# Hookah as bad as cigarettes: WHO



## 24online (Jun 1, 2007)

*Hookah as bad as cigarettes: WHO

*  GENEVA: Water-pipe smoking may pose the same health risks as cigarettes, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, adding that more scientific research was needed into the link between hookah use and a number of fatal illnesses.  

   "*Using a water pipe to smoke tobacco is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking*," the UN health agency said in a seven-page document on the practice. "Contrary to ancient lore and popular belief, the smoke that emerges from a water pipe contains numerous toxicants known to *cause lung cancer, heart disease and other diseases*."  

   The WHO "advisory note" warned that using water pipes to consume shisha —  a mixture of tobacco, molasses and fruit flavours — usually exposes a person to more smoke over a longer period of time than do cigarettes. Preliminary research indicates that *hookah smoking poses many of the same dangers as cigarettes and may involve "some unique health risks*", the agency said.  

   A hookah is a bowl connected to a vase of water with a long tube and mouthpiece. The tobacco sits inside the bowl with a layer of foil and a hot coal on top. The shisha is never lit, instead heated by the charcoal, which smokers say produces a vapour different from smoke.  

   The hookah, used for centuries in North Africa, the Middle East and Central and South Asia, has become increasingly popular in the United States, Europe and Brazil, particularly among college students and young adults.

*NO SMOKING.QUIT SMOKING.*
*
*


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## Maverick340 (Jun 7, 2008)

Sorry for bumping up an old thread, but i just realized that the hookah thats available in popular hangout joints like Mocha(i personally think they are sh1t) does infact conatin tobaco. 0.5% i think. and mocha folks dont even disclose this - you goto ask some fellow personally and then they tell .. I am so suing them x(


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## The Outsider (Jun 8, 2008)

^ it aint for kids anyway, you should've figured that out


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## Maverick340 (Jun 8, 2008)

let me get this straight .. smoking tobacco is for adults only.. hmm
and i am not a kid, i dont smoke out of choice. i think some said it killed us.


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## iMav (Jun 9, 2008)

Mumbai Mayor requested all females to quit Hookah.

And I think this topic I can promote *this*.


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## narangz (Jun 9, 2008)

Who said in first place that hookah is safe? Govt. should ban tobacco but well it earns them huge money so people can die, atleast India's population will decrease


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## Maverick340 (Jun 9, 2008)

There are some non-tobacco hookah's that are coming up. Its like root-beer or friut beer. just to give you a good feel. I thought Mocha gave those .. didnt know they too had tobacco


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## krazzy (Jun 9, 2008)

I don't smoke cigarettes but I did smoke hookah once at Mochas. I thought there was no tobacco in it.


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## iMav (Jun 9, 2008)

^^ Hookahs contain tobacco.


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## krazzy (Jun 12, 2008)

iMav said:


> ^^ Hookahs contain tobacco.



You gotta be kiddin me!  Say it isn't so! That thing was fun and I was planning to go there again sometime. But if it contains tobacco, then no more visits to Mochas for me.


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## iMav (Jun 12, 2008)

Wkipedia:



> Health risks
> 
> Research has shown that hookah sessions are more threatening to a person's health than smoking cigarettes. Each hookah session typically lasts from 20 - 80 minutes and consists of 50 - 200 puffs which range from 0.15 - 1 litre per puff. This exposes the hookah smoker to considerably more smoke over a longer time period compared with a cigarette which ranges from 0.5 - 0.6 liters per cigarette. While the water absorbs some of the nicotine in the tobacco smoke, the smoker can be exposed to enough nicotine to cause addiction. Furthermore, the water moisture induced by the hookah makes the smoke less irritating and may give a false sense of security and reduce concerns about true health effects.


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## Maverick340 (Jun 12, 2008)

krazzy said:


> You gotta be kiddin me!  Say it isn't so! That thing was fun and I was planning to go there again sometime. But if it contains tobacco, then no more visits to Mochas for me.


I got tricked too  
I kicked my friends bu++ though .. The mocha ones conatin about 5% tobacco.
And yeah its VERY addictive.


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## dr_jimit (Jun 26, 2008)

*Re: Hookah as bad as cigarettes: WHO, and my views*

Hello Friends

People Have a false sense of security from SO called " NO-TOBACO" Hukkah, but i have many concerns after reading this report.

