Study Shows Hookah Smoke Just as Dangerous as Cigarette Smoke
Despite nationwide bans on smoking, hookah bars are becoming an increasingly popular venue, especially near college campuses. A new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has found that 40.3 percent of college students surveyed reported smoking from a hookah, and 17.5 percent say they actively use hookahs.
A hookah is a water pipe that uses charcoal to heat tobacco that has been soaked in molasses or honey and flavored. The smoke is cooled by water before passing through a rubber hose to the mouthpiece, where it is inhaled, so it feels “smoother” than cigarette smoke. Flavors include bubble gum, mango, mint, and chocolate, which can be appealing to young adults, and act as a “gateway” to cigarette smoking.
Erin L. Sutfin, Ph.D., lead author of the study and an assistant professor in the Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, said that the popularity of hookahs among young adults is concerning due to the risk of negative health effects, adding that many young adults mistakenly think that it is safer to smoke from a hookah than it is to smoke cigarettes.
The researchers conducted a web-based survey to a random sample of students from eight North Carolina colleges asking about smoking patterns, drug habits, and their knowledge of these behaviors. They found that 40.3 percent of the students reported having smoked from a hookah, and 46.6 percent reported having smoked cigarettes. Almost 25 percent of students said they currently smoked cigarettes, and 17.4 percent said they actively used hookahs.
They found that freshman students and male students were more likely to use hookahs, and that there was a link between those who used hookahs and those who smoked cigarettes, smoking marijuana, drank alcohol, and used other illegal drugs in the last 30 days.
The researchers found that 22 percent of those who identified as hookah users had never tried smoking cigarettes, suggesting that hookahs are their first exposure to tobacco. Sutfin said that because of the pleasant aroma and taste of hookah smoke may make users inhale more deeply over a longer period of time, which means they could be inhaling a larger amount of tobacco smoke than most cigarette smokers do.
The survey also found that students who attended a college located within 10 miles of a hookah venue were more likely to use. The researchers said this is the first study to look at the link between the location of hookah venue and hookah use among college students.
Hookah venues in North Carolina can get around the smoking ban by not serving food or alcohol, or by serving herbal products (instead of tobacco products) for smoking. Sutfin said their findings show that policies need to be put in place for hookah use, and that college administrators need to be aware of hookah use. Sutfin added that hookah pipes may not be properly cleaned, increasing the risk of spreading infectious diseases.
While more research needs to be conducted, evidence suggests that hookah smoking can be just as dangerous as smoking cigarettes. Hookah smoke contains toxic compounds such as tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, and cancer-causing chemicals. Smoking from a hookah actually exposes users to more carbon monoxide and smoke than cigarette smokers are exposed to.
Source: Science Daily, Hookah Use Widespread Among College Students; Study Reveals Mistaken Perception of Safety in Potential Gateway Drug, April 6, 2011
