When it comes to unhealthy habits, while we’re all aware of the dangers of secondhand cigarette smoke, the matter of water pipes is still a hot topic.

With this in mind, a team of researchers at NYUAD’s Public Health Research Center have carried out a study to determine the air pollution in shisha-, cigarette- and non-smoking households.

Surveying 33 UAE homes in total, they measured levels of carbon monoxide and airborne particles, and found levels in shisha-smoking homes were five times higher than in those of cigarette smokers.

Analysis from other rooms showed that shutting the door does not prevent the gas seeping through the home, with levels in shisha-smoking homes topping four times those of homes where cigarettes are smoked.