HELP
HELP

Myths and Facts

Many myths and misperceptions exist in the community around shisha smoking.

These can make it difficult for people to understand the harms and to consider saying “No Thanks” to shisha smoking.

Examine the following statements and sort into ‘Myth’ or ‘Fact’.

1
The water in the shisha filters out the toxins
2
Shisha smoking may also be addictive
3
45 minutes of shisha is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes
4
The fruit in shisha makes it a healthier choice
5
Current tobacco laws apply to shisha as well
6
Tobacco-free and herbal shisha are safe options
7
Shisha smoking can lead to problems in pregnancy
8
Using your own mouthpiece protects from infectious diseases
9
Shisha smoking can only affect the health of the smoker

MYTH

FACT

It is a MYTH
that the water in the shisha filters out the toxins

According to the World Health Organisation (2005), the water in the shisha does not remove any of the toxins.

World Health Organisation. (2005). Advisory Note: Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: Health Effects, Research needs and Recommended Actions by Regulators/ WHO Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation.
View the source here.

It is a FACT
that shisha smoking may also be addictive

Research supported by the World Health Organisation has shown that shisha tobacco contains nicotine which is an addictive drug.

World Health Organisation. (2015). Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking and Health [Fact Sheet].
View the source here.

It is a FACT
that 45 minutes of shisha is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes

Research supported by the World Health Organisation showed that the volume of smoke inhaled in a single shisha session is as much as smoking 100 cigarettes.

World Health Organisation. (2005). Advisory Note: Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: Health Effects, Research needs and Recommended Actions by Regulators/ WHO Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation.
View the source here.

It is a MYTH
that the fruit in shisha makes it a healthier option

The World Health Organisation (2015) makes it clear that the fruit flavour in shisha only masks the taste of the toxic substances, it does not make it healthy.

World Health Organisation. (2015). Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking and Health [Fact Sheet].
View the source here

It is a FACT
that current tobacco laws apply to shisha as well

All tobacco and smoke-free laws in NSW also apply to shisha smoking (NSW Health, 2017).

NSW Health. (2017).
View the source here.

It is a MYTH
that tobacco-free and herbal shisha are safe options

Herbal shisha contains traces of toxic metals and the smoke contains cancer causing chemicals which are harmful to your health.

Hammal, F., Chappell, A., Wild, T. C., Kindzierski, W., Shihadeh, A., Vanderhoek, A., ... & Finegan, B. A. (2015). 'Herbal' but potentially hazardous: an analysis of the constituents and smoke emissions of tobacco-free waterpipe products and the air quality in the cafes where they are served. Tobacco control, 24(3), 290-297.
View the reference here

It is a FACT
that shisha smoking can lead to problems in pregnancy

Research has shown that shisha smoking increases the risk of premature birth and lower birth weight, which can put the mother and the baby’s life in danger.

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2014). The health consequences of smoking—50 years of progress: a report of the Surgeon General.
View the source here.

It is a MYTH
that using your own mouthpiece protects from infectious diseases

Even with a separate mouthpiece, the shisha hose is still shared and the World Health Organisation has warned that the shared hose can pass on diseases including herpes, hepatitis and lung infections as smokers often cough into the hose.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2019). Increased risk of COVID-19 infection amongst smokers and amongst waterpipe users.
View the source here.

It is a MYTH
that shisha smoking can only affect the health of the smoker

Second-hand smoke is harmful, including to children and non-smokers.

Campbell MA, Ford, C, & Winstanley MH.Ch 4.The health effects of secondhand smoke. 4.17 Health effects of secondhand smoke for infants and children. In Scollo, MM and Winstanley, MH (editors). Tobacco in Australia: Facts and issues. Melbourne’ Cancer Council.
View the source here.

Now that you are equipped with the important facts about shisha, we are going to focus on how you can begin to have conversations with people about shisha smoking and empower them to make informed decisions about their shisha use. We will look at some challenges you may encounter in these conversations and explore options for sharing facts about shisha smoking in supportive and culturally appropriate ways.

Use the link below to explore our interactive stories.