In recent years, hookah smoking among friends has become a sign of style and grace. Hookah is prepared and served in special hookah establishments or visitors of ordinary cafes are invited to a separate hookah room to try this wonderful and intriguing mixture of fire, water, oriental decor and fragrant, soft-tasting tobacco smoke. However, few people can give a clear answer to the question of what is more harmful than hookah or cigarettes. Despite the dangers of smoking, you can hear a lot of positive reviews in favor of a hookah.

The first pitfall of hookah smoking lies in the fact that young people consider it just a fun and exciting entertainment that you should definitely try. A hookah is the same tobacco, only with a high content of nicotine. Therefore, much more often young people who have tried to smoke a hookah, then easily sit down on the same nicotine needle - cigarettes. Thinking about what is more harmful, hookah or cigarettes, it must be remembered that both products contain nicotine, which is the strongest drug.

The second obvious misconception is the confidence of hookah smokers that the smoke, passing through the liquid, is cleared of harmful substances. It is worth thinking logically here. tobacco - smoke. All are contained in smoke. Passing through water (juice, milk) in the form of bubbles, some of the substances dissolve in it, and at the same time the smoke is saturated with the same moisture containing the same substances. This is where the answer lies, which is more harmful, a hookah or cigarettes: the smoke is not filtered, but slips through the liquid. And even if special filters made of cotton or plastic are used in hookahs, according to the conclusion of the World Health Organization, they do not at all reduce the harm from tobacco smoking.

It is also worth adding here that nicotine and tobacco tar contained in moist smoke from a hookah settle in the lungs more easily than dry smoke from cigarettes. Inadvertently dragging on a cigarette or cigarette, a person will feel severe irritation in the bronchi and cough. Wet hookah smoke is not actually annoying. Therefore, he inhales deeply, without fear for his health.

Understanding further what is more harmful, a hookah or cigarettes, it is necessary to remember that embers are an integral attribute of a hookah. As you know, after prolonged smoking of a hookah, a headache begins, nausea and poor health appear. All these are signs of poisoning by the combustion product of coal - carbon monoxide. in turn, it can affect memory, the functioning of the brain and the cardiovascular system, and the mental state of a person.

The next argument of harm from a hookah is the danger of infection with various infectious diseases. Indeed, most often a hookah is smoked in a company, passing the mouthpiece from hand to hand, and few people think about hygiene. In addition, if smoking a hookah takes place in a public place, such as a cafe, then it is not known who used this smoking device before and how sanitary and hygienic requirements are observed in this institution. Cigarettes are usually smoked individually and once, taking them out of their own hermetically sealed pack.

Recently, hookah tobacco manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost of production and diversify products, have begun to add artificial flavors instead of natural flavors. Artificial fragrances are little-known chemical compounds, and the extent of their harm is unknown. It is this tobacco that is most often served in cheap hookah establishments.

Thinking about what is worse, hookah or cigarettes, one should not forget that smoking tobacco in itself is not just a bad habit, but a drug addiction that adversely affects health. Most often, a smoker who uses tobacco in one way or another realizes that he is causing irreparable harm to himself, but cannot stop smoking in any way. When he chooses which is more harmful, a hookah or cigarettes, he tries to justify himself to others that supposedly another way of smoking tobacco is almost harmless and can be used. But the answer is much simpler: he does not want to admit that he is a drug addict.

In the near 2000s, people had a certain opinion about hookah smoking and the harm from it. Those who used to willingly smoke fashionable devices for that time are now talking about the serious harm to health of this hobby.

WHO opinion

The increase in the number of lovers to smoke with the oriental method forced the WHO to raise this issue at one of its meetings. In the course of long discussions, the members of the meeting came to an unequivocal conclusion:

“The amount of smoke that a person consumes with one breath of a hookah is equivalent to that obtained from smoking a whole cigarette. In one session of smoking, the amount of smoke equivalent to the consumption of 30 cigarettes passes through the lungs of a smoker. Based on this, the WHO believes that hookah smoking clearly causes more harm to human health.”

Experts say that in the fight against the tobacco addiction of the population, one should not forget about serious actions against addiction to hookahs. One of the reasons for the tightening of trade policy is the fact that this hobby mainly affects young people under the age of 24.

