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Hookah re-emerges among teenagers; parents worry about health risks

Page Last Updated: Monday November 16, 2009 8:43am PST

Calli Fisher-News 4

The tradition of smoking hookah dates back hundreds of years, but recently, there's been a rekindling of hookah use especially among teenagers.

When you talk to hookah users, many say it's a safe alternative to smoking a cigarette, but is that really the case? A parent called the News 4 newsroom recently and said her 18-year-old son visits hookah bars in town on a regular basis, but she was concerned about the health risks. That prompted us to look into the growing trend and to find out any dangers related to hookah.

The hookah is a water pipe used to smoke tobacco through cooled water.

Hookah bars and cafes are popping up around the country and right here in Northern Nevada. These places are becoming popular social scenes, especially for young people starting at the age of 18. That has parents and medical professionals concerned.

Many in the medical field say young smokers do not realize the dangers of hookah, and marketing ploys have left teenagers with misconceptions.

A common myth is that hookah is a safe alternative to cigarettes because teenagers believe the water filters the tobacco. That is definitely not the case, according to doctors. The water may dilute the smoke, but it does not get rid of the cancer-causing chemicals.

"The fact is, there is no such thing as tobacco with no tar, with no nicotine and no cancer causing agents. They all have it and you're consuming that by even trying hookah," Victoria Frensdorff, a tobacco cessation specialist with St. Mary's, said. "Tobacco is tobacco is tobacco."

Some teenagers say hookah is a safe alternative to cigarettes, but research shows smoking hookah for an hour exposes you to 100-200 times the amount of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette.

A regular hookah smoking session lasts about a half hour to an hour. Frensdorff says the length of time smoking hookah is one reason it has so many health risks.

Some teenagers also believe hookah is not addictive, but Frensdorff says nicotine is in every form of tobacco, including hookah. She says trying hookah can lead to other forms of smoking or tobacco use.

Experts say smoking hookah carries the same risks as other tobacco products: lung cancer, asthma, emphysema, and other serious health risks. Frensdorff says there is also an increased risk of oral cancer because smokers tend not to inhale the smoke, but let it sit in their mouths.

For more information about the related health risks, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.

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