1. the report says it has chances to get "infections" from other people who r taking breaths with u / previously used that same hukkah.
    WHO says - TB , Hepatitis B , etc.
if u take new mouth piece, chance of hepatitis B are very less,[NEVER NEVER SHARE MOUTHPIECE]
But Chances of TB remains / increase , cos TB bacteria  can spread via air. and all those waiters from bangladesh / nepal also blow huge amount of air in it along with ur friends[ He Bhagwan ! ] 

2. Passive smoking
u r not the 1 who has non tobaco hukkah at that place
look around and u may find tobco hukkah takers also.
Now think about 1 breath exheld of cigarette and 1 from hukkah = 0.15 to 1 liter in hukkah
this is huge amount of exposure passively u get from  other smokers.

3. For a while accept that there is no tobaco in it [ although Maverick340 ,iMav have told us that these people do use tobaco(they must be doing to get u addicted) ]
what about the COAL they have used to get fumes
WHO clearly says that in non tobacco hukkahs also this exposure of "toxicants known to cause lung cancer, heart disease and other diseases" , It remains SAME.

Anyways i have been at mochas at mumbai once and Shishas at surat once,
after that I have read this WHO Report as a doctor,
And now I have no plan to go there again,[ though i liked Methi Mutter Malai at mochas]

And Believe me WHO guidelines are GOLD STANDARDS for all over the world, they r not like any Tom DIck and Harry 's researchs u read everyday in newspapers.

Waiting for WHO's study on Mobiles to get completed....

Thanks for making this thread, keep it alive, ask me if u want to .

Dr. Jimit Vadgama
M.B.B.S.
Surat


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## narangz (Jun 26, 2008)

That was an informative post, Doc.  I see you are a very old member here. 

Is the attachment corrupt or is there some problem on my end?


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## dr_jimit (Jun 27, 2008)

This is direct link from WHO website

*www.who.int/tobacco/global_interaction/tobreg/Waterpipe recommendation_Final.pdf


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## narangz (Jun 27, 2008)

Thanks


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## dr_jimit (Jul 1, 2008)

for more info and lots of links , goto wiki page

*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hookah


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## rollcage (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: Hukkah as bad as cigarettes: WHO*

Hukkah (using tobacco) is as bad as cigarettes if not less.

I think Hukkah and Cigarettes both are bad. there should be complete ban..

i did try that at Hukkah in Priya complex a year back.. man it was hell, I don't know how the other people were doing it , or they just showing off .. who cares.. I hated it. 
and on latter visits, I have found that young kids are the major takers of the Hukkah at that place. thats also an alarming thing.

Hukkah in acient india was used with herbs I think, tobacco came lateron,


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## iMav (Jul 2, 2008)

^^ Dude, I was at a hang-out place day before, Creppe Station, famous for hookah, you could hardly breathe, it was Hookah all around, people were covered in smoke all over!


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## victor_rambo (Jul 2, 2008)

Ha ha, history repeats itself, but only in different forms.
Yesterday we had cigarettes, today hooka bars.
Yesterday we had beer-bars, today we have alcoholic beverages
and so on for many things....

Its like '_naye packet mein cheez purani, aur daam bhi jyaada_'


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## MetalheadGautham (Jul 2, 2008)

the one thing I hate about cigarettes, beedies, cigars, pipes and hookah is that they not only destroy lives of addicts, but also of those close by.

I don't mind alcohol and drugs. infact i encourage them since they are an excellent way of reducing this overpopulated population of india. only weaker ppl gethoocked on to such habbits. something like darwin's natural selection. only the fittest abstain from ****.


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## dr_jimit (Jul 6, 2008)

MetalheadGautham said:


> .............. they are an excellent way of reducing this overpopulated population of india. only weaker ppl gethoocked on to such habbits. something like darwin's natural selection. only the fittest abstain from ****.



I dont agree to it,
the most healthy and Valuable population  = YOUTH , is going in wrong track.
Its the youth thats going to decide the path of our nation.


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## narangz (Jul 6, 2008)

Exactly. There is no future of a country without youth. Youth ARE the future.


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## max_demon (Jul 7, 2008)

^^dont forget the gomputer geek youth who dont take hookahs or ciggerates .


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## MetalheadGautham (Jul 8, 2008)

dr_jimit said:


> I dont agree to it,
> the most healthy and Valuable population  = YOUTH , is going in wrong track.
> Its the youth thats going to decide the path of our nation.