It was decided to ban smoking in public places. Cafes and restaurants banned the sale of tobacco-containing mixtures. They were replaced by those that do not contain prohibited substances. Such products became known as "Steam hookah". In rare exceptions, you can order a mixture containing real tobacco, and then you need to use it in a specially equipped room.

Poison from the East and the Filtration Myth

Contrary to popular belief, the water through which smoke passes when smoking does not clean it of most of the harmful inclusions. The efforts that a hookah lover makes to draw in a portion of smoke play against his health. Due to the fact that the lungs are strained to a greater extent than when using a cigarette, the smoke enters deep and hard-to-reach areas. Cigarette affects only the upper part of the lungs.

In addition, harmful toxins are hydrated, making them harder to remove from the body.

What's the Difference?

Hookah, which is sold in stores, and the one offered in trendy cafes, is somewhat different from that used in the old days. It consists of the following main parts:

• Flask for water, milk or alcohol mixture.
• A tube through which smoke is delivered.
• A shaft that takes the form of a supporting frame.
• A bowl in which the smoking mixture is placed.

The liquid, which acts as a filter, is first poured into the flask. It can be any, not too thick drink.

Plain water, milk and light alcoholic cocktails with wine or absinthe are especially popular.

Smoking mixtures are tobacco with the addition of various substances. The following types are popular on the market:

• Tombak. It has no aromatic inclusions. When smoked, a classic undiluted aroma is obtained.
• Zhurak. Fruits and aromatic oils are added to this mixture. There are hundreds or even thousands of different flavor combinations.
• Moissil. Tobacco leaves are soaked in glycerin or honey. When heated, more smoke is produced than when using other types.

Cigarette smoke is the result of smoldering tobacco, and hookah smoke is the result of evaporation of moisturizing additives and a slight degree of combustion.

What is more harmful?

The harm from smoking cigarettes is justified by the presence of substances such as:

• Toxic resins.
• Chemical additives.
• Phenol.
• Carbon monoxide.
• Carcinogens.
• Formaldehydes.

Smoking hookah is dangerous because of the following points:

• The liquid in the flask, contrary to popular belief, is a bad filter. Only a small amount of harmful substances settles in it, the smoke is mainly moistened, and not filtered.
• Rapid development of addiction.
• Increased harm done to passive smokers. This is due to the high volume of smoke.
• The risk of developing cancer is increased.
• Smoking hookah together with a sick person can cause infection. In addition, pathogenic microorganisms multiply in it, which, if they enter the lungs, can cause severe harm to health.
• A sharp deterioration in immunity, which leads to weight loss and an increase in the possibility of developing diseases.
• The addition of alcohol to the filter fluid enhances the negative impact on the mucous tissues and respiratory organs.

Some believe that systematic cigarette smoking undermines health more than occasional gatherings with a pipe in hand.

There is even an opinion that glycerin, which is part of the smoking mixture, is useful for ligaments and lungs.

All these arguments do not have a scientifically proven basis, and therefore everyone decides for himself what to choose.

	Cigarette
Gradual development of dependence.	Identically.
In cases where vaping occurs rarely, less harm is done than from systematic smoking.	Hundreds of studies confirming the harm from regular use.
Immunity deteriorates.	Immunity deteriorates and the development of dangerous pathologies accelerates.
Adversely affects the reproductive function, the state of the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system and the digestive tract.	Negative effect on all body systems.
Lack of individual use increases the chance of infection.	The use of an individual disposable cigarette reduces the risk of transmission of the pathogen from the carrier.
The amount of smoke that enters the lungs in one session of smoking is hundreds of times greater than when using a cigarette.	Systematic smoking increases the resulting harm.

Alexey Kazantsev, a qualified narcologist, states:

“The destructive effect on the body is in both cases. The harmful tar and flavors found in cigarettes promote the growth of cancer cells. In hookah tobacco, in addition to harmful doses of nicotine, there are also flavoring substances that, when they get into the lungs, settle in them, worsening their work. The negative impact on the bronchi and alveoli over time can greatly undermine the functioning of the respiratory system. In addition, there is irritation of the mucous membranes, oral and nasal cavities.

