GROWING numbers of school pupils in Glasgow are experimenting with shisha pipes because they mistakenly believe it it safer than cigarettes, evidence shows.

Health campaigners said the fruit flavours of the tobacco such as apple, strawberry, mint and cola were giving young people the false impression it was not harmful.

A city-wide survey found that cigarette smoking rates have dropped by half from S1 to S6 over the last three years but schools are facing fresh challenges.

While shisha is more common amongst the South Asian population, smoking prevention workers said anecdotal evidence suggests friends are also trying it.

Shisha originates from the Middle East and certain areas of Asia and is a tobacco-based product that is designed to be smoked in a waterpipe.

It has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years with cafes popping up in cities across the country.

However smoking a pipe for an hour is the the equivalent of puffing away on 100 cigarettes.

The flavours and colourful packaging have led some health campaigners describing shisha as the tobacco equivalent of ‘alcopops.'

One 14-year-old from Holyrood Secondary said he was aware of pupils smoking shisha.

Melanie Owen, Health Improvement Lead for Tobacco and Young People for NHSGGC said:"There is a perception that it is safer than cigarettes.

"Young people are seeing their friends doing it.

"We explain that it has all the same toxins. It has the tar and carbon monoxide and the volume of smoke is equal to 100 cigarettes.

"There is also the risk of mouth infections such as cold sores from passing the pipe around.

"The figures we have are quite low but we always include it now in our smoking awareness sessions."

In 2012 a shisha bar in Glasgow became the first to be prosecuted in court for flouting Scotland's smoking ban.

Around 150 young people gathered at Hampden Park yesterday to take part in focus groups aimed at tackle some of the concerns that emerged in the Health and Wellbeing Survey.

Data was gathered from more than 11,200 teenagers from S1 to S6 and found that fewer young people are drinking alcohol but almost a third in S3 to S6 admitted to having unprotected sex.

Fiona Moss, Head of Health Improvement & Inequalities, Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, said: "That's a major concern.

"We have to support young people to have respect for themselves and to look after themselves.

”This raises issues on how all agencies and faiths work with young people on sexual health matters.

"There are a number of locations where young people can get free condoms such as in libraries and pharmacies.

"However, young people are doing a lot better than we did.

"Thinking about when we were at school, there were so many young people smoking. Young people are choosing not to smoke now."

Fraser McFarlane, a third year pupil at Holyrood Secondary, said: "The Health Summit has been a great experience because all of our local schools have been able to work together for the purpose of raising awareness of all aspects of health."