Know the Health Risks of Hookah
We’re educating New Yorkers about the health risks of hookah. Just one hour of smoking hookah can expose someone to as much carbon monoxide and tar as smoking 10 cigarettes.
A hookah, or water pipe, uses burning charcoal to heat shisha, a flavored blend of herbal substances. Tobacco is a popular and common ingredient in shisha, but some shisha is tobacco-free. Shisha is never a healthy alternative to cigarettes, regardless of its tobacco content.
In New York City, new laws will require all hookah-serving establishments to get a permit and display warning signs about the health risks of hookah smoke.
As of April 14, retail stores and other establishments have been banned from selling or serving shisha to people younger than 21. Starting in October, people younger than 21 will not be allowed to enter establishments that serve hookah.
The chemicals in hookah smoke can increase the risk of:
Heart attack
Decreased lung function
Respiratory symptoms
Cancer
Premature death (for people with heart and lung disease)
