Urinary cotinine in narguila or chicha tobacco smokers

ABSTRACT

Urinary levels of nicotine metabolites were measured in nonsmokers and of tobacco either as cigarettes or as the middle eastern water pipes [narguila]. Levels of urinary cotinine were similar for the smokers of cigarettes [median 30 cigarettes per day] and narguila [median 2 pipes per day, or around 40 grams of tobacco]. Use of water pipes may remove a small amount of nicotine, but smokers appear to titrate dose to effect. It is unlikely that narguila smoking confers any less risk