Share

More women smoking hookahs

First-time use of a hookah (water pipe) to smoke tobacco is increasingly common among U.S. female college students in their freshman year, a new study finds.

Researchers surveyed 483 female college freshman and found that 343 had not used a hookah before college. Of those 343 students, 23 percent tried hookah smoking during their first year of college.

What the study found

Hookah use appeared to be linked to alcohol and marijuana use. The more alcohol the students consumed, the more likely they were to try hookah smoking. Students who used marijuana engaged in hookah smoking more often than others.

The researchers also found that certain personality traits, such as a higher level of impulsivity and a strong tendency to compare oneself to others, predicted frequency of hookah use.

The study was published online in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

The findings are troubling because there's been a dramatic increase in hookah smoking rates among young adults in the United States over the last two decades, said the researchers at Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I.

Some studies suggest that levels of hookah smoking among young adults are on par with cigarette smoking.

Hookah not safer than cigarettes

Many college students mistakenly believe that hookah smoking is safer than cigarettes, but hookah smoking has been linked with many of the same diseases caused by cigarettes, including lung cancer, respiratory conditions and gum disease, the researchers noted.

"The popularity and social nature of hookah smoking, combined with the fact that college freshmen are more likely to experiment with risky behaviour, could set the stage for a potential public health issue, given what we know about the health risks of hookah smoking," lead author Robyn Fielder, a research intern Miriam Hospital's Centres for Behavioural and Preventive Medicine, said in a hospital news release.

(HealthDay News, July 2012) 

Read more:

More people smoking hubbly bubbly

Hubbly bubblies make you sick


(Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.)

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE