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Information / Shisha
Shisha: water does not make smoke safe
Shisha can feel very different from smoking a cigarette: flavoured, social and passed through water. But smoke from a waterpipe can still contain harmful chemicals and carbon monoxide.
Last reviewed: 23rd September 2026
QUICK ANSWER
The water cools the smoke. It does not remove the risk.
When tobacco is used, shisha smoke contains nicotine as well as cancer-causing chemicals and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.
What is shisha?
Shisha, hookah and waterpipe are names used for smoking material through a pipe containing water.
The material may contain tobacco, or it may be sold as a tobacco-free or herbal product. Charcoal is often used to heat the material.
If tobacco is present, nicotine can create dependence just as it can with other tobacco products.
What about herbal shisha?
Tobacco-free does not mean smoke-free.
Burning herbal material and charcoal can still expose people to carbon monoxide and other harmful substances. The absence of nicotine does not make inhaling smoke harmless.
Why can shisha feel less risky?
It often looks and feels very different from cigarette smoking. Those differences can change how the risk is perceived.
It is often social
A café, restaurant or group setting can make shisha feel more like an occasional social activity than smoking.
Flavours can soften the perception
Sweet or fruit flavours can make smoke feel less harsh without removing the harmful substances in it.
The smoke passes through water
Water can cool the smoke, but it does not filter out the health risks.
A session can last a long time
Waterpipe sessions can involve repeated inhalation over a much longer period than smoking one cigarette.
There are risks beyond the person smoking
People nearby can breathe second-hand smoke from tobacco, herbal material and charcoal.
Shared hoses or mouthpieces can also create hygiene and infection risks if equipment is not cleaned properly or individual mouthpieces are not used.
Carbon monoxide matters too
Waterpipe smoke can contain carbon monoxide. Symptoms of significant carbon monoxide exposure can include headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness and confusion.
If someone becomes seriously unwell after shisha use, seek urgent medical help.
What does the law treat as shisha tobacco?
Government guidance includes waterpipe tobacco such as shisha within tobacco products, and herbal shisha within herbal smoking products.
From 1st January 2027, it will be an offence to sell tobacco products, herbal smoking products or cigarette papers to anyone born on or after 1st January 2009.
Restrictions on promotional giveaways and substantial promotional discounts begin on 29th October 2026.
Concerned about illegal or underage sales?
You do not need proof or detailed knowledge of the rules. You can share what you know anonymously through No Ifs. No Butts.
If tobacco shisha is part of your routine, quit support is still for you
Tell Help Me Quit what you use and how often. Their role is to help with nicotine dependence and stopping tobacco, not to judge how you smoke it.