Hookah Shisha
Known by several names—narghile, argileh, qaylan, borry, goza, or nafqas—a Hookah Shisha is a single- or multi-stemmed device for heating and vaporizing flavored tobacco (and sometimes hashish, opium, or cannabis) that is then smoked. The smoke passes through a water basin—often glass-based—before being inhaled by the user. Hookahs are used widely in the Middle East and India, but have recently gained tremendous popularity in the United States, Canada, and Europe among college students and young adults [1].
Can you drive after shisha?
Smoking shisha is a centuries-old tradition that is now gaining traction around the world as a social activity for people of all ages. Whether smoked with friends or alone, hookah smoking is considered a relaxing activity that can be enjoyed in social settings and centers around conversation and personal connection for those who partake in the practice.
The smoke produced by a hookah contains toxic chemicals that can harm the smoker and others in close proximity, including carbon monoxide, nicotine, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, and tar. Although some smoke may be filtered through the use of water, this does not significantly reduce the levels of unhealthy chemicals in the smoke.
The use of hookahs is associated with a range of health effects including cardiovascular disease, bronchitis, emphysema, pregnancy complications and infectious diseases (since people usually share the same mouthpiece during smoking sessions). Tobacco and herbal hookah smoke contain the addictive chemical nicotine. Hookahs marketed as “non-tobacco” or “herbal” often are not regulated and therefore, it can be difficult to determine how safe they are.