‘Usage Higher Among Boys Than Girls’
New Delhi:
A leisurely drag at a shisha bar may not be as innocent an act as it appears. A single session of smoking a hookah results in greater exposure to carbon monoxide than a full stick of cigarette. Short-term exposure at high levels can produce toxicity and interfere with exercise capacity In a scientific statement published in Circulation, an international medical journal, the American Heart Association (AHA) has warned that hookah smoke contains significantly higher levels of heavier and more toxic hydrocarbons than cigarette smoke. It also has cardio-respiratory toxicants such as volatile organic compounds and heavy metals like cadmium and lead that can injure the blood vessels and the brain.
Though there are only a few long-term studies on the impact of shisha smoking, experts agreed that the AHA statement should serve as a warning for those who consider hookahs harmless. “It is a new fad among youngsters, and parents tend to overlook the habit because public perception is that this is less harmful than cigarette smoking. The AHA statement puts the risks in perspective,” said Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis C-Doc.
A US survey found that in 2014 around 23% of 12th grade students had used hookahs in the past year. The usage was higher among boys (25%) than girls (21%). CDC’s National Youth Tobacco Survey also found significant increase in hookah smoking in that country.
A doctor said, “In Delhi and the National Capital Region, hookah bars that are proliferating. The activity should be banned immediately. Also, the government should start campaigns to bust the myths about the hookah being harmless.”
In a shisha, the tobacco is placed in the device’s head but since it is moist and does not burn in a self-sustaining fashion, a lit charcoal is placed over it. Flavours of apple, mint, cheery, even chocolate and coffee, are added to mask the acrid taste of tobacco.
The popular perception is that the water in the bowl absorbs the toxins from the tobacco smoke, rendering it safe for the smoker. But the AHA statement cautions that the toxicity is actually higher. “Because both mainstream and sidestream water pipe tobacco smoke contains constituents similar to those generated by cigarettes, the use of water pipes could similarly lead to short-term cardiovascular changes in addition to long-term cardiovascular effects,” AHA said.
Dr Neeraj Bhalla, director of cardiology at BLK Super-Specialty Hospital, suggested that health agencies carry out awareness campaigns to educate citizens, particularly the youngsters, about the effects of indulging in hookah smoking.
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