1 Hookah = How Many Cigarettes? The Truth About What You’re Really Inhaling

Hookah has this reputation for being “safe.” It smells like candy, but it hits better than cigarette smoke. It’s fruity, it doesn’t burn, and since the smoke passes through water, people assume it filters out the bad stuff. Assumptions! That's straight-up false.

If you've ever wondered how many cigarettes are in one hookah sesh, buckle up. We're going deep today. We're here to clear the clouds and give you the truth about hookah tobacco smoking. Let's look at what's in hookah, how that compares to smoking cigarettes, and exactly why one hookah session can do real damage.

For those who love the ritual and hate the risks, it's time to choose nicotine-free stuff that separates itself from the cigarette shenanigans. Blakk Smoke gives you the cleanest way to hit flavors without tobacco and nicotine, or any of that harsh junk in cigs. Our on-the-go hookah pens give you 2,024 puffs of fruit-based shisha. No addiction, no toxins, and no giant clouds of regret.

So, What Is Hookah Anyway?

Hookah, aka water pipe, shisha, or hubble bubble, is a setup that burns flavored tobacco (called shisha) using charcoal. The tobacco smoke travels through water, up a hose, and straight into your lungs.

• A standard hookah setup includes:
• A bowl that holds the hookah tobacco
• Charcoal to heat it
• A water-filled base
• A hose and a mouthpiece to inhale the smoke

Shisha usually contains tobacco leaves, molasses or honey, glycerin, and a ton of added flavors. It smells incredible, but don’t let that fruity scent fool you. Underneath it, you’re still inhaling nicotine, tar, and toxic chemicals. Read more about health effects of nicotine. 

Hookah vs. Cigarettes

A typical hookah session lasts about one hour, sometimes even more. Pediatrician Ellen Rome, MD, MPH, explains that within that period, you can inhale approximately 200 puffs of hookah smoke. Compare that to smoking cigarettes, where you get about 20 puffs per session.

The Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research reports that 40 minutes of shisha smoking is equivalent to 100 or more cigarettes. The American Lung Association (ALA) further indicates that hookah users are exposed to "9 times more carbon monoxide and 1.7 times more nicotine" than cigarette smokers. That means that smoking hookah gives you almost twice the burden of risk that's also presented by cigarette smoke.

These numbers are wild, and they don't stop there. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adds that a person smoking hookah for an hour inhales around 90,000 ml of toxin-filled smoke. That's about 100-200 times more than a person smoking one cigarette (about 500-600 ml of smoke).

What's crazy is that the water pipe does nothing to the toxic chemicals. It only cools the smoke, so it can feel smoother when inhaling. That cooling sensation doesn’t mean it’s safe. According to the CDC, the water does not filter out the chemicals like people think.

What’s Actually in Hookah Smoke?

Let’s get into the scary part: the actual stuff you’re inhaling.

• Carbon Monoxide – The Silent Threat: Hookah smokers take in way more carbon monoxide than cigarette smokers. That’s the same stuff that comes out of car exhaust. It messes with your oxygen levels and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Nicotine – Still Addictive: Even though it feels different, smoking hookah delivers nicotine levels that beat cigarettes. That’s what makes it addictive. The more nicotine you take in, the harder it is to quit. The principle behind addiction to cigarette smoke is the same as in hookah.
• Other Chemicals – It’s Not Just Smoke: A single hookah sesh also exposes you to harmful chemicals like tar, lead, heavy metals, and carcinogens (the cancer-causing stuff).

All of the above hits your lungs, bloodstream, and organs, just like with cigarettes, and because of the large volume of smoke, it's worse.

It's much better to choose hookah products that are tobacco and nicotine-free. If you're wary of heavy metals rushing into your system, try these nicotine-free hookah vape pens made with 100% fruit for a healthier alternative.

Health Risks Associated With Hookah Smoking

Smoking hookah, just like cigarettes, comes with serious health effects.