Less harm from smoking a hookah can only be justified by the inability to use it, wherever and whenever. As a result, the frequency of use is greatly reduced. It has long been proven that the systematic use of cigarettes increases the destructive effect several times. But keep in mind that hookah is most often smoked indoors. Because of this, the amount of passive smoke inhaled increases. This can be a problem for both the smoker and the people in the vicinity.”

For many, hookah is one of the ways to have a good time. But people often do not even think about what this activity really is and how dangerous it can be. Let's try to figure it all out.

What is a hookah anyway? In fact, this is a vessel intended for smoking various mixtures, with its help the smoke inhaled by a person is moistened and cooled. The hookah is filled with water, spirits, milk or other liquids, which creates the necessary taste and filters the smoke. A small tube is placed inside, through which the smoke enters the liquid and is discharged through a second tube, located slightly higher. Then, with the help of a long cord, the smoke enters the respiratory tract.

Note! Hookah, being created in India, soon gained popularity among Muslim countries. In Europe, they became interested only after the fashion for everything oriental came.

In fact, a hookah is a fairly primitive device in which the filter is a liquid. Many of his fans have no idea if he is harmful, in fact, they do not even try to figure it out. The hookah is especially popular among young people, for them it is a completely harmless and, in a sense, even useful thing.

Compare hookah and cigarettes

Supporters of the hookah assure: its main advantage is that you do not get used to it. But this opinion is not true, because even the special tobacco used for this contains nicotine (there is about 0.05 percent of it). This means that, for example, in a 100-gram package of tobacco there is about 0.05 g of nicotine, and such a package is usually enough for eight to ten treatments. So it turns out that in each such dressing there is approximately 6.2 mg of nicotine, and in a regular cigarette it is no more than 0.8 mg. We conclude: compared to cigarettes, hookah tobacco contains eight times more of the described substance.

Tobacco in a cup - photo

Note! Nicotine is an addictive alkaloid with powerful neurotoxic effects. Indeed, because of nicotine, hundreds of thousands of smokers are unable to overcome a bad habit, and all attempts to quit cause severe discomfort (both physically and morally).

You can argue that a hookah has a liquid filter that traps all harmful impurities, but, logically, you can come to the conclusion that cigarettes also have a filter, moreover, a more efficient one (coal), but it still does not retain nicotine. And water is not the best filter, because it is unable to clean the smoke at the proper level.

So, when smoking a hookah, nicotine still enters the body, therefore, over time, dependence on this alkaloid appears. Therefore, even if people who do not respect smoking become addicted to hookah, they become addicted. And here the transition to cigarettes is only a matter of time. Indeed, smoking a hookah too often will not work, because this requires money and time, and cigarettes are more affordable, they are always there.

Even hookah adherents say that there are much fewer carcinogens in tobacco for it than in cigarettes. Another myth, because there are a lot of dangerous impurities in smoking mixtures, although most smokers do not even know about it, because it is not always possible to find the composition or information about possible dangers on the packaging. In addition, adherents talk about allegedly less harmful tobacco - it is wet and sticky, does not burn, but seems to dry and smolder. There is an opinion that because of this, the smoke contains fewer harmful substances, but in reality, both nicotine and other poisons, say, benzapyrene, get into the lungs anyway. Who does not know, this is an extremely dangerous carcinogen, formed during the combustion of any substance, regardless of its (substance) state.

Note! Even in the smallest amounts, benzapyrene is very dangerous, because it tends to accumulate in the body over time, which is why smokers get cancer. In addition, benzapyrene is mutagenic, it provokes DNA mutations that are quite stable and can even be inherited.

Video: Compare cigarettes and hookah

What else is dangerous hookah?

When tobacco is burned, metal salts, CO and CO₂ (carbon oxides) are released, and all these substances, respectively, remain in the lungs. Moreover, there is a possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning, because of which it must be released using a special valve every fifteen minutes.

