What are the pros and cons of using a Hookah?!

What are the pros and cons of using a Hookah?

I already asked this question in the Society & Culture section but didn't get enough answers. While I appreciated the answers very much, I would really appreciate it if anyone with knowledge about Hookahs, good or bad, will share their opinions of hookah smoking with me. My 18-year-old son recently purchased a hookah & assures me it is safe, despite the very small amount of tobacco used. To me it looks like a bong. My son doesn't smoke cigarettes, take drugs or drink alcohol. He has smoked an occasional cigar since he turned 18, but believes smoking in general is unhealthy. This is why he justifies hookahs. He says they are refreshing and help him to feel relaxed. I've researched them, but all I can discover is that coffee houses often have them, they are the rage w/teens and young adults, and they are harmless for the most part. Still, tobacco is tobacco & I can't help thinking this is unsafe. I welcome and appreciate any opinions from those who've used one to anyone else.

2 weeks ago
For anyone not sure what a hookah is, it isn't a female prostitute! It is a bong-like device used to inhale/suck in vapors/smoke that is flavored. Also, I appreciate all answers, including the hooker one (cute), but I want to say that my son is very health conscious & also very open with me about stuff. He has always been very opinionated against drugs of any form & wouldn't consider doing drugs. So that isn't the issue. He just likes the mellow feeling he has after smoking. I keep thinking this is very unhealthy & he says it's safer than cigarettes. He's 18 & thinks he knows it all & I'm 45 & clueless about this sort of thing. I just want to be informed so that I can talk to him more about this. Thanks again for all your answers. I truly appreciate it!

2 weeks ago
While I couldn't find anything at the Surgeon General's website as one person suggested, I'm glad it was suggested because it got me to thinking about the American Lung Assn (ALA) According to the ALA, hookah smoking that lasts 45-50 minutes, versus the 5-10 minutes of cigarette smoking is equivalent to inhaling as much smoke as a person smoking 100 or more cigarettes during a single session. Yikes!! According to the ALA, hookah smoking is at LEAST as toxic as cigarette smoking. Additionally, many sources of heating the liquid in a hookah can create carbon monoxide gases that are being inhaled as well. The article also says that existing evidence shows that hookah smoking (they call it waterpipe smoking) carries many of the same health risks & is linked to many of the same diseases caused by cigarette smoking. I want to thank you all for your help with this. The website I found can be accessed in PDF format at: http://www.lungusa2.org/embargo/slati/tr...

Let me address this to you personally. I have been smoking the hookah for over 6 years.

First let's tackle what he said first. Small amount of tobacco? It is all tobacco. Shisha is Flavored tobacco, Complete tobacco.

Cons:
This is a tobacco smoking product, despite these fictional statistics people spout, a typical smoking session lasting 45-60 minutes is equivalent in tobacco consumption of 2.5 Cigarettes. Excessive use will give way to the tempation to smoke cigarettes. It does for me as a former cigarette smoker. It can cause cancer and emphazemia just like any other tobacco product. Alcohol is often placed in the base for a larger buzz.

Pros:
There are no pros in a sense. For me and my friends it's social. It also feels great like you get from a cigarette or mixed drink.

Other factors:
He is 18. I would explain your concerns to him. If he's living with you, ask him not to do it in the house. It can be expensive if you buy premium tobacco and coals and move from a starter hookah to a premium hookah.