I am a part of the YOUTH and as far as my experience is concerned, I can assure you that the only youth who take up to drugs, alcohol and smoking are idiots who have exessive self pride, no respect for other people, fail miserably in studies, and try to act cool by dope, drinks and fags, and later end up wasted.

If someone wants to quit, they can know help is always there. Infact, its a proved fact that once you somehow manage to quit, you end up a wiser man and start putting your life to some good use.

Our population is high as it is. By eliminating such useless lives who still beleive drugs, cigars and drinks are the only way to go, our country would be a much better place. Besides, these people started drinking and doping out of their own free will. They had as much chance as anyone else to save their own lives. But they didn't. So now they suffer and will soon rot in hell.

As for the original statement of yours, that YOUTH are going in the wrong track, let me assure you that youth have BRAINS. Youngsters know how to think and they know how to analyse every situation. At the same time, those who fall prey to such vices are FOOLS.


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## hookahkings49 (Sep 22, 2009)

Nice,
   I am also aware of this information. In my knowledge hookah doesn't  providing any harm ness compare to other products. Hookah give good taste compare to cigarette smoking.


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## max_demon (Sep 22, 2009)

^^ OMG lol 

btw here also many hookah parlours are closed


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## Deleted member 26636 (Sep 22, 2009)

^^Neat way to SPAM...


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## Goten (Sep 23, 2009)

Ban everything injurious to health.
Including fatty foodstuff.
Why is alcohol not banned.
Why allow Bhaang on HOLI.
Society will b hell or heaven if we ban everything thats injurious to us.
Think about that.


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## Rahim (Sep 23, 2009)

^Bcoz we are hypocrites!!!

Govt gets a lot of revenue from alcohol and tobacco industry. WHO is pushing the authorities to get strict on tobacco sector. On the other hand, Indian Govt are allowing South American Giants to work with Indian tobacco companies while destroying the current local tobacco economy.
Look there has been no action against Alcohol which is more harmful than tobacco and yet the Govt is not pushing its anti-alcohol mantra aggressively.


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## amol48 (Sep 23, 2009)

MetalheadGautham said:


> I am a part of the YOUTH and as far as my experience is concerned, I can assure you that the only youth who take up to drugs, alcohol and smoking are idiots who have exessive self pride, no respect for other people, fail miserably in studies, and try to act cool by dope, drinks and fags, and later end up wasted.
> 
> If someone wants to quit, they can know help is always there. Infact, its a proved fact that once you somehow manage to quit, you end up a wiser man and start putting your life to some good use.
> 
> ...




I agree with you that those who take tobacco and alcohol had enough chance as anyone else of NOT going on that track. But it's not right to call them a 'fool'. Although tobacco, alcohol are harmful to your health, I think it's still a personal choice. Are these only two things that harm us? I think there are a LOT more things that are more harmful than these (for me that would be excessive obsession with religion but i don wanna start another war on that!) and could add a LOT more. But they are never ever even considered and those people are NEVER called a fool!

So although it might be harmful and wrong to do so, I don't think anyone has any right to call them 'fool' or anything as such. Also, your theory that only those people who have problems in life smoke is completely wrong. May be you are stating it from your surrounding but you CANNOT generalize that. I know a lot of people who smoke or drink despite of the things you mentioned. 

Don't think that I favor them or that I smoke . But I don't mix it with my personal opinion and choice with my words!


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## Stuge (Sep 23, 2009)

Goten said:


> Ban everything injurious to health.
> Including fatty foodstuff.
> Why is alcohol not banned.
> Why allow Bhaang on HOLI.
> ...


You know Red Wine can be good for  heart ,if taken in right amount ,but Cigarettes /Hookahs are never good, how much more or less you smoke .

Anyway ,Those who smoke a lot today just be ready for Bypass /Cancer in future (Mostly effects are shown at the age of around 40-60 ).

*IMO smokers should save money otherwise they might have to beg for bypass surgery !*


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## Ronnie11 (Sep 23, 2009)

it actually becomes equal to smoking anyway...in a cig,one guy could maybe smoke about 5-10 but in hukkah since its mild people tend to take a lot..way more...so it becomes exactly the same as cig


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## INS-ANI (Sep 25, 2009)

IMO Cig is no way good for body.
But alcohol taken in proper amount is not harmful, infact controlled dozes can even help body.
Remember, cough syrup is also 4% alcohol....


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## Kniwor (Sep 25, 2009)

That's all well guys, but I don't think hookah topics need to be discussed for three years, why don't we move on to other things... closing thread. (check the dates before posting).


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