But there’s no such thing as a healthy smoking option.
The Most Important Information to Know About Hookah
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
What Is Hookah?
A hookah is a water pipe that is used to smoke sweetened and flavored tobacco.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
Flavorings sweeten the taste and aroma of tobacco, making it especially appealing to young people.
Hookah is thought to have originated in India or Persia in the 1500s.
Since then, hookah smoking has gained popularity around the world.
An average hookah bowl contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes.
Nicotine is an addictive drug, so smoking hookah can be every bit asaddictiveas smoking cigarettes.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Addiction
Smoking a water pipe hookah delivers nicotine just as cigarettes and other tobacco products do.
Nicotine is highly addictive and can have a variety of health effects.
Nicotine reaches the brain within seconds, where it acts to trigger the production of adrenaline.
Adrenaline is a hormone that plays a role in the body’s fight-or-flight response.
It causes physiological changes, including increased heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure.
Decreased Fertility
Hookah smoking may lead to decreased fertility among both men and women.
Hookah smoking can also contribute to clogged arteries and heart disease.
Lung Disease
Even short-term use of hookah is linked with impaired lung function.
You might notice you become out of breath more easily when performing physical tasks.
Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smokefrom hookah is also hazardous.
Spreading Illness
Hookah smoking can also spread illness.
Colds and other infections, including oral herpes, can be easily passed from one person to another.
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American Lung Association.Facts about hookah.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Secondhand smoke (SHS) facts.
