Rhonda Harris-Scott
Health Columnist
The hookah bar has been touted as one of the best places to socialize in 2005. These bars are usually very trendy, coffeehouse-like, dimly lit, music filled, plush lounges that allow people a place to smoke flavored tobacco and socialize. The activity Americans have made into a popular social trend, stems from traditions in the Middle East. The culture and traditions surrounding the use of the hookah pipe are not in question, but the tobacco that is used in conjunction with the hookah pipes is.
Hookah bars are becoming more popular among college students partially because people feel as though the tobacco that is smoked from a hookah pipe is safer than that of cigarette smoke. Some Web sites even state that the tobacco has less carbon monoxide, nicotine, carcinogens and tar because the smoke is filtered through water before it is inhaled. Many students don’t even realize that the tobacco used in cigarettes is the same tobacco used in hookah pipes. The World Health Organization reports that, “the effect of each type of tobacco is ultimately the same, compromising the health of the user.”
The tobacco used in hookah pipes is as detrimental to an individual’s health as cigarette smoking. The tobacco used in the hookah pipe is not safer and the water used does not cause the levels of carbon monoxide or nicotine to dissipate. Inhaled carbon monoxide is a major source of airway irritation that may lead to heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and bronchitis. Also, there are at least 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, many of which are carcinogenic and teratogenic.
All forms of tobacco are harmful and addictive. Most young people don’t realize that the effects of nicotine use begin right away (in as little as seven seconds). When people begin to experience withdrawal symptoms from nicotine, increased use becomes necessary to relieve the effects of withdrawal. Since it would be cumbersome to carry the large hookah water pipes in one’s pocket, young adults may turn to cigarettes to get the immediate relief of the withdrawal symptoms.
Hookah smoking introduces people to tobacco use, which could lead to addiction, and quite possibly, other types of pipe and/or tobacco use.
Marketing of the flavored tobacco accounts for a portion of the increased use in hookah products across the country. Besides the attempts to make hookah “cool”, tobacco companies introduced the sweeteners to the tobacco to mask the strong taste of tobacco. In order to maintain their profits, tobacco companies have to find effective ways for youth to become introduced to tobacco. Millions of dollars a day are spent on marketing to youth alone. The combination of water, candy-like flavors and trendy marketing are ploys by tobacco companies to get younger populations addicted to their products so that they maintain their profits.
“More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor-vehicle injuries, suicides and murders combined,” according to the Center for Disease Control. Though hookah bars may be a nice place to sit and socialize, there are still dangers associated with the use of tobacco products that they sell and market.
“On April 13, 2005, thousands of young adults in every state and around the world will STAND OUT…SPEAK UP… and SEIZE CONTROL in the fight against Big Tobacco.”(www.kickbuttsday.org). Join the Health Promotion Program in celebration of National Kickbutts Day in the Waves Café from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Come to gain knowledge, to empower your community and to show your support for the fight against Big Tobacco.
03-31-2005
