Quit smoking now: Shisha poses higher health risks than traditional cigarettes
In recent years, the prevalence of young people using shisha (also known as "waterpipe" or "hookah") has increased. There is a common misconception that shisha is safer than regular cigarettes because the water in shisha can filter out harmful substances. However, the toxic substances, including carbon monoxide, carcinogens and heavy metals produced from the combustion, still gets in the lungs, in which one hour of smoking shisha is equivalent to 100-200 cigarettes. Dr Wan Chi-kin, the Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Centre and Honorary Consultant of Respiratory Medicine at Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, reminds that smoking shisha lasts longer and the volume of smoke inhaled is higher than regular cigarettes, which causes greater harm. The manufacturing process of shisha often involves the addition of various flavouring agents, such as fruit and spice flavours. These flavourings usually contain heavy metals and chemicals which increase potential health risks.
Generally, the risk of lung cancer for smokers is 25 times higher than non-smokers, while the risk is even higher for shisha users. Shisha smokers are also at risk of same kind of diseases as caused by cigarette smoking, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, oesophageal cancer and heart diseases. Indeed, shisha is not a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes and may pose an even greater health risk. The public is advised to quit the habit of shisha and any kind of smoking. Individuals are recommended to seek professional assistance if needed to reduce health risks.
🔎Please click here to read the article (in Chinese only) in which Dr Wan explains more about the health impact of shisha use.
及早戒煙：水煙比傳統香煙潛藏更大健康危機 近年，年輕人吸食水煙的情況愈趨普遍，但有不少人誤以為水煙比香煙安全，認為水煙裝置中的水能過濾有害物質。其實，煙草點燃後，有害物質依然會進入肺部，當中包括一氧化碳，致癌物質和重金屬等，吸食一小時相等於吸食了100至200支香煙。港怡醫院肺癌治療中心聯席總監、呼吸系統科名譽顧問醫生溫志堅醫生提醒，吸食水煙的時間長，所吸入的煙霧量比一般香煙更多，造成的傷害更大。而水煙在製造過程中被加入不同味道的調味劑，例如水果和香料氣味。這類調味劑通常都含有重金屬和化學品等，有機會增加健康風險。
一般而言，吸煙人士患肺癌機率比一般人高25倍，而吸食水煙會比一般香煙的影響更大，所以致癌機率亦更高。而吸食水煙同樣可能會患上吸煙所引致的相關疾病，如慢性阻塞性肺病、食道癌及心臟病等。其實，水煙並非傳統香煙的安全替代品，反而有機會對身體造成更大的傷害。建議大衆戒掉吸食水煙及香煙的習慣。如有需要，應尋求專業協助，減低健康風險。 🔎請按此閱讀文章，由溫志堅醫生解說水煙對健康的影響。 | 
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