SHISHA is herbal tobacco which is smoked through a water pipe, also known as a ‘hookah’ pipe.
An average smoking session will see 10 milligrams of fruit tobacco smoked for 30 minutes.
It is a shared experience where one or more pipes can stem from the shisha pipe.
Shisha bars are popular with Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities who see it as a social hub and central to their culture.
It is mainly smoked after dinner with guests or at a cafe. The tobacco flavours come from across the world and can range from melon to cappuccino.
Flavoured tobacco or herbal fruit pulp fills the clay pot, is covered with pin-pricked foil, then heated by coal Shisha is often seen as a safer, more acceptable form of smoking.
But there are concerns that it is far more dangerous than cigarettes. Research by the Department of Health and the Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre found dangerous levels of carbon monoxide with shisha.
According to the centre, the carbon monoxide levels from shisha can be up to 450 times higher than filtered cigarettes.
High levels of carbon monoxide can lead to brain damage and unconsciousness.
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