Oxygen combines with incoming carbon monoxide, in connection with which oxygen starvation begins. Human tissues are deficient in the required substances (including oxygen), which is dangerous for the heart and brain. Blood vessels constrict, and oxygen does not enter at all to those parts of tissues that are located remotely, which is why the heart beats faster, the volume of blood pumped increases, the lungs work more actively, but at the same time they inhale carbon dioxide. In a word, a vicious circle is created.

Despite the assurances of hookah adherents that the smoke that passes through the liquid is enriched with oxygen molecules, studies show that in reality nothing of the kind happens. Because of this, the heart has to work at a frantic pace. According to statistics, hookah fans are more likely to suffer from cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases than cigarette lovers.

Risk factors

So, we found out that hookah smoking is not harmless, and sometimes dangerous. Consider the key hazards of such an occupation.

1. There is much more nicotine in the smoking mixture than in ordinary cigarettes, therefore, dependence on a hookah will develop several times faster.

   

2. Smoking hookah provokes the development of heart disease, what can we say about those smokers who already have a sick heart.

   

3. When coals and tobacco burn, powerful toxic substances are released. These substances accumulate in the human body over time and can cause cancer.
4. Also, the described occupation is fraught with passive smoking, since even non-smoking people who are in the same room with a hookah get their own dose of carbon monoxide and carcinogens.

   

5. Due to the wide popularity of hookah smoking, the number of people suffering from hepatitis and tuberculosis has increased, because the pathogenic bacteria remaining inside the pipe can be destroyed only with the help of special disinfectants, and, as you know, no one usually uses them. Especially dangerous is smoking in special hookah establishments!

   

Note! In the United States, studies have been conducted that have shown that water filters tobacco smoke very poorly. This was also confirmed by the research of scientists from Germany dealing with cancer.

It is also necessary to remember that hookah tobacco is not tested for compliance with quality standards, which means that there can be no guarantees of safety. People have no idea where tobacco was grown, how it was stored, and how dangerous it is.

But young people do not usually care about this, since the main thing for their representatives is to have fun, relax and just have a good time, although such a pastime may negatively affect their health in two or three years. As a result, erectile dysfunction occurs in men, and hormonal disorders in women, which affect both appearance and the menstrual cycle.

3.7

It is difficult to answer, since the effect and dosage of toxic substances in the composition varies.

Smoking cigarettes and hookah cause serious harm to a person.

Experts conducted research and presented the results.

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What is more harmful

Medical studies have proven that no less than from nicotine. This breaks the stereotype of most people who believe that the concentration of hazardous substances is reduced due to water treatment. The blame for consumer ignorance lies with entrepreneurs and advertising.

Manufacturers are trying to convey to the people the idea that the device is a harmless occupation, but this opinion is nonsense.

The use of the device provokes the appearance of diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems: cancer, lycemia, etc. After a long process, the coordination of movements is disturbed in a person. There is discomfort.

You can compare a hookah and a cigarette in several ways:

• Smoke - cigarette smoke is more poisonous, tobacco burns, and in the machine it smolders due to syrup;
• Filter - in the device this function is performed by water, sometimes milk, in a cigarette the filter protects the lungs from most chemicals;
• Addiction - the main disadvantage of cigarettes - availability, they can be smoked without a break, and a person rarely goes to a hookah.

Papyrus and hookah have a bad effect on the body. Damage is about the same. The only exception is that you can’t take the device with you, there is no addiction.

The chemical composition of both devices is hazardous. The device produces a larger dose of hazardous substances than papyrus.

Scientists have found: the device is no less harmful to health than. It was not possible for experts to determine which is more dangerous. A large-sized device does not cause addiction, but the dose of chemicals from a hookah is much higher.

Test for smokers

Why

When compared, the opinions of experts were divided. Several nuances lead to the conclusion that the device is more harmful than ordinary cigarettes, but in some aspects.

The hookah bar does not have open access to a large amount of oxygen, this affects the body. In a small room, smoke builds up quickly. Nicotine, sulfur, carbon dioxide, tar - this is not a list of harmful substances obtained when using a hookah.

Smokers have to be taken away by ambulance with intoxication of the body. The victim can simply inhale the poisoned air and receive an increased dose of toxins. Studies have shown that when a person is in a hookah room for about an hour, his health is harmed, as when smoking hundreds of cigarettes continuously.

