Is shisha bad for Health?

Shisha has been around for hundreds of years initially originating from the middle east. Over the last few years it has been rising in popularity in the western world. So for those of you who dont know ashisha is an instrument used for smokingflavoured tobacco. When inhaled the smoker, can get a feel for the aroma and flavour within the tobacco. This experience is similar to smelling the aroma from aromatherapy oils.

Now to the question, is shisha bad for you? There is a lot of debate in this area as some argue it is harmful to smokers whereas others say it is not harmful. However after looking for research I believe that furthur study is needed.

The tobacco used is mixed with a particular flavour. Flavours available range from cola to liquorice. Double apple is known for being a favourite amongst shisha smokers. Theshisha consists of a glass base, which is filled with water, (it can also be filled with milk to produce more dense smoke) a clay bowl which is where the shisha is placed and a pipe to smoke though. The clay bowl at the top of the shisha is covered with foil (with tiny holes to aid the heating of the tobacco) and then coal is placed on to of the foil to heat the tobacco. When the smoker inhales through the pipe, the smoke produced from the heated tobacco is drawn through the water and through the pipe. The smoke, in most cases is very smooth, with a fruity taste. Many first time smokers also state that they feel light headed after 10-15 minutes of smoking. A typical session can last anywhere from 50 minutes to three hours, and many see shisha as a means for socialising.

The question at hand relating to whether shisha is actually bad for you has been debated.

The supporters of shisha claim that when the smoke is taken through the water, the majority of carcogenic materials, tar and nicotine are filtered out of the smoke and thus the result is very little, damaging material. But they agree that if the smoke is inhaled into the lungs, then some ill affects may occur, that are typically associated with smoking. This is due to the fact that the lungs are very delicate organs that can be very easily damaged. Furthermore in some shisha cafes, the pipes are not cleaned appropriately and the shishas are not cleaned regularly and this can bring up new health affects that are passed through bacterial or viral particles from person to person.

The other side, state that although their may by very negligible amounts of dangerous chemicals inhaled, the fact that a shisha session can last up to 3 hours means that a smoker can take in the same amount of damaging substances as in 20 cigarettes. Some individuals have also rubbished the theory that the water filters out all the harmful chemicals as normal water cannot do this, and does not have this filtering property when used in a shisha device.

Many shisha smokers claim that shisha is not addictive but rather it is the social aspect that brings them back for more. Others claim that shisha can be very addictive and the social aspect is only an excuse to smoke shisha. Because of the recent rise in shishacafes, and the number of shisha smokers in the west increasing. It is only a matter of time before in-depth research is carried out into the area and a conclusion is made.

The recent smoking ban in England has caused the closure of many shisha cafes throughout England, and has had a very damaging effect on the business’s. Shishacafes are only allowed to serve shisha to customers if they are smoked outside of the premise. But with the winter months approaching it is predicted that there will be a fall in the number of customers due to the cold temperatures. There were many petitions to keep shisha cafes exempt from the ban but they were unsuccesfull.