In regards to the health issues...The big question is "Is hookah bad for you? Is it as bad as smoking cigarettes?" So here’s some facts from various studies and websites.
1. (Well known fact) Inhaling smoke, whether second-hand or first, is dangerous. It doesn’t matter where the smoke comes from or the substance being smoked.
2. The water in the hookah DOES NOT "clean" the smoke.
3. Hookah smoke contains toxic compounds including carbon monoxide.
4. Hookahs and hookah smoke contain tobacco specific nitroamines that are cancer causing.
5. MANY studies show that contrary to popular belief the levels of compounds coming through the hookah are AT LEAST as high IF NOT HIGHER than cigarette smoke.
6. Sharing the mouthpiece (commonly known to many hookah smokers as a "condom") has a risk of infection including HERPES
7. Chemicals found in the hookah that are at a HIGHER level than cigarettes include but are not limited to: Tar, PAH, Chrysene (tumor initiator), Phenanthrene (co-carcinogen).
8. Smoking hookah has been linked to cancer of the gums (much like chewing tobacco) and gum disease.
9. Coals create a health risk as well. Breathing in the combination of the coals compounds adds to and possibly increases health risk of hookah smokers.
10. Several types of cancer have been linked to hookah smoking.
11. Hookah can become addictive, and does produce nicotine as well as a number of other toxins such as carbon monoxide, tar, and myriad carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).
12. Hookah smoke contains higher quantities of toxic metals like arsenic, nickel, cobalt, chromium, lead, and cadmium, as compared with cigarette smoke.
http://www.progressiveu.org/052242-the-truth-facts-about-hookah
