad hookah is.

I believe its tar free to start and then in the process tar develops (isnt tar sort of goopy stuff you sometimes have to scrape off your hookah) from the gylecerine being heated.

I also agree that you can't kid yourself, you are smoking therefore bad stuff is going into your lungs. However everytime you walk in a large crowded area your probably inhaling second hand smoke and other things that damage your lungs. Determine what is right for you, I smoke way less then alot of other people I know because that is my personal choice.

[azcoyote]

tht article says 36 times more tar than cigarettes? then why on the box of shisha it says 0.0%? these studies make no sense. sure smoking is bad for you but there isnt one legit study to show how bad hookah is.

I believe its tar free to start and then in the process tar develops (isnt tar sort of goopy stuff you sometimes have to scrape off your hookah) from the gylecerine being heated.

I also agree that you can't kid yourself, you are smoking therefore bad stuff is going into your lungs. However everytime you walk in a large crowded area your probably inhaling second hand smoke and other things that damage your lungs. Determine what is right for you, I smoke way less then alot of other people I know because that is my personal choice.

No, it can't be good for your health. Moderation is key.

About tar. Tar is a combustion product. It's what turns cigarette filters brown. Exhale a cigar, pipe or cigarette through tissue paper you will see this "tar" every time. Exhale hookah smoke through tissue and it comes out clean.

Since tobacco is simmered in the hookah, there is no actual combustion, save for the coals. There just isn't any tar from the shisha. Glycerine vapor+tobacco essence+flavorings is about all you're getting, not smoke.

Coals represent a far greater risk, since they do burn, and you are inhaling the combustion gasses and a minute amount of tar. Coal tar is extremely irritating and carcinogenic. Be sure your coals are completely red before drawing, and you will minimize this risk.

Even though it is smokeless, people can get oral cancer, throat cancer and stomach cancer from chronic use of chewing tobacco or dip. So even when not smoked, there are factors in tobacco that pose a health risk.

Thankfully, nicotine in itself is not considered a carcinogen. It's the addictive part of the tobacco. Scientists rate its addictive potential at the same level as heroin. Tobacco withdrawal happens to a degree whenever one cuts down from current levels of tolerance.

Personally I like the effects of this DRUG enough to brave out some of the risks. Smoking a hookah bowl gives a huge blast of nicotine equal to a handful of cigarettes. I like some of the flavors too, but I wouldn't bother with this just for the flavors.

For years I smoked cigarettes. Strong, hand rolled jobs of American Spirit and Bugler. I was smoking maybe 6 to 10 a day. I have given them up for hookah. Now I get all the nicotine i want with what I consider a reduced health risk. I judge this from my body's reaction. My morning hack is gone. My speaking and singing voice has improved. As an added benefit, my clothes don't stink. My office doesn't stink. My taste for food has improved.

On balance, it's not a bad bargain, imho.

[casey]

tht article says 36 times more tar than cigarettes? then why on the box of shisha it says 0.0%? these studies make no sense. sure smoking is bad for you but there isnt one legit study to show how bad hookah is.

I believe its tar free to start and then in the process tar develops (isnt tar sort of goopy stuff you sometimes have to scrape off your hookah) from the gylecerine being heated.

I also agree that you can't kid yourself, you are smoking therefore bad stuff is going into your lungs. However everytime you walk in a large crowded area your probably inhaling second hand smoke and other things that damage your lungs. Determine what is right for you, I smoke way less then alot of other people I know because that is my personal choice.

No, it can't be good for your health. Moderation is key.

About tar. Tar is a combustion product. It's what turns cigarette filters brown. Exhale a cigar, pipe or cigarette through tissue paper you will see this "tar" every time. Exhale hookah smoke through tissue and it comes out clean.

Since tobacco is simmered in the hookah, there is no actual combustion, save for the coals. There just isn't any tar from the shisha. Glycerine vapor+tobacco essence+flavorings is about all you're getting, not smoke.

