Shisha: a fashion or addiction?

Shisha refers to the flavoured tobacco used in the smoking process using a hookah, also known as waterpipe. The origin of the shisha is India and Persia. Smoking shisha has gained popularity in India and the Middle East, and is gaining popularity in America, Europe and Australia.
Although it has been a traditional practice in rural areas for generations, smoking shisha has become very popular in the cosmopolitan cities of Pakistan. One can see many cafés in Pakistan offering shisha smoking to its guests. Even lots of households have shisha for smoking or decoration purposes. It comes in different flavours such as vanilla, apple, strawberries and many more.
Is shisha harmful? While many may argue that shisha smoking is not harmful, medical experts say otherwise as tobacco product in any form contains nicotine. Nicotine is addictive and quite injurious to health. The common belief is that smoke is filtered by the water when in actual fact, nicotine is not water-soluble. Reuters reported that the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that a single session of smoking shisha yields a nicotine intake equivalent to more than one pack of cigarettes. The average shisha session typically lasts more than 40 minutes, and consists of 50 to 200 inhalations that each range from 0.15 to 0.50 litres of smoke. Several kinds of cancer and gum diseases are associated with shisha smoking.
People adopt shisha smoking as a part of social activity, but gradually, they tend to get so addicted to it. A research has shown that around 60 percent people start smoking shisha at age of 16 to 18 during their college life. A resolution against smoking shisha in restaurants and public places was unanimously passed during the Sindh Assembly session in May 2011 and shisha was banned in cafes in Pakistan for people under 18. Though the government has recently again imposed a ban on shisha smoking, there is no following of the law anywhere in the country. One wonders if we are living in a state governed by any government or is it anarchy in disguise waiting to be unveiled at any given moment.
Shisha smoking has become a cause of worry. It is considered to be a fashion to smoke shisha, despite the fact that it is tremendously dangerous to health. People are of the belief that shisha smoking is less toxic, as compared to cigarette. However, this is unfortunately not the truth and the reality is that it can cause as much damage as the cigarette smoking. It seems like whenever you break out the shisha there’s always a crowd of people interested in it and willing to try it. So, be cautious about the use of shisha and smoke in moderation.
NIMRAH AMJAD
Karachi