Former Director of the Korle Bu Cardio Centre, Dr Lawrence Serebour, has cautioned against shisha smoking, describing the practice as “slow-acting suicide” due to its potentially devastating effects on human health. He warned that shisha exposes users to dangerous chemicals that can damage vital organs and increase the risk of cancer. He also dismissed the widespread perception that shisha is safer than conventional cigarettes because the smoke passes through water, explaining that the water does not remove harmful substances.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, November 6, during a discussion on “Shisha: Status Symbol or Slow Poison”, Dr Serebour highlighted the dangers associated with the charcoal used to heat tobacco in shisha pipes. According to him, the charcoal produces significant amounts of carbon monoxide, exposing users to potentially higher levels of the poisonous gas than conventional cigarette smokers.
“It’s a lie. In fact, the carbon monoxide that you inhale from shisha smoking is far more than what you get from cigarette smoking,” he said. He explained that carbon monoxide interferes with the body’s ability to transport oxygen through the bloodstream and can negatively affect vital organs, particularly the heart and lungs. Dr Serebour further rejected claims that passing shisha smoke through water makes it safer, insisting that the process does not effectively remove harmful chemicals.
Shisha exposes users to excessive smoke
The cardiologist also raised concerns about the volume of smoke inhaled during a typical shisha session. He estimated that spending an hour smoking shisha could expose users to a volume of smoke comparable to that inhaled from smoking between 100 and 200 cigarettes.
He explained that while a conventional cigarette may be consumed after approximately 20 puffs, shisha smokers can take more than 200 puffs during a single hour-long session. Dr Serebour further noted that tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, with approximately 70 identified as cancer-causing substances.
He said tobacco use has been linked to several types of cancer, including cancers of the mouth, lips, larynx, oesophagus, lungs and bladder. It can also cause serious complications affecting the heart, lungs and other vital organs. “You are poisoning yourself. You are producing cancer for your body,” he warned.
Cardiologist describes shisha as ‘slow-acting suicide’
Dr Serebour said the potentially severe health consequences of shisha consumption informed his decision to describe the practice as a form of slow suicide. He cautioned that users who continue the habit risk exposing themselves to life-threatening illnesses and long-term damage to their bodies.
He also highlighted the addictive nature of shisha, explaining that tobacco products contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance. When asked whether shisha smoking could lead to addiction, he stressed: “Nicotine is highly, highly addictive.” He added that certain tobacco products may contain additional substances that further increase their addictive potential.
