A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that students are frequently engaging in hookah smoking, but are highly unaware of the health risks involved in the activity.
The study, conducted at the University of South Florida, surveyed 478 graduate and undergraduate students. Of the group of students, 54.4 percent said they had smoked from a hookah pipe at least once in their life.
When students were asked about the harmfulness of hookah smoking, 74.6 percent indicated that hookah smoking is harmful for health. However, 12.8 percent reported they were unsure of the harmfulness while 12.6 percent believed that hookah smoking was harmless.
At 50.6 percent, the majority of participants also believed that cigarette smoking is more dangerous than hookah smoking.
To the contrary, hookah proves to have a greater negative impact on users’ health.
An average session of hookah use (about one hour) contains approximately 200 puffs of smoke, which exposes users to three to six fold higher levels of carbon monoxide and 46-fold higher levels of tar than that of a single cigarette.
On the whole, researchers argue that college students are not as educated on the dangers of hookah use as compared to their education of other tobacco products.
“Most anti-tobacco smoking campaigns are usually directed towards cigarettes.” said Drew Orlick, a freshman at the University of Oregon. “There’s barely any information about hookah, cigars, or other tobacco products, because cigarettes are the primary concern. They’re just a lot more common in day-to-day life.”
While anti-tobacco campaigns focus primarily on cigarettes, research suggests that hookah smoking (due to the higher levels of carbon monoxide and tar) poses a considerably greater health risk than cigarette smoking.
Increasing hookah use may also be contributed to students’ enjoyment of the social component of smoking, more so than the act itself.
“The social piece can really be tied to hookah bars and lounges,” said Paula Staight, director of Health Promotion at the UO. “There’s this whole marketing ploy focused around socialization. Students who are not 21 cannot go to a normal bar, but at 18 they can go to a hookah bar to get a similar experience”.
Beirut Hookah Lounge is a popular hookah lounge located in Portland, Oregon.
“Our customers are mainly college students,” said Rami Jouni, owner of Beirut. “It’s a place for them to socialize, do business, and meet new people in a safe and controlled environment.”
Experts argue that it’s not worth the health risk, and users should turn to other activities for socialization.
“There is no safe alternative to a nicotine product,” said Staight. “Instead, I would suggest activities that are healthy and social; such as fixing meals, exercising, or going to the movies as an alternative to smoking.”
For students who are seeking cessation support for tobacco use, the University of Oregon Health Center offers a multitude of resources, including free nicotine replacement gum and patches.