How shisha is harmful
Last updated August 2026
Read time 1 minute
Shisha smoke harms you and others around you, including babies and children.
What is shisha?
Shisha is a way of smoking tobacco using a waterpipe. Waterpipes are also called hookah, narghile, arghile, hubble bubble or goza.
Shisha works by heating moist tobacco, called maassel, with burning charcoal or electric heating. The smoke passes through water and is breathed in through a hose and mouthpiece.
It’s important to know:
Shisha smoke harms you and others around you, including babies and children.
Herbal, tobacco‑free, and electronic shisha still make harmful chemicals.
Filters, mouthpieces, additives and water do not clean the smoke.
Quitting protects you and the people around you.
You can get support to quit shisha, in your language, by talking to Quit on 13 7848 or WhatsApp +61 385 832 920.
You can also download the information on this page as a Shisha fact sheet or postcard. Arabic versions are also available: fact sheet and postcard.
Why shisha is harmful
Shisha smoke contains hundreds of different chemicals, including nicotine which is very addictive, and other dangerous chemicals and particles that can cause cancer. The maassel, charcoal and flavourings used in shisha all produce harmful chemicals when heated or burned.
Compared to smoking one cigarette, during a 1‑hour shisha session someone will breathe in around:
2 to 3 times the amount of nicotine
11 times the amount of carbon monoxide
25 times the amount of tar
100 times more lead
Learn more: Shisha smoking in-depth information.
Shisha smoke can cause serious health problems for you and others around you, including babies and children, including:
Faster heart rate and higher blood pressure.
Coughing, wheezing, weaker lungs and worse asthma in children.
Heart disease, lung disease, stroke.
Cancers (lung, stomach, bladder, head and neck).
Problems in pregnancy, including low birth weight which means the baby may be more likely to become sick.
Shisha and young people
Young people who smoke shisha are more than twice as likely to start smoking cigarettes.
Nicotine addiction happens quickly, especially in young people.
Nicotine harms the developing brain, affecting memory and concentration.
Learn more: Understand how addiction works
Benefits of quitting shisha
When you quit shisha:
Your lungs get healthier.
You are less likely to get heart disease, cancer or have a stroke.
You set a positive example and help keep your family and community healthy.
You save money.
Get support: Find the right quit method for you
Contact Quitline
Speak directly with a trained quit specialist. Our counsellors are available to provide immediate support, personalised quit plans, and answer all your questions.
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