Shake Your Carcinogens Baby, Shake !

The story comes right from The Khaleej Times. Of course, you can always say that by these globalized times it's hard not to fall under the possible influence of the Western orientalist visions… and this is your problem.

So, according to the newspaper, "Arab women [are] getting increasingly addicted to shisha" (Khaleej Times Online 2 March 2006).

“JEDDAH — Despite the society continuing to frown upon the phenomenon of women smoking, and studies closely linking the shisha (hubble-bubble) to various diseases, including cancer of the mouth, Arab girls are enjoying it, and the number of female smokers is on the rise, according to the Arabic daily Al Watan […].”

Now, forget about belly dancers and focus on the following quotes:

““According to recent medical research, smoking the hubbly-bubbly is more hazardous than smoking cigarettes [UNSUPPORTED STATEMENTS FROM BIASED STUDIES]. It causes headache, dizziness, blurred vision, palpitations [SOME TRUTH. MAINLY DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE SO BABY SMOKE OUTDOORS !] and blocks air passages [DIDN’T CATCH THAT. MEANS IN CORRIDORS ?]. Physicians have recommended a national campaign to combat smoking of all forms, particularly at home [EXCELLENT AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT FOCUS ONLY ON HOOKAH AND STRANGELY EXEMPT CIGARETTES...]. Experts are particularly concerned about the harmful effects of the popular fruit-flavoured tobacco[YES USERS WANT SERIOUS STUDIES ABOUT IT]. Fruit skins are fermented and treated with molasses or glycerin which, if burned with coal, forms the Acrol[e]in poisonous substance that causes cancer, particularly of the bladder [TRUE ! BUT ON THE ONE HAND IT IS NOT BURNED BUT SIMPLY HEATED.” ON THE OTHER, ACROLEIN IS WATERED DOWN IN A GREAT PROPORTION; A FACT HIDDEN BY MOST STUDIES...].

“"The quantity of smoke that enters the lungs of hubble-bubble smokers is much larger than its equivalent in the case of cigarette smoking [TRUE]. The tobacco used contains 400 carcinogenic and other compounds, which destroy the lungs and the respiratory system. The long-term harmful effects are many. Additionally, the hose of the hubble-bubble transmits a large number of diseases," [NO PROBLEM AND NO EPIDEMIC HAS BEEN REGISTERED FOR 400 YEARS AND TODAY HOOKAHS ARE SERVED WITH ASEPTIC NOZZLES] said Dr Sami Abdulaziz, an internist at King Khaled Medical Complex in Jeddah.”

[UNFORTUNATELY NO SERIOUS STUDY HAS ANALYSED SO FAR THE QUESTION OF CARCINOGENS IN THE CASE OF THE HOOKAH. WE MAY ASSUME HOWEVER THAT BOTH THE LOW TEMPERATURES AND THE WATER ACTUALLY HELP IN REDUCING THE FORMATION OR FILTERING OF SOME OF THEM. FUTURE WILL TELL US]

CONCLUSION:

HOOKAH SMOKING, AS ANY INHALATION (IF ANY) OF OTHER THINGS THAN AIR, CERTAINLY INVOLVES HEALTH RISKS. HOWEVER DON’T COUNT ON THESE OFFICIAL EXPERTS TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH ABOUT REAL HOOKAH SMOKING. THIS IS TABOO AND THEY COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT PREVENTION. WHAT ACTUALLY DISTURBS THEM IS NOT YOUR HEALTH BUT THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL MEANING OF A NEW HABIT IN THEIR STUBBORNLY HIDEBOUND WORLD. SO HOOKAH SMOKERS ARE INVITED NOT TO TEACH OLD CIGARETTE SMOKING DOGS NEW TRICKS.

We like belly-dancing, not you ? Tell us if you want more belly-dancing related scientific stories in the future !


Photograph: Courtesy from Zeeba Lounge for The Sacred Narghile


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