Shisha tobacco, which is also called waterpipe or hookah, has over the years gained much fame worldwide. You can find them at parties in various classes and circles.
Although it is advertised not to be harmful to health of users compared to cigarettes, there are some major health challenges they come with.
This article will explain these risks and suggest some precautionary measures to be safe while using.
Health Effects of Shisha Tobacco Smoking
· Possible Addiction to Nicotine
Shisha tobacco has high levels of nicotine. This substance is very addictive. When you regularly use it, you can easily depend on it which will make it difficult for you to quit. Also, shisha smoking has a large social following and environment, this can reinforce your continuous use.
· Possibility of Respiratory Illness
When you continue to inhale shisha smoke, you will be irritating your airways and lungs. This can lead to potential chronic respiratory conditions like asthma, reduced lung functioning and bronchitis.
Water used in shisha doesn’t play any role of filtering shisha of the harmful substances in it as effectively as you might think. So, all toxins still enter your lungs when you smoke it.
· Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The use of charcoal in heating shisha leads to the production of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that causes poisoning, particularly in high concentrations.
Carbon monoxide tampers with the ability of the blood within your body to carry oxygen. This can be particularly dangerous in areas that are not well ventilated which can result to signs such as headaches, dizziness, etc.
· Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
When you smoke shisha, it increases your chances of having heart or cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, and hypertension. Nicotine in shisha and some other harmful chemicals combined can result to limited flow of blood as well as artery damages. This means, you can experience strokes too.
· Possible Exposure to Carcinogens
Shisha smoke has within it many carcinogens such as heavy metals and tar. When you continue to smoke for a long time, your chances of developing different cancers, mostly oral and lung cancers is high.
· Possible Oral Health Problems
Smoking shisha can result in varied oral health issues for you. These can include gum diseases, oral cancer, and tooth decay. Due to the high temperatures smoking shisha entails, you can have burns in your mouth and throat, not forgetting several irritations and inflammations in your mouth.
· High Risk of Transmitting Infectious Diseases
In shisha pubs and clubs, it is common to find smokers sharing the shisha mouthpiece. A single mouthpiece can move from one smoker to up to 10 or more continuously throughout the period of smoking.
This transferring or sharing of mouthpiece is what leads to infectious diseases being transformed from one person to many. Some diseases that can be transmitted include herpes, tuberculosis, cough, and more.
· Weakened Immune Systems
The more you smoke shisha and are exposed to its harmful chemicals, the more your immune system is prone to weakness. When this happens, it is easier for you to attract various infections and diseases.
· Exposure to Second Hand Smoking
Even non-smokers or people who stay close when shisha is being smoked by shisha smokers can be affected. This is due to the harmful chemicals that is in shisha tobacco.
So, individuals close by can end up with health problems like cardiovascular diseases, respiratory issues, and more due to their regular contact or exposure to shisha smoke.
Precautions to take when Smoking Shisha
· Avoid Sharing Mouth Tip
It is best to avoid sharing mouthpiece with other smokers to reduce all risks of having infectious disease transmitted. Each smoker needs to have their very own or personal tip. It helps a lot.
· Keep Safe Distance when Smoking Hookah
If you are not a shisha smoker but work in a club or place where shisha smoking is regular, it is best to find a way to keep safe distance from them. This will help keep you and your health safe.
· Use Disposable Mouth Tips
For your own safety and that of all your smoking family, recommending and promoting the use of disposable mouth tips when smoking shisha is best. It helps in cutting down infection transmission.
· Maintain High Hygiene of Shisha Tobacco and Hookah
Deciding to clean the hookah and all its parts ensuring they are well sanitized is important. Also, make use of high-quality tobacco to ensure harmful toxins and bacteria exposure are reduced.
· Avoid Smoking Shisha Tobacco Indoors
When you smoke shisha tobacco indoors heightens the risk of non-smokers to be harmed by toxins in smoke since harmful substances are kept inside for long. So, it is best to smoke outside where smoke can be diffused with ease.
· Wash Your Hands
Regular washing of hands can limit the risk of germs transmission. This is mostly needed after you handle tobacco or hookah.
· Don’t Smoke Shisha Tobacco Too Frequently
Reduce the regularity of your shisha smoking. This can help you reduce most health risks that come with addiction to tobacco and its use.
· Choose Herbal or Nicotine Free Shisha
Sticking to nicotine-free or herbal shisha can reduce your tendency of getting addiction to shisha as well as some health challenges it comes with compared to the normal tobacco products out there.
· Stay Informed about the Dangers of Shisha Tobacco Smoking
Staying informed about the numerous health risks and dangers of smoking shisha tobacco can help you stay safe. Also, deciding to educate others will help them make the right decisions with regards to smoking of tobacco products in general.
FAQs
1. How Harmful is Shisha Smoking to your Body?
Shisha smoking is highly harmful to your body because of the toxic substances that you will always be inhaling as you smoke. This will lead to cardiovascular diseases, respiratory issues, and more.
2. Is Shisha Worse than Smoking Cigarettes?
Although both smoking shisha and cigarettes come with some major health issues, smoking shisha generates a lot of smoke at a sitting compared to shisha. Due to this, smoking shisha is worse since it will increase the rate of smokers getting sick.
3. How long does Shisha Stay in your Body?
The length of time that shisha stays in your body cannot be the same. Since different smokers have different metabolisms, the time will differ. However, nicotine is able to stay within the body for several days after smoking.
4. What is the difference between Hookah and Shisha?
Hookah is the device that is used to smoke while shisha is the substance or flavored tobacco put in the hookah to be smoked.
5. Can Shisha make you Sick?
Yes. Shisha can make you sick since it exposes you with carbon monoxide.
6. Is Flavored Hookah Harmful?
Yes. Although the flavors used in making flavored hooker covers the pressure or offensiveness of the smoke, it is still harmful. This is because it still has toxic substances within it.
Conclusion
Since smoking shisha tobacco has become a lifestyle for most people, it is only wise that the health risks and precautions are made known. When you know these details, it helps you to reduce the harmful results that smoking shisha tobacco can bring. Also, will help you make better decisions.
Related resources:
Shisha Tobacco Health Effects – Source: JOCHAMP
Is Shisha Tobacco Bad for you – Source: JOCHAMP
Is Hookah Smoking Safer than Cigarette – Source: MAYO CLINIC
