Shisha smoking boom sparks health alert

Many people are unaware of the health risks from smoking the flavoured tobacco, which can be as damaging as cigarettes, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said.

Cafés and bars offering the traditional Middle Eastern pipes have been springing up across the UK since the smoking ban came into force in 2007.

Freedom of information data collected by the BHF from 133 local authorities in large towns and cities shows there were 179 shisha bars in 2007, rising to 556 now.

Some 53 per cent of local authorities now have – or have had – shisha bars since 2007, while more than 40 per cent have seen a rise in the number over the last four years.

Also, more private companies are now offering the pipes for hire at parties, corporate functions, weddings and other events.

Shisha smoking is covered by the UK smoking ban – meaning it is illegal to smoke the pipes inside cafés and bars.

Those cafés with outdoor smoking shelters need roofs that are at least 50 per cent open so air can circulate.

Shisha smokers inhale tobacco with added flavourings or sweeteners through a vessel filled with water. Although the water cools the smoke and makes it feel less “harsh”, the tobacco can still cause ill health, including lung and mouth cancer.

Because the smoke is cooler, some experts say people inhale it more deeply into their lungs, which increases the risks even further.

Some shisha bars do not use tobacco at all and instead offer customers flavoured herbal mixtures.

But the BHF is warning that people may not know the difference and few overall are aware that the pipes are as harmful as cigarettes.

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the BHF, said: “Contrary to popular belief, shisha is not safer than smoking cigarettes.”

He added: “Don’t be duped by the sweet smell and wholesome-sounding fruity flavours, if you use shisha you are a smoker and that means you’re putting your health at risk.

“It’s linked to the same serious and life-threatening diseases as cigarettes and there are added risks because you often smoke it for far longer than you would a cigarette and you’re also exposed to toxins from the wood or charcoal used to burn the tobacco.”

A survey of more than 2,200 people for the charity found almost everyone was unaware that people could inhale the same amount of smoke during an hour-long shisha session as from more than 100 cigarettes.