Traditionally smoked in the Middle East and fondly referred to as hubble bubble or hookah by our Western counterparts, the coffee shop pastime is really a lot more harmful than we think it is.
The classic perception of smoking shisha is that it is less harmful than smoking cigarettes because it is done in a single session only a few times a week, versus cigarette smoking done everyday and in most cases every few hours.
This information is gravely incorrect.
Shisha molasses contains cigarette tobacco, meaning it too contains nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and heavy metals all of which are cancer-causing agents. In addition to this, these ingredients are also responsible for respiratory and heart diseases.
While it is difficult to measure the precise amount of damage a single puff of shisha smoke does against cigarette smoke, some research suggest that an hour of smoking shisha equates to around 100 cigarettes.
There is also an added risk of catching viruses and diseases if the smoking equipment is not sanitized properly after use, which can often be the case in a public cafe.
While the argument in favor of smoking Shisha is that the nicotine is absorbed by water, a fair amount is still ingested and puts the user at risk of developing an addiction.
To prevent respiratory illnesses and the growth of cancerous cells in the body, all forms of smoke inhalation are best avoided.