Abstract: BROCHURE IN FRENCH http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dgbz283m_23f696g4

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Abstract: Other lang. title: Bibliographie internationale annotée sur la prévention de l'abus des drogues par l'éducation; Bibliografía internacional anotada sobre la educación en prevención del abuso de drogas

Abstract: Critical comment on: Tamim H, Yunis KA, Chemaitelly H, Alameh M, Nassar AH; National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network Beirut, Lebanon. Effect of narghile and cigarette smoking on newborn birthweight. BJOG. 2008 Jan;115(1):91-7.

Abstract: [A critique of: Meleigy M. Water-pipe and communicable diseases link, says WHO. The Lancet/Infections 2007 (July); Vol 7; issue 7:448. http://infection.thelancet.com] There is a dearth of sound research in this field. Recently, a Syrian team led by Khoury has analysed 41 narghile hoses in several cafes of the Aleppo (Syria) region. They have detected the presence of various bacterial germs, 80% of which were to be found in the hoses of downtown cafés [1]. In Tunisia, narghile lighters deserve a special attention as Kamel et al. found that 10 of them featured among 385 bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis patients followed over a full decade [2]. I have informed The Lancet (Infectious Diseases) that a serious error has slipped in its paper on �water-pipe� and communicable diseases [3]. Its author relied on one of the numerous erroneous statements contained in the first WHO report on hookah (narghile, shisha) smoking [4] and declared: �According to an advisory released by WHO, studies have shown that the risk of transmission of tuberculosis from an infected waterpipe is similar to the risk of transmission of living with an infected individual in the same household.� While acknowledging the existence of this error and thanking me for correcting it, Dr Hargreaves, Editor of The Lancet ID, said she was �unable to publish [my] letter in the print journal because of the time delay� (28 Sept 2007). In these conditions, I wished to take this opportunity to inform Tabaccologia�s readers on what research actually says on this potential risk. First, the WHO �Advisory� report states (page 5, 9th conclusion) that �sharing a waterpipe mouthpiece poses a serious risk of transmission of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and hepatitis�. This statement was wrongly attributed to researchers (Kniskowny et al) who were not the authors of studies on such risks. In the case of hepatitis, these studies were carried on by Habib et al. and Medhat et al.. As for tuberculosis, they were carried on, recently, by Munckhof et al. and long before by Salem et al. References already given in the critique of the erroneous WHO report will not be repeated here [4]. As for �the risk of transmission of living with an infected individual in the household�, the only study that began to mention this aspect in relation with �water-pipe� use is, unfortunately, available only in Danish [5]. On a practical level, this potential risk of communicable diseases seems to be controlled thanks to the systematic use of personal aseptic disposable nozzles in hookah lounges and neo-orientalist coffee houses of the world. It is certainly good news in view of the growing size of the corresponding epidemic. Harm reduction prevention messages directed at smokers who do not want to quit now, should recommend their use [4].

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Abstract: BACKGROUND: Hookah (narghile, shisha) smoking is growing worldwide and particularly in France. The main reasons for this are: first, the arrival on the market of new highly flavored tobacco-based mixtures; second, a new type of charcoal used as a quick heating source; third, the pleasure to experiment with an exotic orientalist practice or the desire to return to the corresponding tradition; fourth, the belief that water filtration would lower the risk of smoking. METHODS AND RESULTS: Long-term epidemiological data on complications are scarce. Little is known about qualitative and quantitative transformations occurring when hookah is smoked (in particular regarding carcinogenic agents). Such information will be difficult to collect due to the lack of standardization for this mode of tobacco use. The only current consensus on this issue is that a significant amount of carbon monoxide is produced by the charcoal used to heat and distil the tobacco-molasses mixture. Apart from direct inhalation, concentrations measured in some fashionable hookah lounges and bars are particularly high. Moreover, the additives contained in the widely used quick-lighting charcoals and their harmlessness remain unknown. CONCLUSION: This study sets out the available scientific knowledge regarding the real medical consequences related to the growing use of hookah and focuses on the best known and urgent issue, i.e. concern related to carbon monoxide intoxication in a very peculiar context.

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Abstract: Objective: To find CEA levels in smokers of different categories (hookah smokers, cigarette smokers smoking different brands of cigarettes and different number of cigarettes per day) and to correlate CEA levels with type and rate of smoking. Methods: A total of 122 cigarette smokers (115 men and 7 women) and 14 hookah smokers (all men) with age ranging from 16-80 years were studied. CEA levels were also measured in 36 non-smokers who served as controls. Enhanced chemilumiscent immunometeric technique was applied to measure CEA levels in our subjects. Results: The mean CEA levels of cigarette smokers were compared with the mean CEA levels observed in hookah smokers (7.16 ±10.4 ng/ml) and non-smokers (2.15 ± 0.68 ng/ml). The mean value of CEA level observed in cigarette smokers, 9.19 ± 14.9 ng/ml (n=122) was significantly higher than the levels in non-smokers and hookah smokers (p<0.0067). It was also observed that CEA levels increased with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The highest levels were observed in smokers who smoke more than 31 cigarettes per day. The smokers that use relatively cheaper brands of cigarettes had higher levels of CEA compared to those who use high quality brands. Conclusion: It was concluded that the brands of cigarettes (which were ranked on the basis of price) and the rate of smoking both play an important role in raising the CEA levels. Further the common belief that hookah also called narghile or shisha is a relatively safe mode of smoking is not completely correct; a significant proportion of hookah smokers have high levels of CEA although mean levels of hookah smokers were low compared to cigarette smokers (JPMA 57:595;2007).

Abstract: Many biomedical studies of the past seven years have failed in giving a sound picture of what hookah (shisha, narghile, goza) smoke and smoking are. The reasons are many: from the widespread use of a confusing neologism (�waterpipe�) instead of the few clear and natural words used for centuries by indigenous and non-indigenous people in their real life, to the use of artificial smoking (machines) instead of relying on quantitative and qualitative analysis of toxicants directly performed on real hookah smokers.

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