Hubbly bubbly water pipes pose a serious cancer risk, Beeld reported on Wednesday.
Professor Andre van Zyl of the University of Pretoria warned that children as young as eight to youths of 24 are most at risk of the dangers of the pipes.
“It is more dangerous than cigarettes. People inhale the smoke deeper because it is such soothing flavoured tobacco,” he said.
He issued this warning at a media briefing of the South African Dental Association in Cape Town.
Because hubbly bubblies are smoked for longer periods, poisons equivalent to 100 cigarettes can be inhaled.
It is also incorrectly assumed that the water filtered out dangerous elements.
Younger people using the water pipes were exposed to a greater risk of mouth and throat cancer, he said. — Sapa