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Vaping and hookah have quietly become part of social life for many people. While these habits seem less concerning than traditional smoking, the casual way they are used can also make it easy to overlook what is actually being inhaled and how it may affect the body over time.
Nutritionist Nmami Agarwal shares some of the health concerns linked to vaping and hookah and why people may want to think twice before treating them as harmless alternatives. From the substances they expose the body to to their potential impact on different aspects of health, there are several reasons these habits deserve more attention.
Ways Vaping And Hookah Harm Your Health
1. Respiratory damage
Both vaping and hookah regularly force toxic chemicals, heavy metals and ultrafine particles deep into the lung tissue. This triggers inflammation and permanent structural damage. While many users perceive them as safer alternatives to cigarettes, both delivery methods irritate the respiratory tract, destroy immune cells and cause chronic pulmonary diseases.
2. Exposure to harmful chemicals
These practices expose the human body to a dense cocktail of harmful chemicals. Vaping relies on thermal vaporisation of chemical solvents, while hookah relies on charcoal combustion of tobacco.
3. Low filtered nicotine
The concept of "low filtered nicotine" relies on a dangerous misconception: that passing nicotine vapour or smoke through filters or water purifies the substance. The core takeaway is that neither vape hardware modifications nor hookah water bases filter out nicotine efficiently. This can result in high-dose nicotine absorption that accelerates cardiovascular stress and permanent neurological changes.
4. Increased exposure to passive smoking
Your vaping is responsible for passive smoking for the people around you. The passive exposure to smoke bypasses your lungs to release concentrated toxins directly into communal air, exposing non-smokers to fine particulates, heavy metals and toxic gases, which is concerning for their health as well.
5. High chances of explosion and accidents
Vaping devices carry a unique risk of severe blast injuries, skin burns and chemical accidents because they rely on powerful lithium-ion batteries packed into poorly regulated metallic housings. While hookah carries a lower risk of mechanical explosion, it presents high risks of severe structural fires, carbon monoxide poisoning and deep tissue thermal burns due to the open use of lit charcoal.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.