For those who want to quit smoking, use electric shisha or e-hookah believed to be safer than regular cigarettes. This is because electric shisha may contain less nicotine. But is it true? Then, what exactly is the content of electric shisha? Let's look at the following reviews.
Compared to regular cigarettes, electric shisha or e-hookah does not require matches to use. Electric shisha is a variant of electronic cigarette or vaping.
What is an Electric Shisha?
Electric shisha is a type of cigarette or shisha that does not require burning with a lighter or gas lighter. An electric shisha display can be in the form of a pen, stick, or even a USB device. There is also an electric shisha that looks like vape.
The electric shisha allows the user to inhale vapors that contain certain ingredients, such as fruit flavors or even nicotine.
Like traditional shisha, electric shisha is also available in various flavors and shapes. The flavors offered are also varied, such as strawberry, vanilla, cherry, cinnamon, and tobacco.
Equivalent to three dollars with e-cigarettes, electric shisha also uses heating and vaporizing devices that are powered by batteries. When turned on, the heater will turn on and heat up cartridge filled with liquid to become vapor. This vapor is then inhaled.
Contents of Electric Shisha You Need to Know
While traditional shisha contains compounds of carbon monoxide, tar, and lead, electric shisha does not.
Inside the electric shisha there are cartridge or a refillable tube filled with liquid. The liquid contains chemicals, such as propylene glycol and glycerol. However, these two ingredients also have the potential to harm health. Here's the explanation.
Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol is a liquid organic compound that is colorless and odorless, but has a slightly sweet taste. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that this compound is safe when used in low levels in foods, drugs, and cosmetics.
However, there is still a potential danger if used in high levels. Several studies have revealed that consumption of propylene glycol in high levels may cause damage to lung cells and interfere with the work of the brain's nerves.
Vapors or fumes containing propylene glycol can even irritate the eyes, skin, or lungs, and become more dangerous for people with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma and emphysema.
Glycerol
Glycerol or glycerin is an odorless and colorless viscous liquid that functions as a solvent for nicotine, flavoring chemicals, and preservatives in electric shisha.
This slightly sweet-tasting liquid is considered non-toxic and is often used in the food industry. However, until now there is no known long-term effect if glycerol is inhaled in large quantities.
Nicotine
Some of the electric shisha products sold in the market are known to contain nicotine. Nicotine is a substance found in tobacco leaves. Nicotine is an addictive substance that can stimulate the brain and give an opiate effect.
This substance makes it difficult for smokers to stop smoking or experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The use of nicotine can cause several side effects in the body, such as decreased appetite, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure.
In addition to the ingredients above, the various flavors contained in the electric shisha liquid are also declared safe for consumption in food ingredients. However, the effect is not yet known if we inhale it in vapor form.
The burning of electric shisha liquid will produce toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde is believed to be a carcinogen, which is a substance that causes cancer. While acrolein can damage the lungs and increase the risk of heart disease.
Although electric shisha manufacturers claim their products are safe to use, the fact is that until now there has not been much health research that can prove that electric shisha is really safe to use in the long term.
Health experts still doubt the safety of electric shisha or e-cigarettes. So, it's better to stop smoking, either with electric shisha, vape, or other types of e-cigarettes, because the chemicals contained in them can be detrimental to health.