Smoking hookah leads to viral and infectious diseases. This phenomenon is explained simply: they go to hookah bars with large companies.

All people use the same device. A sick person can infect friends through a hookah. Tobacco weakens the lungs, and the virus enters the body faster. The industry is developing, and there are disposable hygiene tips.

A big drawback of the device is the ignorance of consumers. For most people, this activity is harmless entertainment, smoking papyrus is much more dangerous.

Comparing smoking tobacco cigarettes and hookah is ridiculous. Both are harmful to the body. What exactly is dangerous for a person, he decides on his own. If he is not an ardent fan of the device, then rare friendly events will not harm his health.

You can take cigarettes with you anywhere, quickly get out of your pocket and smoke. The chemical composition is the same, but the dose received from the device is much higher.

Take the smoking test

Is there nicotine in hookah

To understand whether a hookah brings harm or benefit, let's look at its structure. It represents a flask, the size of which depends on the cost of the device.

With the help of the eastern apparatus, the smoke is moistened and cooled, entering the body through a hose. For him, there are filters from wine, water, milk, which are poured into a flask. Hookah does not contain nicotine, but the tobacco that is put in chilim consists of harmful substances, but there are mixtures without nicotine alkaloid and toxins.

Types of gas stations that do not contain nicotine:

1. A mixture of fruits, berries in glycerin with an admixture of essential oils. Mint, syrups, honey and corn are added. Popular fruits: apple, melon, orange, grapefruit. Refueling also happens on some useful components, without trihydric alcohol. The disadvantage of this mixture is the cost of coal and maintaining a constant temperature.
2. Steam stones (smoking). They are free of toxins and nicotine. It's not smoke, it's steam. Stones are minerals that were infused in syrup. Popular companies, the first manufacturers of steam stones in the world market: Shiazo, MagicStones and Mehazo.

Impact of nicotine-free tobacco

There is a misconception that nicotine-free blends are harmless and safe to consume. The difference between nicotine-free mixtures and conventional ones is that nicotine does not enter the body. But given the amount of smoke that a smoker consumes in one sitting, the absence of nicotine does not reduce the danger of smoking.

Smoke from a nicotine-free mixture contains substances:

• Resins that enter the lungs settle and accumulate in the bronchi, which may be the cause of the development of chronic;
• Carbon monoxide, the amount of which does not change depending on the type of smoking mixture;
• Nicotine-free mixtures are more pleasant to smoke, which leads to an increase in the frequency of smoking, and this leads to an increase in the content in the body of elements such as pigs, chromium, carboxyhemoglobin and arsenic;
• The use of a nicotine-free mixture does not in any way reduce the risk of developing cancer and heart disease.

Why hookah poisoning occurs

Exotic entertainment came to the West from India. In Eastern culture, smoking a hookah is a ritual that links ancient traditions. In society, the features of smoking and the preparation of the mixture are rarely observed.

People blindly believe that hookah is harmless to health, but also useful. Only a few people think that in this way you can get poisoned.

Attention should be paid to tobacco used as a dressing. The assertion of harmlessness has been refuted - nicotine and harmful substances that have a bad effect on the body were found in the composition.

To leads to non-compliance with the rules of use:

1. Carbon monoxide. In the process of smoking, carbon monoxide is released, it is inhaled by people sitting nearby. The average session is 20 to 30 minutes. There is enough time for tissue hypoxia to begin. There is oppression of the cardiac and vascular systems, respiratory organs suffer, nerve cells die. If you do not ventilate the room in which they smoke, then this can result in the death of vacationers.
2. Nicotine. Hookah connoisseurs are not always aware that nicotine in smoking mixtures exceeds the number in cigarettes. An overdose of nicotine causes heart and lung failure. For half an hour of smoking, a hookah lover takes six times more nicotine than from cigarettes.
3. Impurities of the smoking mixture. Composition is not always described on mixtures. They contain toxic substances, one of which is benzopyrene. This substance is dangerous and accumulates in the body. Small accumulations lead to DNA mutation, and in large doses cause severe poisoning.
4. Poor quality tobacco. It is not difficult to find tobacco with various flavors, the problem lies in its quality. The seductive smell and taste is achieved by the introduction of chemically produced ingredients. Tobacco can contain heavy metals and harmful substances, which can poison you even from a small dose.

