Shishas are not a safer alternative to cigarettes. But the ‘social smoking’ habit has its own thriving
culture, discovers Nidhi Chandr
On an evening visit to Souq Waqif you can see a number of cafés crowded with people enjoying hookah — the water pipe. Cafés in the Middle East are a popular social gathering place and this is no different in Qatar. Also known as nargila in Turkey or shisha in Egypt and most Arab countries, the water pipe has been in use for centuries. In Qatar, most of the shisha houses come to life in the evening. You will notice some of them in Souq Waqif, one along the Corniche and a few others spread around the city. They have become ‘hot spots’ for regular visitors and tourists visiting Qatar. Most of the well-known hotels in town also offer this service for their customers. It has also become a popular pastime among youngsters.
Many people who use shisha think that it is less dangerous than cigarette smoking. But recent studies have debunked this myth.
A 2005 World Health Organisation (WHO) report states that hookah poses potential health hazards because water does not filter out many of the toxins such as high levels of carbon monoxide, heavy metals, nicotine, tar and cancer-causing chemicals which are in a higher amount than seen in cigarette smoke.
Reports also say that in an average hookah session (more than 40 minutes) users consume about 100-200 times the volume of smoke of a cigarette. Infectious respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis may spread by sharing the pipe and also if they are not cleaned properly. Heavy and long-term use may also end up in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The Central Municipal Council members have recently approved a resolution to curb the practice of shisha smoking among Qatar’s young men and women. A few recommendations such as raising the minimum age from 18 to 21-years-old to use a shisha café, removing private spaces within cafés reserved for couples and intensifying monitoring cafés to ensure they follow existing rules have already been forwarded to the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning.
All tobacco products available in the country carry labels showing the ingredients and statutory warning on their packs.
“Smoking hookah usually causes allergic reactions in lungs, coughs, bronchitis and asthma inducing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD). It can also lead to cancer of lungs, stomach and bladder”, said Dr Nazar Moopen, ENT specialist with DM Healthcare in Qatar.
Meanwhile in Doha a large number of people, especially the youth, consider it as a cool alternative to cigarette smoking. The concept of hookah is thought to have originated in Asia which later moved on to the Middle East and from then it has become a part of the culture in many countries.
While some countries have already banned cigarette smoking in public places, the hookah stands apart and is usually found more acceptable and rather considered as a social event where smokers gather to spend time as they pass the pipe around.
In a hookah, tobacco mixed with flavours such as honey, molasses or dried fruit is burned. This flavoured smoke is inhaled through a long hose attached to a water pipe.
“I along with my friends go to a shisha shop in Al Sadd area on weekends. We prefer this shop because they charge less compared to those in Souq Waqif. Grape is my favourite flavour and I enjoy spending time with friends”, said a Qatari national who didn’t want to be named.
Recently, I visited a shisha house in the Maither area along with my friend. On entering the room, a different aroma hung in the air around us. Some of the people were sitting in a hall relaxed, watching television and enjoying their smoke. There were also some private rooms where a few old men were playing cards, chatting and in between taking a smoke. When asked about the smell, the shopkeeper who has been managing the business for the past 25 years, explained that it was from the fruit flavours used. He was very eager to share some details about the shisha and the business in Qatar.
“Instead of tobacco, we use fruit molasses with different flavours such as apple, lemon and mint, grapes and strawberry, all imported from Egypt and Dubai. Apple and mint flavours are mostly preferred by our customers. Double-apple is the new item in the market which is stronger compared to others and has an increasing demand these days. Our regular customers are mostly from Syria and other Arab countries,” he said.
Shishas, which come in different sizes and varieties, cost round QR100-500 and more depending on the size and quality of the hose used. A single hose costs around QR40 which is changed every two weeks. Leather hoses imported from Egypt are more durable compared to those made of nylon.
“Shishas are imported mainly from Egypt and Syria. Until a few years ago, some were also imported from Calicut [in the south Indian state of Kerala] where the production was stopped due to loss in business,” he added.
A single shisha can be used for 20-30 minutes which will be charged at QR12-15 per hour. People who take private rooms spend a long time playing cards and chatting late into the night.
“Our work normally starts at 6pm and we close the shop around 1am. We have to pay big amount as rent for this building along with salary for about 16 employees working here. All imported items have become costlier and business has become a bit dull after Eid,” he lamented.
While talking to him, attenders were busily filling cold water from drums into the shisha jar and mixing flavours as according to customer’s orders.
The shopkeeper also explained the working of a hookah. The main part of a hookah is its head which is a bowl that holds coal and tobacco. The bowls are usually made of clay, brass or metals. A windscreen with some air vents on it is attached over the bowl area preventing wind from increasing the burn rate of coal and ash from being blown onto the surrounding environment.
The body of the hookah sits on top of the water jar which forms the base. Usually cold water is used which is changed after each smoking session.
There is a hose attached to each hookah through which smoke is inhaled. Depending on occasions, people use double-, triple- or quadruple-hose shisha. For private smoking sessions most of them prefer single hose.
Air is pulled through the charcoal and into the bowl holding the tobacco. The hot air, heated by the charcoal vaporises the tobacco and produces smoke which is then passed down through the body tube that extends to the water jar. It bubbles up through the water, losing heat, making it cool and filling the top part of the jar to which the hose is attached. The smoke is inhaled through a hose.
A purge valve connected to the air vent in the water jar helps to remove stale smoke which has been sitting unused in the jar for too long and it opens when pressure is created by blowing into the hose.
A plate or ashtray sits just below the bowl to catch ashes falling off the coals.
Though there are differing opinions and discussions on various studies related to shisha smoking, people are not serious about the health risks associated with it, rather they consider it as a social custom which continued from generation to generation.
Health risks
As with cigarette smoking, hookah smoking is linked to cancer of lung, stomach and bladder and heart diseases
Hookah smoke contains high levels of toxic compounds like carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals.
Hookah smokers are exposed to more carbon monoxide and smoke than are cigarette smokers.
In an average hookah session users consume about 100-200 times the volume of smoke of a cigarette
Heavy and long-term use may also end up in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
As in cigarette smoking, there is also the potential for tobacco dependence
Hookah pipes if not cleaned properly will spread infectious respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis
Hookah smoking by pregnant women can result in low birth weight babies.