Posts tagged Drug

Scientific studies regarding the adverse health consequences of smoking shisha point to dangers that are similar to, if not worse than, those associated with smoking cigarettes. Research conducted on shisha use has clearly shown that it has particularly serious health consequences on the lungs and the heart, two vital organs of the body. Lung cancer, cancers of the food pipe, chronic obstructive lung disease, emphysema, low birth weight, precipitation of asthma attacks and pneumonia are some of the health hazards associated with shisha smoking. Additional dangers not encountered with cigarette smoking are infectious diseases resulting from pipe sharing and the frequent addition of alcohol or psychoactive drugs to the tobacco. The smoke from shisha, besides other dangerous elements, contains hundreds of potentially dangerous heavy metals like, arsenic, cobalt, chromium and lead. Research has also shown that after 45 minutes of shisha use, levels of expired air, carbon monoxide, plasma nicotine and the heart rate become significantly elevated. Another study has shown that shisha use increases the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis. Nicotine dependence may also result from repeated inhalation of tobacco smoke from Shisha. Just last week I measured the carbon monoxide (CO) level of a girl who had used shisha 18 hours prior to the test. At that time, her breath CO level was as high as that seen in a smoker who averages 10 cigarettes a day. Besides lung cancer, shisha use is also linked with increased risk of mouth and urinary bladder cancer. There is also some evidence that shisha use may also decrease the sperm count in men. Regular shisha users’ lungs function 25 per cent worse than those who do not use the water pipe. Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of shisha use. If they are present in restaurants or at home where shisha is being used, there is an increased risk of them getting lung infections, asthma and sudden infant death syndrome. Shisha smoking can also transmit infections and viruses such as herpes simplex and hepatitis A.