Water Pipes
The risks associated with water pipe – or hookah - usage are still largely unheralded; few studies have been conducted, and media reports regarding the dangers are infrequent. What we do know is this: water pipes are not a safe alternative to cigarettes. The water the smoke moves through before hitting the lungs does not filter out any meaningful amount of tar or other toxins contained in the smoke, nor does it remove the addictive nicotine. In fact, water pipe smokers may actually inhale more smoke – and therefore nicotine – than the average cigarette smoker. The World Health Organization estimates the average water pipe smoking session to last between 45 to 60 minutes, and some users can inhale the equivalent of 100 cigarettes in one sitting.
As for the smoke itself, it still contains all of the nasty stuff we’ve come to hate about cigarette smoke: tar, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals. In fact, the levels of those metals – cobalt, chromium, and lead – were found to be higher than n cigarette smoke. And let’s not forget that water pipe smoking is communal. And by that, we do not mean just between a group of friends. Hookah bars and the like are currently not required to disinfect or even change mouthpieces, so the risk of contracting a communicable disease is ever-present.
For a more in-depth look, check out our blog post here. Also, we’ve gathered most of the leading research below for your convenience.