Is hookah more harmful than cigarettes?

There is a belief circulating among many people that the harmfulness of smoking Hookah is much greater than that of cigarettes. After all, it takes five minutes to smoke a cigarette, while a water pipe can be smoked for up to two hours with much more smoke. But is it fair to compare these two ways of smoking tobacco? In this article, we will dispel the myths circulating on this subject.

Smoking vs. roasting

A fairly common anecdote about the water pipe concerns how many cigarettes are equivalent to one session with a Hookah. Some believe that as many harmful substances are inhaled during 30 minutes of water pipe consumption as from a hundred cigarettes.

Aside from the fact that many of the substances in cigarettes are not found in Hookah tobacco, any such comparisons are false because of the way tobacco burns. A cigarette is ignited with a lighter, which makes its tobacco burn continuously throughout consumption. The temperature is high and the burning process is rapid and instantaneous.

With hookah, the tobacco should not come into contact with live fire – at least outside Egypt, this is not a common practice. Instead, the tobacco is roasted by hot air flowing from glowing coals. The difference may seem minor, but it is of colossal importance. As a result of roasting, much less tar and carcinogenic substances are released, as well as carbon dioxide itself. The heating temperature is therefore much lower, and the filtration of smoke through the water in the vase effectively eliminates much of the harmful substances.

Can’t keep a Hookah in your pocket

The harmfulness of cigarettes also stems from their ease of consumption. All you have to do is go outside and light one up. Lighting a water pipe is an incomparably more complex process that requires spending at least 15 minutes preparing everything. Correctly assembling the pipe, filling the bowl, lighting the coals, and finally warming up the bowl. Everything requires patience, discipline, perseverance, and, as we all know, effort hinders addiction.

Another matter is filtering the smoke and removing harmful substances from the smoke. Cigarette filters inevitably bring to mind images of cigarette butts from trash cans and their decomposition takes only 5-10 years. Their effectiveness is also highly questionable and there are often opinions that they only serve a “placebo” effect.

Environmental harm does not occur with hookah. The smoke is filtered by the water in the vase of the pipe, so there is no question of any toxic waste. The only residues left after a session with the pipe are water, ash from the coals and burnt tobacco, which can be easily disposed of.

Downsides of smoking hookah

Of course, it can’t be said that smoking hookah has no risks. The different way tobacco is heated means different substances are emitted. It should come as no surprise that an element that is missing from cigarettes, namely the coals, is responsible for this. It is from charcoal that harmful carbon monoxide can be emitted. This is a major factor in the possible harmfulness of hookah.

For your own safety before lighting a Hookah, you should hydrate and eat properly, so you will negate the possibility of dizziness. You should also remember to light the coals very carefully so that they turn red and their walls are covered with ash. It will minimize not only our susceptibility to CO poisoning, but also the amount of carbon monoxide emitted. Otherwise, we may feel weak, get cold sweats and even faint.

Hookah tobacco is another thing worth considering. Dark tobaccos, such as the burley species, contain much more nicotine, which is the main addictive substance.

So, hookah can be addictive, but in a different way than cigarettes, and they are not analogous types of addiction.