Fruit-flavored tobacco sheesha is the newest trend in social (non) smoking in Melbourne.

While it has previously packaged as a less harmful alternative experience to actually smoking, more studies show it is almost exactly like smoking. The fruit flavor is not just an added factor, but actually masks the effects of tobacco.

One of the impressions that people get from these sheesha sessions is that because a hookah or water pipe is used, the smoke is somehow purified. This is a wrong assumption as the same effects of tobacco are there even some products advertised to have zero percent tar. All tobacco products start with zero percent tar but differs in the combustion based on the heat applied.

What's worse is that smoking from a hookah can even be more harmful compared to smoking an ordinary cigarette. As one is supposed to suck harder to get a hit off the pipe, hookah smokers can get anywhere from 50 to 100 times more smoke. This isn't even mentioning the effects of second-hand smoking, which is also a problem in the sheesha cafes.

Cancer Council SA Chief Executive Prof. Brenda Wilson stressed the hidden dangers of this new trend. "Fruit-flavoring added to the tobacco, while it masks the toxic substances in the tobacco does not make it a healthy choice," Wilson said. "As in the case with cigarette smokers, water-pipe tobacco smokers are exposed to the same health dangers, including cancers and cardiovascular diseases," she added.

A review of the typical sheesha smoking session can be from 45 minutes to an hour. Estimated volume of smoke inhaled per session can sometimes be even more than a single cigarette. Patrons of these cafes said initially one will experience lightheadedness or a dizzy spell when first smoking from the hookah pipe. But eventually it wears off, much like in a real smoking habit.

This might be an indication as to how something that can be seen as a fun activity can actually be harmful for one's body. When it comes to trends like these, it is better to know more about the effects of the product as general labels can be misleading.

Meanwhile, sheesha café owners are quick to say that if their business must shut down, all other alcohol selling establishments must go as well since alcohol has negative effects on a human body.