The popularity of smoking tobacco through a hookah has increased, particularly on college campuses. Up to 28 percent of college freshman in the United States have tried a hookah pipe, reports "U.S. News and World Report." One reason for hookah's growing popularity is the myth that its smoke is healthier than cigarette smoke because it is filtered through water. Recent studies reveal, however, that smoking a hookah is just as toxic as smoking cigarettes.
Cancer
Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemical, at least 50 of which are known carcinogens, or compounds that cause cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. The studies specifically done on hookah smoke reveal that it increases the risk of throat, mouth and lung cancer, MayoClinic.com reports. Additionally, hookah smoke contains many of the same carcinogens as cigarette smoke, which has been shown to cause many other forms of cancer, including those affecting the kidney, bladder, stomach and pancreas in addition to leukemia.
Heart Disease
Research studies have also demonstrated that hookah smoking increases the risk of heart disease, explains MayoClinic.com. All tobacco smoke increases the risk of atherosclerosis, the accumulation of cholesterol and fats on the inside of arteries. Atherosclerosis can result in completely blocked arteries, which can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Nicotine Dependence
Smoking a hookah pipe tends to last for 45 to 60 minutes, which is much longer than the five to 10 minutes spent smoking a cigarette. This means that a person inhales much more smoke using a hookah. Some experts estimate that smoking a single hookah pipe may be equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes, GetHealthyClarkCounty.org reports. This extended exposure to smoke may increase the risk of nicotine dependence.
Infectious Disease
One risk posed exclusively by hookah pipes is the chance of infectious disease transmission. Hookah pipes are often shared by a large group of people, which allows the body fluids to be spread from one person to another. This exposure to body fluids from large numbers of people increases the risk of catching an infectious disease, reports the American Cancer Society.
Increased Carbon Monoxide Exposure
The amount of carbon monoxide inhaled during hookah smoking is actually higher than the amount inhaled while smoking cigarettes, explains "U.S. News and World Report." This may be due to the wood or charcoal used to burn the tobacco in hookahs. Hookahs also produce enough second-hand smoke to raise carbon monoxide to potentially unhealthy levels in the surrounding room.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Quit smoking
- American Cancer Society: Questions About Smoking, Tobacco, and Health
- "U.S. News and World Report"; Hookah Smoking as Tough on Lungs as Cigarettes; Randy Dotinga; January 2008
- GetHealthyClarkCounty.org: Waterpipes (Hookahs)
- National Cancer Institute: Quitting Smoking: Why To Quit and How To Get Help
