Does Hookah Get You High or Just Relaxed? What It Feels Like
Written by: Reza Bavar | Research & Technical Contribution by: Vinny
Hookah smoking carries health risks. Dizziness, headache, or nausea can signal carbon monoxide poisoning; equipment changes do not prevent these effects.
Last updated: September 27, 2026 · Written by Reza Bavar · Reviewed by Reza Bavar
Tobacco shisha delivers nicotine. It does not contain THC, the cannabis compound that NIDA describes as intoxicating [2]. Nicotine still acts on the body and brain. NIDA reports that it triggers an adrenaline release that raises blood pressure, breathing and heart rate, and that it activates reward pathways in the brain [3]. The CDC describes nicotine as highly addictive [4]. Hookah smoke also carries carbon monoxide from the charcoal [4]. Dizziness, headache or nausea can be symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning [5].
Does hookah get you high?
A hookah is a device. What it delivers depends on what is in the bowl. Tobacco shisha delivers nicotine. Cannabis produces its high through THC, which NIDA says can temporarily alter mood, thoughts and perceptions [2]. Nicotine works differently. NIDA describes an adrenaline release that stimulates the body and raises blood pressure, breathing and heart rate [3].
Words like "buzz" or "relaxed" describe how people report the experience. They are not measurements, and they say nothing about exposure. For what hookah smoke contains, see Nicotine in Hookah: Exposure, Heat, and Filtration Limits. For how nicotine is absorbed, see Does Hookah Have Nicotine? Absorption, Effects, and Exposure.
How is hookah different from cigarettes and cannabis?
| Product | Main active compound | What the sources report |
|---|---|---|
| Hookah (tobacco shisha) | Nicotine | One session: about 1.7 times the nicotine and nearly 9 times the carbon monoxide of one cigarette [4] |
| Cigarettes | Nicotine | The average smoker takes in 1 to 2 mg of nicotine per cigarette [3] |
| Cannabis | THC | Intoxicating effects that can temporarily alter mood, thoughts and perceptions [2] |
The CDC reports that a person who smokes hookah for an hour, a typical session, inhales about 90,000 ml of smoke. That is 100 to 200 times the smoke of a single cigarette [4].
Why do some people feel dizzy during or after hookah?
The CDC lists headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion as common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning [5]. The CDC also notes that the charcoal used to heat hookah tobacco can produce high levels of carbon monoxide [4]. Carbon monoxide poisoning linked to hookah smoking has been described in the medical literature [6].
CDC workplace guidance says to get to fresh air and seek medical help immediately when these symptoms appear [7]. Adjusting heat or airflow is not a response to symptoms.
For how charcoal burns and what it gives off, see Hookah Coals Explained.
Does smooth smoke mean less nicotine?
No. The CDC states that the water in a hookah does not filter smoke. Even after the smoke passes through the water, it has high levels of toxic agents [4]. How smooth the smoke feels is not evidence of lower exposure.
What does heat management change?
Heat management is hardware physics. A hookah heat management device holds the charcoal above the shisha and spreads its heat through metal. Kaloud works to a shisha range of 130 to 220°C. Above about 220°C, the glycerol and propylene glycol in shisha start to break down. A 2017 PLOS One lab study of heated glycerol and propylene glycol, the solvents in e-cigarette liquids, detected carbonyl formation starting around 215°C [1]. That was a study of the solvents, not a hookah measurement.
In three Kaloud test sessions with a Kaloud Lotus I+3 on a tall black bowl with 30 g of shisha, the hottest bowl reading was 219.2°C. Sessions ran 81 to 91 minutes, and every session stayed below 220°C at its hottest point [8]. These readings describe bowl temperature. They do not measure nicotine, carbon monoxide or how a session feels. Kaloud makes no claim that heat management changes how nicotine or carbon monoxide affect the body.
For the full temperature range, see what temperature shisha should be heated to. For what happens above it, see what happens to shisha molasses when it overheats. For heat control basics, see why heat management is the core hookah skill. For care of the airflow path, see how to clean a hookah properly.
Frequently asked questions
Does hookah get you high?
Tobacco shisha delivers nicotine, not THC, the cannabis compound that NIDA describes as intoxicating. Nicotine still acts on the body and brain. NIDA reports that it triggers an adrenaline release that raises blood pressure, breathing and heart rate, and that it activates reward pathways in the brain. The CDC describes nicotine as highly addictive.
Why can hookah make you dizzy?
The CDC lists dizziness as a common symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning, along with headache, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. The CDC also notes that hookah charcoal can produce high levels of carbon monoxide. CDC guidance says to get to fresh air and seek medical help immediately when these symptoms appear.
Is hookah stronger than a cigarette?
The CDC reports that one hookah session can expose a person to about 1.7 times the nicotine and nearly 9 times the carbon monoxide of a single cigarette. A typical session lasts about an hour, and the CDC estimates about 90,000 ml of smoke inhaled in that time, 100 to 200 times the smoke of one cigarette.
Does smooth hookah smoke mean less nicotine?
No. The CDC states that the water in a hookah does not filter smoke, and that the smoke still has high levels of toxic agents after it passes through the water. How smooth or cool the smoke feels is not evidence of lower nicotine or carbon monoxide exposure.
Does heat management change how hookah feels?
Kaloud makes no such claim. A heat management device controls how charcoal heat reaches the shisha, and Kaloud's tests measured bowl temperature only. They did not measure nicotine, carbon monoxide or any effect on the body. The charcoal still burns in every session and still produces carbon monoxide.
References
- "A Device-Independent Evaluation of Carbonyl Emissions from Heated Electronic Cigarette Solvents." PLOS One, 2017. journals.plos.org
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Cannabis (Marijuana)." Research topics. nida.nih.gov
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. "How does tobacco deliver its effects?" Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes Research Report. nida.nih.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Hookahs." Smoking and Tobacco Use. Last reviewed October 17, 2024. cdc.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics." cdc.gov
- Retzky, S. S. "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Hookah Smoking: An Emerging Public Health Problem." Journal of Medical Toxicology 13, no. 2 (2017): 193 to 194. doi.org/10.1007/s13181-017-0617-5
- CDC, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. "Carbon Monoxide Hazards at Work." cdc.gov
- Kaloud internal temperature logs, Lotus I+3, tall black bowl, 30 g, LOG200-TC logger with Type K thermocouples. Sessions of 13, 20 and 23 September 2026.
About the author: Reza Bavar is the founder, CEO and lead designer of Kaloud. He writes about hookah hardware, heat management and materials.
Reviewed by: Reza Bavar, founder, CEO and lead designer of Kaloud. He designed the Kaloud Lotus heat management device.