Hookahs have traditionally been the preferred mode of smoking in the Indian Subcontinent, and neighboring Afghanistan and Iran. Recently this mode of smoking has been gaining in popularity, with special ‘Hookah Cafes’ opening up the world over.
In this context, a group of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine conducted a study into the effects of Hookah smoking, using the meta analysis technique. This technique involves creating a mathematical summary of previously published data, giving a more precise information.
This decision was taken, as information available was divergent in it’s finding, making it difficult to arrive at a scientifically conclusive conclusion.
To make the study as meaningful as possible, the scientists collated data from over 500 studies regarding effects of cigarette and hookah smoking.
The results were both startling, and shocking at the same time. According to the information gathered, one single hookah session gives 10 times the carbon monoxide, 2.5 times the nicotine, 25 times the tar, and 125 times the smoke of a cigarette, making this method of smoking far more deleterious to health than cigarettes.
What is alarming is that a lot of high school students and collage goers are smoking hookahs or shisha, or hubble bubble, etc, as it may be called from place to place, thinking that since the smoke passes through water, it is washed clean, and comes with fun flavors like mint, apple, chocolate, etc.
However, if the results obtained so are any indicator, then continued useage, and increase in popularity will create more cases of oral, lung, throat and other forms of cancer, instead of reducing them.
