Health Effects of Hookah Tobacco

Hookah Tobacco is tobacco used in a hookah, a water pipe that is popular among youth and young adults. A hookah is often used for socialization and relaxation. However, studies have shown that hookah smoking may cause serious health problems and should be avoided. Inhaled smoke from hookahs can contain nicotine, carbon monoxide, tar, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic compounds, and other toxic chemicals found in combustible cigarette smoke, and can also cause damage to the lungs. Hookahs are also known to create secondhand smoke, which is harmful to nonsmokers.

Why do people enjoy smoking hookah?

Unlike cigarettes, which contain over 800 chemicals, Hookah Tobacco is primarily tobacco with a few secondary ingredients such as molasses (or sometimes honey), glycerin, and flavors. There are many different flavorings available to make the hookah experience more enjoyable. The tobacco leaves are smoked using charcoal, and the vapor that is inhaled through the mouthpiece is heated by the charcoal. A common misconception is that the water that surrounds the coal filters out all the bad chemicals from the smoke, but this is not true. In fact, studies have shown that even occasional use of a hookah causes changes in the lungs. These include inflammation, fluid buildup, and a decrease in lung function, as well as increased coughing and sputum production.

Acute and chronic hookah smoke exposures in mice were associated with increased creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, and reduced activity of antioxidant enzymes and biomarkers such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Additionally, hookah smoking decreased platelet number and amplitude of in vitro aggregation, suggesting a prothrombotic state.

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