Coals represent a far greater risk, since they do burn, and you are inhaling the combustion gasses and a minute amount of tar. Coal tar is extremely irritating and carcinogenic. Be sure your coals are completely red before drawing, and you will minimize this risk.

Even though it is smokeless, people can get oral cancer, throat cancer and stomach cancer from chronic use of chewing tobacco or dip. So even when not smoked, there are factors in tobacco that pose a health risk.

Thankfully, nicotine in itself is not considered a carcinogen. It's the addictive part of the tobacco. Scientists rate its addictive potential at the same level as heroin. Tobacco withdrawal happens to a degree whenever one cuts down from current levels of tolerance.

Personally I like the effects of this DRUG enough to brave out some of the risks. Smoking a hookah bowl gives a huge blast of nicotine equal to a handful of cigarettes. I like some of the flavors too, but I wouldn't bother with this just for the flavors.

For years I smoked cigarettes. Strong, hand rolled jobs of American Spirit and Bugler. I was smoking maybe 6 to 10 a day. I have given them up for hookah. Now I get all the nicotine i want with what I consider a reduced health risk. I judge this from my body's reaction. My morning hack is gone. My speaking and singing voice has improved. As an added benefit, my clothes don't stink. My office doesn't stink. My taste for food has improved.

On balance, it's not a bad bargain, imho.

I'm curious as to how often you smoke the hookah in place of your 6-10 cigarettes. I don't smoke cigarettes, but I am curious.

[juicebox]

tht article says 36 times more tar than cigarettes? then why on the box of shisha it says 0.0%? these studies make no sense. sure smoking is bad for you but there isnt one legit study to show how bad hookah is.

I believe its tar free to start and then in the process tar develops (isnt tar sort of goopy stuff you sometimes have to scrape off your hookah) from the gylecerine being heated.

I also agree that you can't kid yourself, you are smoking therefore bad stuff is going into your lungs. However everytime you walk in a large crowded area your probably inhaling second hand smoke and other things that damage your lungs. Determine what is right for you, I smoke way less then alot of other people I know because that is my personal choice.

No, it can't be good for your health. Moderation is key.

About tar. Tar is a combustion product. It's what turns cigarette filters brown. Exhale a cigar, pipe or cigarette through tissue paper you will see this "tar" every time. Exhale hookah smoke through tissue and it comes out clean.

Since tobacco is simmered in the hookah, there is no actual combustion, save for the coals. There just isn't any tar from the shisha. Glycerine vapor+tobacco essence+flavorings is about all you're getting, not smoke.

Coals represent a far greater risk, since they do burn, and you are inhaling the combustion gasses and a minute amount of tar. Coal tar is extremely irritating and carcinogenic. Be sure your coals are completely red before drawing, and you will minimize this risk.

Even though it is smokeless, people can get oral cancer, throat cancer and stomach cancer from chronic use of chewing tobacco or dip. So even when not smoked, there are factors in tobacco that pose a health risk.

Thankfully, nicotine in itself is not considered a carcinogen. It's the addictive part of the tobacco. Scientists rate its addictive potential at the same level as heroin. Tobacco withdrawal happens to a degree whenever one cuts down from current levels of tolerance.

Personally I like the effects of this DRUG enough to brave out some of the risks. Smoking a hookah bowl gives a huge blast of nicotine equal to a handful of cigarettes. I like some of the flavors too, but I wouldn't bother with this just for the flavors.

For years I smoked cigarettes. Strong, hand rolled jobs of American Spirit and Bugler. I was smoking maybe 6 to 10 a day. I have given them up for hookah. Now I get all the nicotine i want with what I consider a reduced health risk. I judge this from my body's reaction. My morning hack is gone. My speaking and singing voice has improved. As an added benefit, my clothes don't stink. My office doesn't stink. My taste for food has improved.

On balance, it's not a bad bargain, imho.