1. Your Lungs Are The First To Suffer

Both the CDC and ALA have found that hookah smoking can impact lung health. Hookah smokers often deal with:

• Chronic bronchitis
• Asthma attacks
• Lung disease
• Decreased lung function

It may not feel harsh at first, but over a longer period, the damage adds up fast.

2. Your Heart is at Risk

Hookah smoking can raise your heart rate and blood pressure, stressing out your cardiovascular system even after just one hookah session. The CDC states that the chemicals in hookah smoke can also cause clogging of arteries and heart disease.

3. Cancer Starts Creeping In

A study in the Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research provides evidence of shisha smoking being a risk factor for lung, oral, oesophageal, stomach, bladder, colorectal, and nasopharyngeal cancer.

The effects of hookah smoking also affect everyone around you. The idea of secondhand smoke from cigarettes is the same when it comes to shisha. Note that shisha tobacco smoking carries many of the same risks. If you're in the room while someone else is doing shisha, you're also breathing in harmful chemicals like lead, tar, and carbon monoxide. Imagine smoking 100 cigarettes without ever touching one or even placing your lips on a water pipe.

It's time to style up and become more health-conscious. These non-tobacco fruit shisha flavors can help you make better choices.

Is Hookah Better Than Cigarettes?

Both hookah and cigarettes have a nasty mix of dangerous chemicals, from lead to tar, and so much more. However, a hookah smoking session lasts longer and involves deeper, more frequent inhales, which implies exposure to high levels of tobacco.

More so, many smokers believe the water acts as a filter. But that’s not how it works. Water only cools the smoke, making it easier to inhale more of it. You’re still getting a big part of the tobacco.

Note that smoking hookah is often tied to social interaction and bonding. That makes it easier to underestimate the risks and harder to stop. However, if smoking is your jam, ditch the shisha hookahs in the same way you ditched cigarette smoke.

Choose something that gives you and your crew the vibe, minus the risks. Get one of these real fruit, tobacco, and nicotine-free mint hookah vapes and enjoy the same phat clouds without the heavy metals.

Rethinking the Hookah Habit

The CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) are not mincing their words. Fact sheets from both organizations give warnings that tobacco and cigarette smoke are dangerous and packed with harmful carcinogens. Public health campaigns are pushing hard to highlight the health risks, particularly among younger crowds who are being carried away by hookah advertising that makes it look cool or “clean.”

However, that's not the case. Let’s run it back real quick:

• A one-hour hookah session can equal smoking 100 cigarettes.
• It delivers high levels of nicotine, smoke, and toxins.
• The health risks include everything from lung disease and cancer to heart problems.
• And no, the water doesn’t filter out the bad stuff.

If you’re rethinking your next hookah pull, you’re not alone. There’s a smarter way to enjoy the vibe without inhaling carbon monoxide, lead, tar, or all that toxic junk.

Join the Nicotine-Free Movement with Blakk Smoke

Are you still wondering how many cigarettes are in one hookah session? The research is clear, and it shows that one hour of hookah can equal the smoke of 100 cigarettes, sometimes even more. That fruity aroma and smooth pull may feel less intense, but it has a high toxic load. Hookah smoke delivers significant levels of nicotine, carbon monoxide, tar, and carcinogens, and the water does nothing to filter them out.

If you still want the hookah experience without the nicotine or addiction, Blakk Smoke has everything you need. Instead of smoking almost 100 cigarettes in one hour, choose on-the-go hookah pens that come packed with 2,024 tobacco-free puffs. We give you a range of 100% real fruity flavors and clean clouds that don’t mess with your lungs or vibe. It’s the same cool energy, just smarter.

References

1. American Lung Association. (2025, April 8). Facts about hookah. ALA.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 17). Hookahs. CDC.
3. Patil, S., Mahuli, A. V., & Warnakulasuriya, S. (2022). Effects of smoking shisha, cancer risk, and strategies for prevention of shisha habit. Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research, 12(4), 439-443.
4. World Health Organization. (2017, July 20). Tobacco free initiative. WHO.