Water Pipes for Smoking

Water Pipes for Smoking is a significant opportunity to apply public health knowledge and evidence on effective strategies to reduce and prevent tobacco and substance use through water pipes. Much like cigarette smoking, water pipe smoke can expose users to lethal chemicals and second-hand exposure. There is also growing evidence that water-pipe tobacco smoking causes immediate changes in heart rate, blood pressure regulation, baroreflex sensitivity, and tissue oxygenation in the short term. In the long term, it can cause coronary artery disease, lung cancer, and other chronic diseases.

Unlike cigarettes, water-pipe tobacco mixtures do not carry warnings or health risks on their packaging. The use of wood cinders in the water-pipe heats the tobacco and produces toxic byproducts, such as carbon monoxide and metals that are harmful for the smoker and others who are exposed to the smoke. Water-pipe smoke can irritate the lungs and contribute to bronchitis, respiratory disease and asthma. It can also transmit infectious agents, such as the herpes virus and hepatitis.

Water Pipes for Smoking: A Buyer’s Guide

Smokers who use a water pipe are inhaling 100-200 times more smoke than the equivalent amount of a single cigarette. This smoke contains carcinogens and other dangerous substances that can irritate the lungs, which may lead to coughing and wheezing. Inhaling second-hand water-pipe smoke can lead to respiratory infections, including bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also cause a person’s immune system to become depressed, which increases the risk of infection from viruses such as herpes and hepatitis.