Hookah Health Risks

A hookah is a type of water pipe used to smoke tobacco. While many mistakenly believe that smoking from a hookah is safer than smoking cigarettes or other forms of tobacco, the practice is actually just as risky as cigarette smoking, if not riskier. Here are some of the reasons that smoking from a hookah may prove harmful.

Long smoking sessions

Hookah smoking is a communal act in which several people share the pipe, each inhaling from a mouthpiece attached to a tube that leads to the chamber. A single session may last as long as an hour, so the volume of smoke inhaled from the pipe is greater than what a cigarette smoker would inhale during the same time frame.

Charcoal

In a hookah, the tobacco burns with the aid of a charcoal disk. Burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide and chemicals that cause cancer, called carcinogens, which are inhaled along with the tobacco smoke.

Shared mouthpieces

Hookah bars and lounges are increasingly popular venues for sharing a "bowl" of tobacco with a group. If the mouthpieces are not properly cleaned, however, there is a risk of spreading illnesses and pathogens to everyone who uses the hookah. Even a hookah in one's home may carry a disease risk if it is not properly disinfected.

Burning tobacco

Above all, burning tobacco in a hookah presents the same risks as burning tobacco in any other form. These risks include cancer, heart disease and lung disease, plus the risks associated with secondhand smoke. Pregnant women who smoke from a hookah may experience complications, just as they may if they smoke cigarettes. The fact that the smoke passes through water does not mean the smoke is safer to inhale.

Many people find hookah smoking pleasant, but it is important to know the health risks involved with smoking tobacco before partaking as a consenting adult.