Pathogenic microbes settle on the internal surfaces of the hookah device with insufficient cleaning after each use:

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
• Staphylococcus;
• Aspergillus pores.

Inhalation of smoke together with microbes leads to damage to the respiratory organs, lung tissue, internal organs and systems. Treatment is long and costly.

You can get poisoned with reduced immunity and in the case when you smoked heavily.

4.5 / 5 ( 48 votes)

Hookah, also known in narrow circles as "gorlyanka", "bori" or "narghile" - is gaining more and more popularity in recent years. People, especially young people, believe that relaxing with a hookah is much safer than ordinary cigarettes. And the process of inhaling fragrant hookah smoke is more pleasant.

To understand what is more harmful than hookah or cigarettes, you should know exactly how hookah smoke affects the respiratory system and what it consists of. Although the WHO representatives say with confidence that hookah use cannot be a safe alternative to regular smoking, let's understand.

The impact of hookah on the body in terms of harmfulness does not differ from smoking cigarettes

The experts of the World Health Organization during several meetings of the WHO raised and considered in detail the problem of hookah hobby. Hookah, born in African and Eastern regions, is gaining more and more new fans in Russia and Europe every year.

The percentage of distribution of hookah in the countries of the world

During the XVI session of the WHO, held in the UAE (Abu Dhabi) and dedicated to smoking and health, expert Eduard Tarshan said the following words:

« In total, a single breath of hookah smoke is almost the same in volume as the volume of smoke that a smoker inhales after smoking a whole cigarette. And the whole process of using a hookah is identical to smoking 25-30 cigarettes at a time. Based on our research, we came to the conclusion that».

According to the unanimous opinion of the experts of the Health Organization, the widespread fight against tobacco addiction must necessarily unite the fight against the hookah hobby. Especially given the general predilection for hookahs of young people.

Aromatic inclusions that are part of hookah additives are a powerful way to lure new young smokers into the “tobacco networks”. According to statistics, young people under the age of 24 are mostly fond of modern hookah.

WHO experts also remind lovers of fragrant hookah vaping that the smoke from combustible coal, which is used to heat the smoking device, contains toxic toxins. The conclusions of experts unambiguously say that hookah passion has a negative impact on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of a person.

What is the difference between hookah and cigarettes

The modern hookah is somewhat different from its eastern progenitor. This fashionable smoking device consists of a flask where liquid is poured, pipes with a built-in mouthpiece, a special shaft and a bowl for tobacco.

Hookah device

Liquid for hookah. Most often, ordinary pure water is used. There are lovers to smoke hookah on natural juice or green tea. It is believed that tea relaxes the hookah user well and gives the evaporation an exquisite aroma.

Tobacco. The choice of tobacco blends for hookah smoking is much more diverse. Three types of tobacco additives are most commonly used:

1. Tombak. Classic tobacco, without flavorings and additional impurities.
2. Zhurak. Tobacco blend with the inclusion of fruit and aromatic oils.
3. Moissil. Tobacco for smoking, diluted with glycerin or honey.

The tobacco mixture is heated and passes through a flask with liquid, then it enters the mouthpiece through a rubber hose. This is how smoking happens.

Harm of hookah smoke

Contrary to popular belief, the fragrant smoke from a hookah is not at all safe. In terms of its toxic properties, it is in no way inferior to cigarette. And the liquid used in the process of "sessions" is not able to filter out carcinogens.

Hookah smoke is no less harmful than cigarette smoke

It has been established that hookah smokers inhale much more smoke during smoking than when smoking a cigarette. After all, some hookah gatherings can stretch for several hours.

