Cancer specialist Jazmin García alerted against the health hazards of hookah smoking in closed areas. She says that youths are exposing themselves to toxic substances that are putting people at risk of lung, brain and throat cancer, among others. She says there is an increase in the incidence of lung, throat, larynges and tongue cancer. She said that the hookah pipe is being shared by many at the same time.
Compared to traditional cigarette smoke, hookah smoke has about 6 times more carbon monoxide and 46 times more tar. Additionally, the charcoal that is used to heat the tobacco contains carbon monoxide, metals, and other cancer-causing agents like polyaromatic hydrocarbons, adding another level of danger to smokers.
“Hookah smoking is toxic, because harmful substances are being consumed. The issue is that users are vaporizing those substances and those chemicals are going to damage the respiratory tract,” said the specialist.
The main cancers affecting those in the Dominican Republic are breast and cervical cancer in women, and colon and prostate cancer in men. This compares to lung cancer, the most prevalent in the world.
She called for more money to be spent on prevention to avoid the spending of very high sums as people seek cures.
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Listin Diario
21 August 2018
