It has beautiful shape and is fragile; it looks great and is back in town. Shisha, Nargile, Hubble Bubble or call it Goza, the most commonly know ‘hookah’ is now a demand and a trend to many youngsters and adults too. Earlier hookah used to be only seen in the house of riches but now a day, hookah is easily available at café, lounges and restaurants luring many youngsters. The curiosity to try it does the work of making young people getting addicted to it. One more reason for hookah being popular is because many people think that it is better than smoking and off course cooler thing to do.
So why do people, especially the youth, prefer hookah over a cigarette?
- Hookah smoking tastes better than cigarette.
- It smells better.
- It is believed to be healthier than a cigarette.
- It is not as dangerous as smoking a cigarette.
If you think the above reasons are good enough to enjoy hookah smoking then you need to know more. It is necessary for you to also look at the other side of the fence, to see how hookah can be not so good for your health.
- Dangerous than Cigarette: Smoking a hookah is definitely not better than smoking a cigarette. You smoke a cigarette or hookah; you are exposed to same toxic substances like carbon monoxide, nicotine, tar and other heavy metals. What makes it harmful is the volume of smoke; we inhale a lot of smoke during hookah as compared to cigarette smoking making it more dangerous for the health.
- Water does not filter: Many hookah lovers believe that when they inhale the smoke, all the harmful substances are filtered through water. But this is not true, as water doesn’t not filter all the substances and hence there many chances of you inhaling cancer causing carcinogenic substance while hookah smoking.
- Longer sessions, more harmful: Hookah smokers are at higher chances of developing health problems. A normal hookah session lasts for about 45 to 60 minutes and in this span a hookah smoker takes around 100 to 200 puffs which are equal to smoking a packet of cigarettes and is definitely detrimental to the smoker’s health.
Harmful Charcoal Smoke: While you enjoy your hookah, you are not aware of how harmful substance which you smoke. You not only inhale nicotine and tar from tobacco but also inhale carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from the burning of coal which can be very injurious for the health.
- Risk of various Diseases: Hookah smokers generally share the same mouth piece and so are at a higher risk of spreading tuberculosis and viruses like herpes and other infections. They are also at an increased risk of developing respiratory problems, impaired lung function, oral cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer and reduced fertility. The toxic substances can also be the reason to clog arteries and give rise to heart diseases.
- Herbal is also bad: Many people think that opting for herbal hookah is better and safe than regular hookah but they are equally harmful since tobacco in any form is injurious to the smoker’s health.
- Secondhand Smoke: Hookah fans are not affected by the smoke but it does affect the non smokers causing eye and throat irritation.
- Addiction: Smoking hookah regularly can be addictive and can be harmful in long run. Hookah smoking for many is a substitute to smoking, while for some others it is merely a trend and to some as an outlet to get out of boredom and tension. Whatever may be the reason for people to smoke hookah it is dangerous to their health.
Regular hookah smoking is as dangerous as cigarette smoking. It is advised to limit your visits to a hookah parlour and lounges as much as you can. It is also better to act wisely and opt for healthy ways to enjoy leisure time.
