Tobacco use in shisha: Studies on waterpipe smoking

1.2 Structure of waterpipes
Parts are shown <strong>in</strong> the order of the smoke’s pathway from tobacco to mouthpiece (Figure 1.2).
1. A holder to burn tobacco with charcoal on top, called a korsi. The tobacco load on the korsi
is called hagar, which <strong>in</strong> the 1970s was almost equivalent to one cigarette.[1] Sometimes,
a cover is <strong>use</strong>d to keep the charcoal hot.
2. A stem pipe, connect<strong>in</strong>g the korsi to the water conta<strong>in</strong>er
3. Water conta<strong>in</strong>er, the size of which may vary. Accord<strong>in</strong>gly the degree of filtration depends
on its size (the water is analogous to the filter <strong>in</strong> a cigarette). Sometimes juice or rose
water is added to the water <strong>in</strong> order to add more flavours to the tobacco.
4. A pipe or hose, made of rubber <strong>in</strong> the <strong>shisha</strong> and bouri and a wooden hollowed stick <strong>in</strong>
the gouza. It is connected to the top of the water conta<strong>in</strong>er draw<strong>in</strong>g air that comes off the
water surface by suction from the mouthpiece.
5. A mouthpiece fixed to the hose, changed after each <strong>use</strong>, is <strong>use</strong>d <strong>in</strong> cafés <strong>in</strong> urban areas
to counteract a commonly expressed physician’s belief that waterpipe may transmit
<strong>in</strong>fections through shar<strong>in</strong>g.
6. A pair of tongs may be attached to the side of the korsi to manipulate the charcoal.
Figure 1.2 Pathway of smoke through waterpipe
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