Hookah Gaining Popularity as Social Smoking Vice

Hookah Smoking Effects Not Safer Than Cigarette Smoking

Sep 7, 2009

Hookah lounges are rapidly increasing in number across the US. Known as hookah, narghile and shisha, the act of water pipe smoking is popular with college students.

Hookah pipe smoking is a form of social smoking originating in India and Persia before eventually spreading to China. Hookah smoking devices are sometimes referred to as shisha, narghile or goza. Often associated with a cafe setting where men can gather to smoke, hookah is quickly becoming popular in the West.

In his August, 25 2009 CNN Money article, "Booming Hookah Biz Links China, Iran, Egypt and Texas," Justin Martin reports on the increase of hookah lounges in the United States. He notes that while US smoking is at its lowest point in recorded history, US hookah smoking lounges have increased by 400% over the past 10 years.

The rise in popularity may stem from legislation which does not allow smoking in restaurants and bars. Since hookah lounges are dedicated to smoking and do not serve food or beverages, the establishments are not bound by such regulations. Hookah lounges are particularly popular with the college crowd, especially students not old enough to enter bars serving alcohol.

And unlike cigarettes, hookah tobacco is often flavored to increase its appeal. According to the online hookah retailer Fumari, best selling flavors include white peach, watermelon, and strawberry, with each costing $9 per 100 grams. For college students, hookah is trendy, flavorful, and moderately affordable.

Price and Use of Hookah Pipes

Hookah pipes are usually tall, standing devices similar in size to the base of a table lamp and generally retail for $40-$125. The pipe includes a bowl which holds the tobacco, as well as a water reservoir. A tube with a mouthpiece on one end attaches to the pipe.

A hookah user inhales on the mouthpiece which causes tobacco to be heated and the smoke drawn through the pipe. The smoke travels through the water and into the tube from which the user is inhaling. Many believe that the action of smoke filtering through the water will remove carcinogenic and other toxic properties of the smoke.

Hookah smokers generally sit around a table and talk while smoking from the hookah pipes. A smoking session can last up to an hour depending on the smoker and tobacco used.

The Effects of Smoking Hookah More Troubling Than Cigarette Smoking

Hookah smoking is believed by many to be healthier than smoking conventional cigarettes since the hookah smoke is drawn through water before entering a smoker's lungs. The water is thought to filter out all of the toxic content therefore causing it to be less harmful.

Edward C. Rosenow III M.D. addresses hookah smoking safety on the Mayo Clinic website by stating, "According to a World Health Organization advisory, a typical one-hour session of hookah smoking exposes the user to 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette." He adds that the water filtering process does not remove highly toxic compounds, carbon monoxide, and carcinogens.

Unlike cigarettes, hookah pipes allow a greater volume of smoke to be ingested. A single hookah smoking session can be the equivalent of smoking 100 cigarettes. With the rise of hookah smoking, especially by a younger segment of the population, health experts are worried about the long term effects.

Hookah Smoking Popular on College Campuses

Given its popularity with college students, many hookah lounges are established near college campuses. A 2008 Wayne State University study of student water pipe use revealed 15.1 percent of students had tried it, while 12.4 percent used hookah in the past year and 4.7 admitted to being regular hookah users. With college students heading back to campus this month, many students will be exposed to the smoking device.

With social aspects, trendy flavors, and affordability, hookah smoking is increasingly popular in the United States. Hookah pipes are quickly becoming a college rite of passage and many health experts fear the activity since hookah smoking is no less harmful than cigarettes. Given the rapid growth of hookah lounges over the past decade, hookah is firmly taking hold as a new smoking trend.

BNC101

Mayo Clinic web site, "Hookah Smoking: Is it safer than cigarette smoking?" Edward C. Rosenow III M.D. (February 22, 2008)

CNN Money, "Booming Hookah Biz Links China, Iran, Egypt and Texas," Justin Martin. (August, 25 2009)

The Detroit News, "Mich. Health Leaders Target Growing Hookah Use," Kim Kozlowski. (August 14, 2009)

U.S. News & World Report web site, "The Rising Allure and Danger of Hookah," Lyndsay Lyon. (January 2, 2008)

Fumari, an online hookah pipe and tobacco retailer web site accessed September 7, 2009

The copyright of the article Hookah Gaining Popularity as Social Smoking Vice in Substance Abuse is owned by Allen Williams. Permission to republish Hookah Gaining Popularity as Social Smoking Vice in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.