Hookah Use Linked to Increased Presence of Chemical Linked to Cancer
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Credit: Image Source/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — A study conducted by researchers in San Diego found a link between hookah smoking an a toxin that has been known to cause cancer.
According to the study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, urine samples taken from a group of hookah smokers and non-smokers were tested to determine the amount of benzene in their body. Benzene, a chemical that has been linked to certain cancers, including leukemia, is often found in higher amounts in the bodies of those who smoke cigarettes.
Researchers said that the participants in their study who had smoked hooked had benzene byproducts in their systems at nearly 30 times the amount as in non-smokers. All participants were tested following a lounge event.
It was not clear whether a link exists between hookah use and an increased risk of leukemia.