Many years of medical practice and conducted research give the right to assert a serious detrimental effect of hookah on human health. The fascination with the antique smoking appliance comes along with many dangers:

1. Hookah smoke is filled with a large amount of carcinogens and toxic compounds. It consists of chemicals, heavy metals, resins, carbon oxides. Hookah users inhale far more carcinogens than cigarette smokers.
2. According to statistics, those who are fond of hookah risk 3 times more likely to encounter oncology of the oral cavity and lungs and heart disease.
3. Smoking a hookah no less than a cigarette supplies the human body with nicotine. This hobby also causes tobacco addiction.
4. Hookah smoke is also dangerous and passive negative impact on others. In this, it is absolutely not inferior in terms of harmfulness to cigarettes.
5. Hookah aromatic mixtures irritate the oral mucosa. Hookah users have a higher risk of developing oral cancer compared to cigarette smokers.
6. Hookah mouthpieces and hoses also pose a threat. In public hookahs, they are never completely cleaned and sterilized. There is a high risk of catching an infectious disease, especially during the spread of epidemics.

Nicotine Free Blends

But what about the use of hookah mixtures without nicotine content. They are heavily advertised as a harmless alternative to smoking. So the hookah can become harmless? After all, nicotine, the main killer of human health, is absent there.

Hookah smoke, even in a nicotine-free mixture, is very unhealthy

Not everything is so rosy. Long-term studies of the effects of smoke on the body prove that the smoke evaporation generated during combustion contains a large percentage of carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide (or carbon monoxide), even in small concentrations, is a deadly substance for humans.

Such a compound has the ability to react with hemoglobin. These cells, which are part of the blood, carry out the function of transporting oxygen and nutrients to all internal organs.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

Interacting with hemoglobin, carbon monoxide forms a heavy compound - carbohemoglobin. This substance stops the normal functioning of the hematopoietic system and provokes the development of oxygen starvation.

In addition to carbon monoxide, hookah smoke contains a lot of other toxic substances. Its composition (in addition to nicotine) includes:

• sulfur;
• methane;
• phenol;
• carbon dioxide;
• formaldehydes;
• hydrogen cyanide.

As well as more than 4,500 components that are toxic, carcinogenic substances. These compounds belong to the group of active carcinogens, that is, they have the ability to accumulate in the human body. Carcinogens also contribute to the development of lung diseases, oncology and cardiovascular diseases.

What is worse hookah or cigarettes

So what is more detrimental - to get involved in the usual cigarettes or smoke fragrant hookah smoke? In all cases, the body receives a shock dose of carcinogens and toxic chemical compounds.. And there is not much difference in how harmful substances enter: there is no through a hose or a cigarette filter.

Both the hookah man and the cigarette smoker are at the same risk zone. They run the risk of encountering dangerous diseases because of their passion:

• diabetes;
• aortic aneurysms;
• heart attacks and strokes;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• of cardio-vascular system;
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease);
• ophthalmic nature (cataract, loss of vision, blindness);
• oncology (lungs, oral cavity, esophagus, larynx, stomach may suffer);
• erectile dysfunction (formation of arterial plaques and impaired blood flow).

According to a study by the American Lung Association (American Lung Academy), hookah addiction is 150 times more dangerous than smoking cigarettes. In substantiating their conclusion, ALA specialists adhered to the following proven facts:

1. In one hour of hookah smoking, a person produces about 200-220 puffs. And during the smoking of one cigarette, the smoker takes about 20 puffs.
2. The concentration of smoke entering the lungs during hookah smoking is approximately 90,000 ml. When using an ordinary cigarette, the smoke volume ranges from 550-600 ml.

But do not think that cigarettes are safe. Modern products no longer contain real, pure tobacco (it can only be found in cigars or smoking mixtures). Cigarettes are made from artificial nicotine, the production of which is not controlled by anyone..

Smoking is dangerous in all uses

But "pure" tobacco leaves contain a large amount of a radioactive substance - polonium 210. This element is the main provocateur of the appearance of cancerous tumors. Therefore, the harm from artificial tobacco and natural is identical.

Both cigarette lovers and hookah lovers are subjected to a deadly nicotine "blow". When smoking cigarette products, the smoke primarily affects the upper lung lobes. Hookah penetrates into the middle and deep sections.

Analyzing all of the above on the topic of what is better than hookah or cigarettes, you can ask the following: “Which is safer - jumping from the 11th floor or from the 16th?” It would be better, instead of looking for a non-existent answer to this topic, to ask yourself, what is more important - addiction or freedom, illness or health?

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