GENERAL information
Shisha (hubbly-bubbly)
As you travel around Dubai you will often
see people smoking shisha, and if the sweet,
fruity smell has got you intrigued, here’s a
quick overview to tell you what it's all about.
What is it?
Shisha is a water pipe used to smoke tobacco
through cooled water. The tobacco is heated
by charcoal at the top and inhaled through a
water chamber at the bottom. Shisha pipes
date back over 500 years and their origins are
still heavily debated.
What’s in it?
Shisha mu’assel is a syrupy mix of tobacco,
binding agent (molasses, honey, treacle, sugar
or vegetable glycerol) and fruit flavouring.
Typical flavours include apple, mint, mango,
strawberry, grape, melon and a variety of fruit
based mixes.
Contrary to popular belief, shisha is smoked
for the flavour and enjoyment, and not for any
kind of effect.
What’s it all about?
Smoking shisha is about
socialising and has
been part of life in
the Middle East for
centuries. Shisha cafés are
full of friendly conversations,
with both men and women
equally taking part, and
in places where alcohol
is not allowed, you will
find shisha being used
to lubricate a social
gathering. Shisha is also
becoming increasingly
popular in the West and
you will find shisha
pipes in homes
and restaurants
around the world.
12 | JULY Discover Dubai
What you need to know!
Smoking shisha is a leisurely, sociable
activity that lasts about an hour (unlike
a cigarette that usually takes a couple of
minutes). According to the World Health
Organisation, the volume of smoke inhaled
in an hour-long session is the equivalent of
smoking around 100 cigarettes. Findings
show a smoker will inhale half a litre of
smoke per cigarette, while a shisha smoker
can take between a sixth and a litre of smoke
per inhale. Some of the nicotine is absorbed
in the water, but this leads to people smoking
more to experience the same effect, therefore
inhaling more carbon monoxide, heavy metals,
tar and carcinogens.
Remember that shisha contains tobacco and
is therefore linked to the same life-threatening
illnesses as cigarettes.
USEFUL TIPS
Although we don’t condone
smoking, this is part of the Arabic
culture, and shisha may be one of
the things you try during your stay.
To help you fit in, here are some
useful tips:
• Only use specially prepared
shisha tobacco
• Occasionally blow into the pipe to
get rid of the smoke building up in
the water chamber
• Replace the water if smoking for
longer than an hour
• Don't inhale too deeply
• Shisha is no substitute for cigarettes,
don’t switch to shisha if you’re
trying to give up
• Share your shisha, it will give you
a break
• If you do try it, limit it to occasional
use; it's meant to be sociable!