Health and Wellness
Flavored hookah (waterpipe smoking)
Fashion that kills
Hookah smoking is seen commonly in many pubs and outlets as well as at home parties now in various parts of India. Many people believe that it is less harmful ( marketed as Harmless Smoke!!!!) and is available in multiple flavors which make it appealing to the young. (Makes you look COOL and they find it glamorous ) but is as addictive as smoking and maybe more harmful than conventional smoking. (hookah users are exposed to very high levels of toxic compounds found in smoke which might lead to serious long-term side effects).
What is flavored hookah?
Hookah is a water pipe that looks like a metal vase, Charcoal is used to heat sweet flavors, producing smoke that is filtered through cooled water and inhaled through a pipe that is passed from one user to another.
Is it really safe?
Other than routine carcinogens from smoke, the flavoring agent is often oil-based which causes severe inflammation in the lungs and might result in damage to small airways in the lungs. ( After the second wave of covid many people had subclinical or clinical COVID infection, smoking hookah might amplify that damage which might result in very serious long-term pulmonary complications ).
The metal coil used for heating also releases heavy metal ions, which also cause lung inflammation leading to damage to the lung parenchyma. Smoking hookah also decreases local immunity which increases the risk of lung infections.
When you smoke hookah for one hour you are likely to get smoke that is equivalent to 100 to 200 cigarettes. Also when you go to a hookah cafe you get a large amount of second-hand smoke.
You Share love, friendship, and much more with your hookah
Close proximity sharing of smoke (coughing or smoking out in each other’s faces ) might result in the transfer of the Herpes virus (A virus that causes mouth and lip ulcers and H. pylori (bacteria that causes stomach ulcers )
In India, it might result in the transfer of Tuberculosis ( bacteria causing Tuberculosis is grown from water in hookah, as well as from close proximity coughing )
In the Present world, it might spread COVID -19 by sharing droplets too.
Heart problems
Increased risk of having a heart attack and stroke due to accelerated stifling of blood vessels is known to occur with smoke and can lead to major cardiac issues in young adults.
Take home
If you feel you are having a GOOD Smoke, Think twice, Smoking hookah is as dangerous as smoking cigarettes if not more….
