It may interest you to know that #Shisha smoking is quite becoming the fastest trend now in parties, clubs, bars, and even some homes. Also known in some countries as narghile, hookah or goza; #Shisha is a waterpipe wit a bowl, a hose, a smoke chamber & a pipe/mouthpiece. Specially made tobacco is heated & the smoke passes through water, absorbed into a hose connected to a mouthpiece for the smoker, The origin of #Shisha is disputed, some say Turkey or India but it’s accepted it came from Middle East/Asia. Shisha is global now though.
Shisha smoking is a way of smoking tobacco, sometimes mixed with fruits or molasses sugar, through a bowl & a hose with a mouthpiece. The hose connects the flavored smoke from substances being burnt in the bowl to the lungs of the smoker through the mouthpiece Shisha pipes use tobacco sweetened wit fruits or molasses sugar which makes shisha smoking a more pleasurable experience than cigarettes.
Popular #Shisha flavors include apple, mango, strawberries, coconut & mint. This gives the smoked tobacco a sweet smell & smooth taste. The presence of the fruits & flavor makes the #Shisha damp, so the tobacco is burnt with wood/charcoal to bring out its smoke & aroma. The sweet scent, the pleasurable taste & the awesome feeling is the reason that #Shisha smoking is now a regular habit for many people. For some people, a Friday evening is not complete without at least one hour of #Shisha smoking. For others it’s up to 3 or 4 times a week.
Now because of the flavors, the sweet aroma & nice taste, there’s a gross misconception that #Shisha is NOT harmful, unlike cigarettes.
Others say since the tobacco smoke has passed through water, all the toxic chemicals in the #Shisha have been filtered out. This is a lie. I need to be very assertive in stating categorically that #Shisha smoking is a destructive habit regardless of the smoke being flavored. Despite the fact that #Shisha is flavored & passed through water, the carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) & nicotine remains very present. Regular #Shisha smokers should know they are at risk of the same medical problems as cigarette/tobacco smokers. The nicotine present in #Shisha smoke is very addictive & things may degenerate that the smoker may need the #Shisha every day.
According to a W.H.O research, the amount of smoke inhaled in one hour of #Shisha smoking is the same as smoking 100-200 cigarettes. People smoke #Shisha for longer periods than they smoke cigarettes. Just 1 puff of inhaled #Shisha smoke is like smoking a whole cigarette.
It’s hard to imagine but its true. Just one hour of #Shisha is same as smoking abt 100-200 cigarettes. Yet people smoke #Shisha for hours. The wrong assumption that Shisha smoking is harmless compared to cigarettes is the reason why many engage in reckless #Shisha smoking. Just like cigarettes, #Shisha smoke contains toxic agents like tobacco, nicotine, tar, Carbon monoxide, and heavy metals like Arsenic. The nicotine content of #Shisha is very addictive and may lead to a smoker being dependent.
That’s why they feel incomplete without it.Shisha smokers are at risk of heart disease, respiratory problems, various cancer types & in women, possible problems in pregnancy.
Is herbal #Shisha safe? NO. It is not. Shisha, whether herbal/not, usually contains tobacco & that is the cause of many medical issues.And even if u find a tobacco-free #Shisha, the smoke u inhale from the wood/charcoal contains Carbon monoxide that destroys the lungs.
Are fruit-based #Shisha safe? NO as well. Whether fruitbased or not, Shisha contains tobacco rich in smoke containing many toxins.
Also before You start feeling “This #Shisha talk is none of my business”, do u frequently visit bars/clubs where there’s a lot of Shisha smoking? If u go to bars/clubs with friends where there’s lots of #Shisha smoking, u are a secondary smoker, even if the tube isnt in your mouth. Shisha tobacco and smoke are medically known to contain carcinogenic agents that may cause lung cancer, oral cancer & bladder cancer. Babies born to pregnant women who smoke #Shisha weigh less at birth & are at higher risk of respiratory problems, than other babies.
The American Lung Association, the British Heart Foundation and the W.H.O all say that #Shisha smoking is medically harmful to smokers.
So after saying all the harmful consequences of #Shisha smoking, the solution is to STOP smoking. Let me give simple tips that may help.
1. Make up your mind to stop. That’s the first step & the most important step. Be determined to stop, even if u fail at first.
2 Try to avoid friends, occasions, bars & parties where u know u wont be able to say no to smoking. Think of ur health & stay determined
3 Always remember smoking, or drinking, is not synonymous to “class” or “being rich”. It is ignorant people that reason that way.
4 Cut down on alcohol. It has been found that some types of alcohol eg beer, usually makes smoking taste so good. Just stay away.
5 Identify times u crave #Shisha. Try to distract yourself. Walk away. Dance. Go online. Chew a gum. Make a call. Anything else but smoke.
6 Make friends with non smokers. That way u reduce temptation. Never envy smokers/see smoking as something you miss. Only think of your health.
Credits : Dr Olufunmilayo.
