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FLAVORS OF RECREATION

By Shehroz Ladhani


“Influential aroma, appealing body, attractive hose and fascinating flavors lured me to experience one of the hazardous trends nowadays incredibly prevalent. I was amongst that misfortunate who was trying to quit my character as a chain smoker and substituting to inhale shisha. However, I was caught in the misconception that shisha is safer alternative to cigarette smoking”.

I am highly socialized and have traits such as extrovert, outgoing and trend setter. I got pleasure when people praised for inhaling smoke in form of hookah. I feel contented when I spend my wealth on attempting a new flavor every consecutive day. I was misguided from a variety of sources that shisha poses no health consequences indeed the smoke from shisha contains hundreds of hazardous substances which includes carbon monoxide, nicotine, charcoal, cobalt, chromium and lead. This narrated piece of script is the story of one of my patients.

A research report reveals that nicotine and tar levels in the smoke from a single use of shisha are approximately equivalent to those produced by 20 cigarettes. Africana kiwi, hydro green ice spearmint, Watermelon, vanilla and apricot. These fascinating flavors engrossed me to enjoy supplementary shisha. The flavors were hiding the truth behind there aroma about the fact that shisha offers a mixture of tobacco fermented with fruits and the adorable odor of fruits conceals the innate smell of nicotine and tar.

It has acquired boosting popularity all over the world remarkably in Middle East, North America, Europe, Australia and Brazil. In Karachi a considerable chain of restaurants in every alternative lane is welcoming the youth to undergo the experience of smoking shisha and be a part of huge crowd under addiction. One may notice a crowd from diverse social and cultural strata smoking the fruity crux, the bubbling of water pipes and profound exhalations of white smoke are regular rudiments on such locales.

They cheat the innocent generations by bestowing a fictitious statement about the utilization of shisha. I was among one of the victims who was welcomed in the similar manner. According to WHO Advisory, a 60-minute water pipe tobacco smoking episode is equivalent to smoking 100 to 200 cigarettes. In 2008, the Aga Khan University conducted a research that revealed that over 50% of Karachi youths belonging to various universities were habitually using shisha.

Shisha smoking has numerous implications on health, social and psychological dimensions. It has a hazardous effect on health as Shisha retains all the carcinogens of cigarette smoke and holds a lump of nicotine and carbon-monoxide in every single puff. Nicotine causes the release of a hormone adrenaline which makes the heart beat faster and harder, hence doubling the need for more oxygen to carry on pumping .Carbon monoxide, a noxious gas found in the car exhaust smoke, it increases the deposits of fats on the walls of blood vessels causing blockage and increasing the risk of heart attacks. Psychologically, this lethal fruity smoke serves as chemical sedatives; these chemicals are absorbed in the lungs and travel through blood to anesthetic centers in brain causing a sense of relaxation to individuals consuming them. Socially, it has many implications as well, the shisha consumers were found to have decreased attention spans and social inactiveness, Coupled with the risk of infection with tuberculosis or hepatitis from sharing of mouthpieces.

A time came when the wind blow in the opposite direction, the atmosphere surrounding me had gone dusky and threatening and I had a downfall. It was the New Year’s evening when I got a severe lung infection that I was unable to take natural inhalations. My father without delay took me to a nearby hospital and I was resuscitated by two consultants. My entire family and my loved ones were praying day and night for my good health as I was diagnosed with lung tuberculosis. I was a university student; I lost my crucial semester and my decisive time as I was expected to have a complete bed rest for an extensive period of time. I was in intense agony that my lungs were begging nature for a sigh of relief; my aches were pleading God for an aid… But…Nobody was mine and I was labeled as responsible for my own condition.

I ruined my career and crucial days of my profession. I have made these colors of smoke as my best friend. I have myself provoked that black smoke to devastate my immune. It’s my high plead to all readers to save your breaths from smuggling such harmful forms of recreation and beware of this delicious killer.