Haha, it's posts/information like this on the internet that just confuses the hell out of people. It is the anti-smoking advocates that put out a plethora of articles that say "Hookah is bad...worse than cigs"....then people who smoke hookah who counter these studies by saying "they didn't do the study right" or "think about it this way"....and there is really no way to tell.

I will agree with most of you by saying, yes...it probably is bad for you. The amount you have to smoke in order to get cancer in the long run...who the hell knows. I honestly believe there isin't a way yet to determine just how bad it is for you. If you are at all worried...it's best not to smoke. My dad used to be a cig smoker for years, and looks down upon tobacco use at all because he knows how addictive it can be. Because of that, I am forced to keep my love for hookah a secret, and only do it @ school. While my friends and I will usually only do a session or two a week...who knows if that is too much for our bodies to handle.

Overall, if you are a generally healthy person, your body does a damn fine job of taking care of itself. I think a LOT of people's health issues stem mainly from the fact that they are lazy (not to offend anyone). You really have to take care of your body physically in order to keep yourself from running into trouble when you're older. I do eveyrthing I can to stay healthy, exercise many times a week, try to eat well, etc. Smoking hookah, knock on wood, will most likely not be a big deal for someone that takes care of themselves.

That being said, I do not know if I can see myself continuing smoking hookah once I am out of colleg (2 more years). I have a feeling that the things I do now with friends (hookah, along w/ other things) probably will not continue once I am older and actually have responsibilites (see: work, family). I think the old standy of "theres a time and a place for everything...college" stands quite true.

To conclude, as everyone has stated...there is no final answer on this other than smoking is more than likely not too good for you... if you enjoy hookah, and like doing it, then fine...just do it in moderation (key key key). It's a great relaxation tool, and awesome conversation piece. That being said, Happy Hookahing!

[azcoyote]

[/quote]

I'm curious as to how often you smoke the hookah in place of your 6-10 cigarettes. I don't smoke cigarettes, but I am curious.
[/quote]

Once a day on weekdays evenings. More on weekends. Sometimes I'll use dip or nasal snuff to give my lungs a break or when otherwise disinclined to smoke.

[Sonthert]

You mean...I've been manufacturing a carcinogenic product?!? It contributes to heart disease? Wow!

There are whackos who are constantly pointing to weird conspiracy-type stuff about cigarettes and cancer. Yes, cigarettes cause cancer, but its the filters or its not the cigarettes its some other environmental factor. I go with science. Cigarettes have been linked to cancer. Tobacco has been subsequently linked to cancer. Tobacco and cancer and heart disease are inseparable. Tobacco is dangerous and its bad for you. There may be more risks we have no idea about. Some doctors have linked DNA damage to cigarettes and smoking.

All that being said, ancients would take ergot infested rye or other cereal grains, wash it and take the water and boil it down to a nice psychoactive component. Ergot is deadly poisonous. It has probably caused more deaths than other fungus in the history of mankind. In fact, there are only two or three non-poisonous alkaloids in ergot. Coincedentally, one is psychoactive and water soluble while almost all the rest are not soluble in water. So, washing carefully with water, they could extract one of the only safe psychoactive chemicals in an other wise lethally infected grain. Whats the link? Your cigarettes are deadly, tobacco is deadly, is a good idea to assume that tobacco products are all carcinogens and addictive and contribute to heart morbidity. They might not be all that way, but chances are they are. Its nice to go gosh, gee whiz but truth be told they are very likely bad for you. Maybe they have a lower rate of cancer and addiction, but a higher rate of heart disease. Its still bad for you.

Smoking is taking years off your life! Not those old years at the end, they will make the old years come sooner, so you are really cutting off the good years near the end.

Tar, as I understand the definition, is any material thats not tobacco in a cigarette. In the case of hookah tobacco, the number is huge, glycerine, molasses, honey, corn syrup, flavorings all tar, by definition. In fact, since the tobacco does not combust, the "tar" is never formed, on the other hand. So on one hand, the number on the package of tobacco that says "Tar 0.0%" is wrong. Practically, its likely to be correct as I understand whats going on here.