HEALTH experts in Liverpool are warning families travelling abroad this Easter about the dangers of middle eastern smoking pipes which, they say, are putting lives at risk.
They say many people are drawn into trying hookahs while on holiday.
Furthermore, parents are allowing young children to' have a go' due to the belief that it's a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes as they think it's just fruit flavoured steam.
But no. An hour on a bong is the same as smoking 100 cigarettes - and your vital organs won't thank you for that.
Claire Spencer, enforcement officer at Liverpool City Council's Alcohol and Tobacco Unit, said: "In some countries, shisha smoking is seen as a social activity and families and friends often smoke together. With lots of inviting shisha bars in countries like Egypt and Turkey people are drawn into taking part in this cultural activity and see no harm in allowing their children to try it out.
"The fruity, sweet smelling flavours give a misleading impression that shisha is a less harmful type of smoking. The fact it is smoked through a bubbling water pipe also leads parents to think the smoke is begin purified and cleaned and see little problem in allowing their children to join in.
"In fact, smoking shisha tobacco can carry greater health risks than cigarette smoking and an hour long session can contain the same amount of smoke as 100 cigarettes."
"Shisha contains nicotine and is addictive. It can lead to heart disease, respiratory disease and cancer. Shisha also causes second-hand smoke so smoking it around others puts them at risk."
For help to stop smoking please call 0800 195 2131.
