Smoking shisha is not insignificant, nor without danger. A shisha session is like smoking between 20 and 30 cigarettes! So don’t let yourself be fooled by its fruity flavors…
If you can smoke shisha at home, there are many “shisha bars” in France. The pleasant fragrant sensation is misleading because smokers have no idea of the amount of toxic products inhaled and their long-term harmful effects.
What is shisha?
There shisha (also called “hookah”, “narghile” or “hooka”) is a water pipe of various sizes, intended mainly for smoking tobacco or fruit essence. Shisha generally consists of 28% tobacco, combined with 70% molasses (syrupy liquid containing 50% sugar) and fruit flavors (strawberry, apple, coconut…) which give it this tangy and fragrant side which misleads smokers.
Is it legal to smoke shisha?
Yes, smoking shisha is legal in France. To date, no law prohibits its use.
Which is worse between shisha and cigarettes?
Fifty puffs of shisha over an average duration of one hour are equivalent to two packs of cigarettes. The carbon monoxide present in the smoke of the shisha is in quantity 7 times higher than that present in the smoke of a cigarette. The smoke from a shisha contains as much carbon monoxide (CO) pollution as about 15 to 52 cigarettes And as much tar as 27 to 102 cigarettes. Its chromium, cobalt, lead and nickel content is higher than that of cigarette smoke. In addition, one milliliter of hookah smoke contains more than one million microparticles.
What health hazards?
Believing that smoking shisha is healthier than smoking cigarettes is a mistake. On the contrary, shisha smoke is particularly toxic, including for passive smokers. “Like all fumes of organic substances that burn, those of shisha release when burning near 4000 chemical substances“ says the National Cancer Institute. We find there ; metals that come from tobacco, coal or aluminum foil. The health risks are the same as for regular tobacco consumption, namely:
- An increased risk of cancer (particularly of the lung, lips, bladder and upper aero-digestive tract)
- An increased risk of chronic bronchitis
- Cardiovascular problems
- Risks of microbial contagion, such as tuberculosis, because users use the same mouthpiece as other smokers.