It has its roots in Asia specifically India and arguably Persia.
Today, it's everywhere.
It has become a permanent fad. A show of coolness of some sorts to some and the sight of irresponsibility to others.
I'm not talking about henna or ornaments. I'm referring to Hookah or "Shisha" as some people prefer to call it.
I have heard countless people say it's just flavoured steam from heated water in the bowl of the equipment.
No smoker, It is not. It's tobacco heated with charcoal in different layers passed through water that is sometimes flavoured with fruit juices, crushed fruits or mint leaves to humidify the smoke while you inhale that and feel less guilty of smoking.
Lots of times, the tobacco placed in the bowl is flavoured by marinating in molasses. The water in the water base originally was designed to filter or purge the smoke but dear humans, it doesn't exactly do jack!
The primary source of the energy used to produce heat that will be transferred to the tobacco inside the bowl is Charcoal. The charcoal used is usually hard, of high density, must be easy to ignite and must be able to burn with persistent heat due to the temperature requirement of the process.
Few side effects of smoking hookah/shisha.
9.9 times out of 10, hookah is shared. Some have more than one hose used in drawing the smoke. Still, it is shared, especially in clubs or lounges.
This opens the smokers to the risk of contracting infections and diseases such as oral herpes, influenza, hepatitis, etc. That disposable mouthpieces are used does not eliminate the risk. It only reduces the chances.
Hookah smoke contains multiple toxic chemicals. These chemicals include tobacco-specific nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; e.g., benzo[a]pyrene and anthracene), volatile aldehydes (e.g. formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein), benzene, nitric oxide, heavy metals (arsenic, chromium, lead), and carbon monoxide). [Wikipedia]
Don't roll your eyes at me. Read them
As said earlier, Water does not filter or purify most of these chemicals. Chemicals from the burning of the charcoal, tobacco and the additives and flavourings are harmful.
They predispose to different forms of cancer including lungs, pharyngeal, and oesophageal cancer. Heart disease too is linked to this and other pulmonary diseases such as bronchitis and many more. Periodontal diseases are not left out either as well as some other health issues.
Findings have revealed Hookah smoking increases the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) in a person's body to eight times the normal level.
Compared to smoking one cigarette, a single hookah session exposes users to more carbon monoxide and PAHs, similar levels of nicotine, and lower levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (Wiki).
This places hookah and cigarette smokers on the same pedestal.
Carbon monoxide (CO) as known binds to the heamoglobin blood and competes for oxygen transported to the brain and other organs of the body. Cases of hookah CO poisoning have been reported.
Shisha smoking has also been explained to impair the
cardiovascular system in different ways. One of them is through the increase of the heart rate and blood pressure. Another is true the impairment of baroreflex control.
It is quite addictive, just like any other form of smoking and has almost twice the amount of nicotine present in cigarette.
It is said that the nicotine absorption rate in everyday users is equivalent to smoking 10 cigarettes per day. So yes, it's quite bad.
There will be withdrawal symptoms when quitting is first attempted but steady and conscious actions to stay off will sure pay.
Please tell someone to remind someone that there is nothing good in smoking. Not even the seemingly harmless hookah/shisha.
If you care about your health, the only thing you are allowed to smoke is common sense. Thank me for this later.