真的嗎?水菸(Hookahs)比香菸對健康無害?

Really?
The Claim: Hookahs Are Safer Than Cigarettes (原文連結)

As cigarette bans have proliferated in recent years, hookah lounges have become a popular alternative, in part because the flavored smoke is believed to be less harmful than cigarette smoke. But research suggests otherwise.
近幾年來推廣禁止吸煙的範圍不斷變大,水煙Lounge變成一個受歡迎的另類選擇.有部份是因為這些加味的煙被相信比香煙來得要無害,不過研究卻告訴我們並非如此.

台北聽說也有可以抽水煙的Lounge,個人不抽菸,不過聽說水煙很香不像香煙,有朋友提議去過,加上充滿異國風情慵懶的音樂,我想那應該是個讓人飄飄欲仙放鬆的好地方.後來因故沒有成行,不無小小遺憾.不過就像某些時尚絢麗的夜店,我也知道我去呆不久,一開始的新鮮刺激過了後,我應該又重回到對這種場合覺得疲勞的宅男陣營.什麼?你說辣妹嗎?我沒有天真到認為我自己是個把妹高手,更何況那根本不是我地盤,鯊魚就算水中稱王,在森林裡也是無用武之地只能倒在地上喘氣吧!

我們常聽到禁煙禁酒,只要官方禁止的東西我們在新聞常見這個字ban,它可以當動詞也可以當名詞
動詞(V):To ban something means to state officially that it must not be done, shown, or used.
e.g. Canada will ban smoking in all offices later this year. 加拿大今年稍後將在所有辦公室禁止抽煙.
名詞(N):A ban is an official ruling that something must not be done, shown, or used.
e.g. The General also lifted a ban on political parties. 這位將軍也對政黨下了禁令.

proliferate 這個字如果要用成語來形容就是數量成長的速度有如雨後春筍一般.
(V)If things proliferate, they increase in number very quickly. (FORMAL)
e.g. Computerized data bases are proliferating fast... 電腦化資料庫的數量成長快速
e.g. fears that nuclear weapons might proliferate. 害怕核子武器的擴散

It is true that in hookahs, also known as water pipes, the smoke is often flavored and filtered through water. The problem is that people who use hookahs typically inhale far more smoke than cigarette smokers, exposing them to potentially higher levels of nicotine, carbon monoxide and other chemicals. Most studies show that small water pipes produce the highest levels of carbon monoxide, followed by cigarettes and then large water pipes.
沒錯水煙通常都調味過且經水過濾.問題是抽水煙的人吸入的煙量通常遠超過抽香菸的人,這也隱含了使他們暴露於更高劑量的尼古丁,一氧化碳還有其他化學物質中.大部分研究顯示小的水煙管產生最高的一氧化碳,接下來依序為香煙跟大的水煙管.
inhale: When you inhale, you breathe in. When you inhale something such as smoke, you take it into your lungs when you breathe in.
e.g. He took a long slow breath, inhaling deeply...
e.g. He was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke.
≠ exhale
Inhale deeply.(大大的吸口氣) Exhale deeply.(大大的吐口氣)

One extensive report on hookahs was published in 2005 by the World Health Organization. It found that in a single smoking session, cigarette smokers typically took 8 to 12 puffs and inhaled 0.5 to 0.6 liters of smoke over five to seven minutes. In contrast, hookah smokers may take 50 to 200 puffs of up to a liter of smoke each during a single session.
另外WHO(對,台灣進不去那個)在2005有發表一個關於水煙的延伸報告.據報告抽一節煙(這樣翻有點爆笑,不過我想大家懂的),抽香菸的通常抽個8-12口在5-7分鐘裡每口吸入約0.5-0.6公升的煙.比較起來,抽水煙的一節會抽50-200口,每口最多可高達1公升的煙.
puff:If someone puffs at a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, they smoke it.(吸口煙的動詞就這個字,不過依前後文不同有時會特指吐煙)
e.g. He lit a cigar and puffed at it twice...
e.g Richard lit another cigarette and puffed smoke towards the ceiling...
e.g The weather was dry and cold; wisps of steam puffed from their lips.

“The water pipe smoker may therefore inhale as much smoke during one session as a cigarette smoker would inhale consuming 100 or more cigarettes,” the report said.
報告中說,抽水煙的可能一節中吸入抽菸者抽100支香煙甚至更多的量.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Hookahs can be just as hazardous as cigarettes.
結論,水煙根香煙一樣有害.

照我的看法,人生追求舒服爽快在所難免,不過既無害又爽快的煙似乎還沒出現.

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