Smoking, no matter what form, is not good for you. This mantra should come as no surprise. But, according to recent research published in the Journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, one evening of hookah smoking may increase your exposure to cancer-causing agents, also known as carcinogens.
Research from the University of California has surfaced, showing just how harmful a single night of hookah smoking can be.
The Results are Shocking.
According to reports, smoking hookah is as toxic as smoking cigarettes, if not more. Just one night of smoking hookah results in significant exposure to second hand smoke and carcinogens associated with the actual puffing.
Research procedures included the collection of baseline urine samples from over fifty healthy adults, all of whom had different levels of exposure to hookah before the experiment was carried out. The individuals were asked to refrain from smoking anything, hookah or cigarettes, for at least one week. Once the designated time period was complete, they were asked to go to a hookah bar and track their smoking habits. Most of the test subjects spend seventy-four minutes smoking in the hookah bar. Twelve of the individuals inhaled secondhand smoke for an average of nine minutes.
The following morning, a urine sample was collected from each of the individuals who participated in the study. Nicotine levels revealed a significant difference than those taken during the original sample, prior to the evening out in a hookah bar. In fact, the nicotine levels were seventy-three times higher.
Arguments in Favor of Hookah
Many argue that people spend less time smoking hookah than cigarettes. But, according to research, that single time offers more exposure to carcinogens than smoking one cigarette. The trends cannot be ignored, according to research. Hookah devices deliver purer forms of nicotine, which according to the CDC may or may not be considered a carcinogen. In other words, it is better to play it safe than sorry.
While less time may be spent in a hookah bar or spent smoking hookah, the exposure to secondhand smoke is outrageous. People who used hookahs were typically exposed to over fifty times more smoke than the average cigarette user.
Hookah is Not a Healthier Alternative
According to research, hookah is not a healthier alternative to cigarette smoking. There are two main factors that cannot be ignored. The amount you smoke and the length of time spent as a smoker. These factors apply to smokers of hookah or cigarettes. And, it is not just cancer that is the greatest risk to your health. Carbon monoxide from the secondhand smoke may compromise your heart and health. This is something that must be considered each time a person is tempted to hit the hookah bar.
