The Hazards of Hookah Hookah is very common, especially in social settings. Although it may be tempting to try, hookah can harm your readiness as a Warfighter. Just like other tobacco products, hookah has serious health risks and is not safe to use. Hookah smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins that can lead to severe health problems. What Is Hookah? A hookah is a water pipe used to smoke tobacco, often by heating charcoal. The heated charcoal burns the tobacco, resulting in tobacco smoke within the body of the water pipe. The smoke then passes through the water bowl to cool down before moving through the rubber hose and out the mouthpiece on the end. The tobacco used in a hookah is often mixed with flavoring and sweeteners that make it more pleasant to inhale. Other Names for Hookah Argileh Goza Hubble-bubble Maassel Narghile Shisha Can Hookah Be Addictive? Nicotine is found in all tobacco products, including hookah. It is an addictive chemical that can change your brain structure and make it hard to stop smoking. Hookah smoke contains high levels of nicotine. In fact, one session of hookah use can expose you to 1.7 times more nicotine than smoking a single cigarette. Using hookah can increase your risk of nicotine dependence, which may cause feelings of irritablity and restlessness if you try to quit. Nontobacco products can also be used for hookah. Even though these substances don’t contain nicotine, there are still health risks involved. All hookah smoke contains carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals that increase your risk of serious health conditions. How Does Hookah Harm My Health? Hookah is a threat to your physical fitness and operational capabilities. Although it’s often considered safer than regular cigarettes, that is not always true. Hookah smoke is just as toxic as the smoke from cigarettes, and hookah sessions typically last for a much longer period of time than it takes to smoke a cigarette. This means those who use hookah can be inhaling 100-200 times more smoke than someone smoking a single cigarette. This smoke can expose you to harmful chemicals, including tar, heavy metals and cancer-causing substances. Additionally, the charcoal and sweeteners involved in hookah use can increase the risk and presence of these toxins, amplifying their impact on your health. < Prev Next > Carbon Monoxide PoisoningA single hookah session can expose you to nearly 9 times more carbon monoxide than smoking one cigarette. Exposure to carbon monoxide can cause light-headedness and make it difficult for your body to get enough oxygen. Breathing in too much carbon monoxide can be deadly. Chronic DiseaseUsing hookah increases your risk of cancer in the mouth, lungs, esophagus, stomach and bladder. You may also be more likely to experience clogged arteries and develop heart diease. Inhaling hookah smoke can put you at higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as well. Infectious DiseaseSmoking hookah often takes place in a social setting, where the same mouthpiece is passed amongst those in the group. If the hose isn’t clean or someone present is sick, you may breathe in bacteria or viruses that can cause infectious diseases, such as the flu or COVID-19. Instant Biological ChangesWhen you smoke hookah, your heart and lungs are affected immediately. You might notice your heart rate and blood pressure go up. These sudden changes can be dangerous for those who have had a heart attack. Lung function might also decrease, making it harder for your body to get the oxygen it needs. Reproductive Health ConcernsIf you are pregnant, smoking hookah can harm your unborn baby. Newborn babies whose mothers used hookah are more likely to weigh less than babies born to mothers who didn’t smoke, and may be at higher risk for respiratory diseases. Hookah use can also affect fertility, making it harder to get pregnant. Secondhand SmokeHookah smoke contains the same harmful chemicals that are present in other types of tobacco smoke, so those nearby are still at risk of breathing in secondhand and thirdhand smoke. Even those who are not smoking may experience negative health effects from the large amount of toxins in the air. Can Hookah Help Me Quit Smoking? Hookah is not an FDA-approved smoking cessation method. Consider nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which safely helps relieve physical withdrawal symptoms for those who quit nicotine products. Visit the Thinking About Quitting Tobacco and How to Build a Quit Plan webpages, or try the Tobacco Free Challenge. Smoking hookah can threaten your performance as a Warfighter and put those around you at risk. Protect yourself and the mission by avoiding hookah. If you want to quit nicotine products, hookah is not the answer. Instead, lean on those you trust and reach out to your health care provider, command leadership or chaplain for help. Additional ResourcesWarfighter Wellness - “Common Myths about Tobacco”Warfighter Wellness - “Social Smoking”Warfighter Wellness - “Tobacco”ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention - “Hookahs”U.S. Food and Drug Administration - “Hookah Tobacco (Shisha or Waterpipe Tobacco)”You Can Quit 2 - “Hookah is a Tobacco Product”
