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Dangers of Hookah Smoking
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| wotyzoid |
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Dangers of hookah smoking
March 3, 2008
Public health officials warn about the unrecognized health hazards of smoking from a hookah, reports the Harvard Health Letter
A new fad among college students and other young people—smoking from a hookah—is raising public health concerns. The centuries-old tradition of smoking from a hookah, or waterpipe, is widely perceived to be less harmful and addictive than smoking cigarettes or other forms of tobacco. Yet a number of studies suggest that hookah smoking may be just as addictive and perhaps even more harmful because of the way people smoke while using a waterpipe, reports the March 2008 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter.
Researchers have found that hookah smokers inhale more often and for longer periods than typical cigarette smokers. Scientists estimate that by puffing longer and in greater volume, a waterpipe smoker inhales the equivalent of 100 cigarettes or more during a single waterpipe session.
Proponents of hookah smoking argue that it isn’t necessary to inhale the smoke into the lungs. Instead they puff as if on a pipe—and believe this reduces the health hazards. However, studies indicate that hookah smokers are absorbing high levels of toxins and carcinogens that may contribute to heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory disease. And although some nicotine is filtered through the water contained at the base of the pipe, scientists conclude that waterpipe smokers are still exposed to enough nicotine to become addicted.
Dr. Michael Miller, editor in chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter, suggests that until more is known about how to help hookah smokers quit, clinicians and smokers should be aware of the potential dangers.
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Well I might have been the last to know I think. My friends and I were considering getting one to socially smoke it once in a while, but this has me thinking twice about it. Thoughts? |
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| Audious |
| Not going to go into specifics as I don't have a lot of time, but I'm an avid hookah smoker and have heard of this study before. It was very flawed. They didn't use the right methods of setting it up, managing the coals, packing the bowls. |
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| elFreak |
| there is no such thing as a safe way to smoke. |
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| Domesticated |
| quote: | Originally posted by Audious
Not going to go into specifics as I don't have a lot of time, but I'm an avid hookah smoker and have heard of this study before. It was very flawed. They didn't use the right methods of setting it up, managing the coals, packing the bowls. |
The article is right though. Just like a bong, you inhale far deeper and longer with a hookah than you would with cigarettes or spliffs. |
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| Audious |
| It's also not supposed to burn the tobacco. Which they did. It should heat it up. Hookah smoke is more like a vapor than a smoke. I'm not saying it's healthy for you, but it's not as bad as they make it sound. |
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| elFreak |
i am a smoker, and even i think you are deluded.Carcinogens and toxins will be present no matter how you smoke. Even if you did not inhale you can still get mouth cancer and an increased chance of heart disease. You are either stupid, or trying to justify something you enjoy blindly.
my guess is a little of both. |
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| LoveHate |
i smoked it with mixed with marijuana...
but yeah i agree there is no safe way to smoke . |
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| wotyzoid |
Well I just pulled this from wiki.
| quote: | Numerous studies have shown that extended use of hookah over many sessions can be as detrimental to a person's health as smoking cigarettes. [15][16][17]. Each hookah session typically lasts no more than 10 minutes, and consists of 50 - 200 puffs which range from 0.15 - 1 litre per puff [18]. This exposes the hookah smoker to considerably more smoke over a longer time period compared with a cigarette which ranges from 0.5 - 0.6 liters per cigarette[19].
While the water absorbs some of the nicotine in the tobacco smoke, the smoker can be exposed to enough nicotine to cause addiction [20] [21]. Furthermore, the water moisture induced by the hookah makes the smoke less irritating and may give a false sense of security and reduce concerns about true health effects [22].
Other research shows that a 45 minute session of hookah tobacco smoking (tobacco molasses) delivers slightly more tar and carbon monoxide (around 5-10%) than a pack of cigarettes.[23] 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 because tar is made when tobacco burns. However, when smoking a hookah the tobacco is heated rather than burned. More research is needed to determine the exact amount of tar produced in a session before the burning of the tobacco.
The level of impact on a smoker's health is linked to the set-up and components of the hookah as well. A hookah only utilizing the basic components listed above is believed to have much harsher health consequences than one set-up properly and with various safety devices installed: Since the tobacco in a hookah is roasted as opposed to burned, the density and temperature of the tobacco is paramount to ensure a safer quality of smoke[citation needed]. Distancing somewhat the coal from the tobacco and placing a perforated thermal cover (not to be confused with a wind cover) over the bowl will reduce tar output. Using a Heba diffuser around the down stem in the water basin may provide a slightly greater amount of filtration, however a properly conducted study is needed to validate these claims. The use of a nicotine filter at some stage of the smoke cycle, preferably in the hose, may reduce health risks, but once again a properly conducted study is needed to validate these claims.
Hookahs can also be smoked with tobacco-free flavours. These contain Sugar Cane Bagasse with no tobacco, nicotine or tar. This new method of smoking is aimed at replacing tobacco and eliminates its negative health effects. There have been few studies to show the impact of smoking herbal flavours in Shisha pipes.[citation needed][24]
Many articles[25] suggest that there is a "huge bulk of evidence" to determine the effects of hookah smoking. Research is under way by Fogarty International Centre-funded Syrian Centre 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.
As the above mentioned are all US-sponsored and financed institutions, it would be good for balance to also mention the existence of other peer-reviewed ground-breaking research led in other parts of the world, namely Europe and Asia [26]. Most recently, the first aetiological study on Hookah Smoking and Cancer[27] ever carried out was published in the Harm Reduction Journal. As with all other tobacco and smoke products, using hookahs with open canker sores or wounds in the mouth can greatly increase the chances of gum infection, gingivitis, or in rare cases, gum cancer. |
Some guy from yahoo answers said an hour session is equivalent to one cigarette, which I doubt. But the paragraph that mentioned the tobacco free flavors reawakened my willingness to buy one. |
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| Silky Johnson |
| I'd be more worried about herpes/cold sores. |
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| Audious |
| quote: | Originally posted by elFreak
i am a smoker, and even i think you are deluded.Carcinogens and toxins will be present no matter how you smoke. Even if you did not inhale you can still get mouth cancer and an increased chance of heart disease. You are either stupid, or trying to justify something you enjoy blindly.
my guess is a little of both. |
Like I said, I know it's not healthy. I can guarantee it's safer than cigs, though. It's missing all of those fun chemicals that are in cigs. |
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| Gen3r4l1ty |
| quote: | Originally posted by elFreak
there is no such thing as a safe way to smoke. |
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| elFreak |
| quote: | Originally posted by wotyzoid
Well I just pulled this from wiki.
Some guy from yahoo answers said an hour session is equivalent to one cigarette, which I doubt. But the paragraph that mentioned the tobacco free flavors reawakened my willingness to buy one. |
tobacco free anything will still have carcinogens. |
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