What Is The Impact Of Shisha Consumption On Your Health
It is a fact that not all tobacco and nicotine containing products present the same risks to human health. There is a significant difference in the health risks associated with cigarette smoking as compared to the use of smokeless products or nicotine replacement therapies.
The “continuum of risk” is the scientific concept that not all tobacco or nicotine containing products are equally harmful and attempts to differentiate products according to their propensity to reduce toxicant exposure.
Given the wide range of tobacco and nicotine-containing products available, it is important for consumers to be provided with the information necessary to understand that not all products carry the same level of risk, and even within a product category there are ways to further reduce risk.
On the continuum of risk, shisha cloud is formed through heating and is compositionally like the aerosol generated through “vaping” i.e., being primarily composed of water, glycerol & propylene glycol. In addition, since shisha use is not associated with the frequent and repetitive pattern of consumption seen with cigarette and vape consumers, it must be considered a lower risk.
The research conducted by AIR has demonstrated that while shisha is lower on the continuum of risk than other tobacco product categories, the exposure to toxicants, and therefore risk, may be further reduced using a Heat Management Device (HMD) and careful selection of charcoals.
- Shisha with aluminum foil
- Shisha with quick charcoal on foil
- Shisha with coconut charcoal on foil
- Shisha with heat management device
While these steps may mitigate some of the risks arising from the use of charcoal, they do not eliminate them completely. Therefore, it is necessary to find alternatives to charcoal that can provide the experience that consumers demand while eliminating the toxicants associated with its use.
Advanced Heat Technology: The Way Forward
We are working on an innovative device that eliminates the use of charcoal. The innovation is being developed to generate a shisha cloud which eliminates the formation of toxicants arising from charcoal, while maintaining the acceptability of the experience for adult consumers of shisha tobacco products.
The innovation differs in design from conventional waterpipe in several key aspects:
- Elimination of charcoal from the heating process.
- The elimination of charcoal emissions from the shisha cloud.
- A pre-determined and controlled heating temperature of between 170OC and 240OC (depending on product formulation).
- Pre-portioned product delivering a consistent, high-quality experience.
