Shisha is 100 times worse than cigarettes

Posted by: Occasional smoker Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:32 AM[UAE] - United states

I would like to see more details on that research, how hot was the tobacco? What was the tobacco to charcoal ratio in their experiment? These are all major factors when measuring the amount and type of toxins someone might be inhaling. Was it typical usage, or an exaggerated use of charcoal? I am not saying smoking is good for you, but I think the WHO may have not performed an accurate test. When I have tried many times to inhale and smoke a cigarette, I end up coughing up or choking and I have tried many times. I could never get used to it. But when I smoke a hookah it is only at one point where I will start coughing, and that is when the bowl is burnt and time for it to be thrown out Usually 30 min after I state smoking. Yes I do inhale the hookah smoke fully, which I cannot do with a cigarette because of its harshness. The report does not seem accurate when they say it?s like smoking 100 cigarettes in one sitting.

Posted by: Reply Monday, 21 May 2012 2:13 PM[UAE] - US

you end u coughing when you smoke a cigarette but not a sheesha beause it is a water pipe and it moisturises the smoke and makes it smoother to inhale. check out many more articles if you are really interested in accepting that sheesha is harmful but if you are ok with it or addicted to it i dont think they are trying to convince you to stop at all. They are just stating obvious facts.

Posted by: TW Kim Thursday, 14 April 2011 9:40 AM[UAE] - Philippines

Alright, what this article lacks is that Cigarettes are more addictive, while Shisha is not. I don't shake if I don't have a week of Shisha, while if you are a smoker, you do. Shisha may be "as harmful" as cigarettes, but not as addicting. People who shisha everyday don't necessarily HAVE to shisha everyday, not like smokers. If you see this is in a long term, shisha is safer.

Posted by: Mike Sunday, 3 April 2011 2:59 PM[UAE] - Australia

Tj is correct is a sense, i smoke the Shisha on and off, when you heat he coal and palce on the top over the tabacco it is cooking the tabacco. However at a certain point it starts to burn it, but you can usually tell this because you get quite a harsh taste soon after. The few few puffs are like breathing in hot air because the tabacco has only been mildly cooked, the more you puff on the same batch the more the tabacco gets cooked and will soon burn.

Posted by: Brad Saturday, 2 March 2013 10:24 AM[UAE] - US

Very true. In fact, most of the "smoke" you are inhaling is actually steam (which is what makes it so thick and white), at the right temperature, the coal starts to not only cook the tobacco, but vaporize the moisture in the molasses.

So while it may LOOK like it's a lot more smoke than what it actually is, and sure, you might be at it for an hour or more, it's still less nicotine and byproduct of combustion than cigarettes.

Also, learning to recognize when the moisture has left the shisha and you are burning the then dried tobacco, will keep your smoking experience safer and more satisfying.

Posted by: Wael Tuesday, 21 December 2010 9:44 AM[UAE] - Jordan

@Tj: I don't understand your comment, the article is about how bad shisha is, and quoting an international organisation!
your comment is about how a shisha works?!
and do you really belive that a red hot charcoal is not meant to burn tobacco leaves soaked in glycerine, scents, artificial colors, and sweetners!
Get your facts right, the coal does not heat the tobacco! it burns it! you inhale CO1 + toxins (from the vaporised all healthy ingredients) + nicotine

Posted by: Justin Sunday, 22 May 2011 3:09 PM[UAE] - United States

An international organization? How could they possibly be wrong? OK sarcasm aside..The comment was 110% correct. If set up and used properly the shisha mixture DOES NOT BURN. Most of the harmful effects of using tobacco products are by products of combustion. There's reports that claim that during one hookah session the user inhales as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes...! I'm an ex cigarette smoker, quit 8 years ago and I own a hookah and use it maybe twice a month. I feel it's not addictive in any way and to compare it to cigarettes is nonsensical. Bottom line, smoke isn't good to inhale, we all know that but to go as far as to say hookah is as much of a health problem as cigarettes is way overboard. The statistics just aren't there, they never will be and anyone who claims otherwise is fabricating false information.

Posted by: Nick Tuesday, 18 January 2011 9:36 AM[UAE] - usa

Actually, in a hookah you are baking the shisha at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, not burning it. Also, while it is true that you are exposed to more smoke in a hookah session than in one cigarette, the hookah does have the benefit of not containing all the other additives and chemicals that are added to cigarettes. Either way, both are bad for you but as long as you keep it in moderation you should be okay.

Posted by: Tj Monday, 20 December 2010 4:50 PM[UAE] - usa

its not burned if done correctly. the coals sit on top that heat up the tobacco. The tobacco is not meant to burn in a hookah its closer to that of what a vaporizer would do. Get you facts straight. But yes if set up wrong the tobacco will burn and you will notice a harsh taste from the hookah.