How To Prepare A Hookah

Detailed guide on how to prepare a hookah or also known as shisha pipe.

A hookah is a single or multi-stemmed, often glass-based, water pipe device for smoking; originating in India,[1][2] it gained fame in the Arab World when it traveled from Persia to Arabia. A hookah operates by water-filtration and indirect heat. It can be used for smoking many substances, such as herbal fruits and tobacco. Depending on locality, hookahs are known as other names, such as a shisha/sheesha

Health benefits and risks

Today's media sometimes suggests that hookah can be a more health threatening activity than smoking cigarettes. Research suggests that a session of hookah tobacco smoking (tobacco molasses) which lasts 45 minutes delivers slightly more tar and carbon monoxide (around 5-10%) than a packet of cigarettes.[9] This study has, however, come under criticism for using unrealistically high temperatures for the tobacco (600-650 degrees C) and using arbitrary figures for tar filtration rates.[citation needed] This could possibly have skewed results, as the carcinogenic and toxin levels of smoke increases dramatically with temperature (Wynder 1958). Common practice is to keep temperatures to degrees which do not "char" the hookah; that is within a temperature range of 100-150 C. (Chaouachi K: Patologie associate all'uso del narghile). The effects of these lower temperatures on tar are inconclusive, though Chaouachi indicates the tar would be less harmful.

Some hookah tobaccos claim to contain 0.0% Tar. This is highly misleading since the tar is not contained in the tobacco but is produced when it is burned. All tobaccos produce tars when burned. The tar numbers listed on cigarette packs are obtained from burning the cigarette in a controlled way and analyzing the resulting smoke.

However research has indicated that the use of the hookah may reduce comparative cancer risks, though such studies are not conclusive (Hoffman[10], Rakower, Salem 1983 and 90, Gupta Dheeraj 2001, Tandon 1995, Lubin 1992, Hazelton 2001, Stirling 1979). The levels of carbon monoxide produced during a hookah session varies widely depending on the type of coal used. Japanese charcoals are thought to produce lower amounts of carbon monoxide. However there is a notable difference in areas of carbon monoxide absorption, in that while cigarettes have a notable effect on the small respiratory tracts rather, shisha smoking mostly affects the major airways (Bakir 1991, Kiter). This means a lessened FEV vs FEV1/FVC ratio compared to cigarettes, which is believed to be less harmful for the airways long-term. However, it should not be considered as a "safe" alternative to common cigarette smoking.