Health & Science - Monday 12 March 2007 Carries Many of the Same Health Risks as Cigarette Smoking. American Lung Association Report Spotlights New Trend, Mistaken as Harmless
March 8, 2007 NEW YORK , NY
The emergence of trendy hookah bars in the United States masks the serious risk to health from hookah use, according to theAmerican Lung Association’s new report, An Emerging Deadly Trend –Waterpipe Tobacco Use, released today. Hookah bars are growing in popularity in the U.S. especially among 18-to 24-year-olds, becoming thefirst new tobacco use trend of the 21st century. The Lung Association report warns that this trend is thriving on the widespread, but mistaken, belief that hookah use is harmless.
"Contrary to what many beginning users may think, hookah tobacco use carries many of the same risks as cigarette smoking, including beinglinked to lung cancer and other lung diseases," said John L. Kirkwood,President and CEO of the American Lung Association. "Hookah tobacco use isnot a safe alternative to cigarettes. "Hookahs, also called waterpipes, are relatively new to the United States .
Hookah tobacco use, however, is an ancient form of tobacco use thatoriginated in Persia and India. The hookah heats specially - made tobacco,and then passes the smoke through a bowl of water. The smoker then draws this tobacco smoke through a mouthpiece connected to the pipe by a rubberhose. Existing research warns that hookah smoking poses the same or similar health risks as cigarette smoking. The report also looked at the existing research behind hookah use, and finds some disturbing results: Because a typical smoking session lasts 40 to 45 minutes, versus five to 10 minutes to smoke a cigarette, exposure to dangerous chemicals isincreased with hookah use.
Teens were eight times more likely to experiment with cigarettes if they’dever used a hookah. "The fact that hookah use also increases the chances that kids will start smoking cigarettes should be of great concern to policymakers and thegeneral public," said Kirkwood.
The American Lung Association recommends several ways to help slow this trend in the report, including increased research on all aspects of hookahuse, smokefree workplace laws that cover places where hookahs are used, andculturally appropriate cessation products and services to help addictedhookah smokers quit.
"The misperceptions surrounding hookah use mean that more young adults will risk their lives smoking what they believe is a safer product, said Kirkwood . "We need to better understand and reverse this dangerous trend."
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lungdisease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of andtreatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, theAmerican Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath at a time."
For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, visit www.lungusa.org
In the UK, for information on how to quit smoking tobacco, cigarettes or shisha pipes, contact your local Stop Smoking Service on 0800 169 0169 or visit http://www.gosmokefree.co.uk/
2 comments:
Hi Martin, thanx for dropping by my blog. Yeah I quit smoking on Nov 2003 and been smoking shisha socially. Last year I totally stopped, after I found out the truth about it health risk. But i did smoke again, this once here on my post. Interesting read on your blog, will come back once awhile.
Hi Hatz.. Thanks for dropping by my blog... I'm working supporting businesses to implement the smoking ban in London, UK (on July 1st). Yesterday I spoke with cafe owners whose premises allow shisha smoking. Shisha is to be banned under the new legislation. They are worried because for some of them, shisha represents 50% of their business. In Westminster, there are more than 100 cafes that allow shisha smoking (Edgware Rd). I'll let you know what happens as we get closer to the ban. Best wishes, Marty
Post a Comment