Smoking a hookah, locally known as a "hubbly-bubbly", doesn't water down smoking-related health risks, warns an expert concerned about the spread of this form of tobacco use.
Hookah bars are becoming popular, particularly among students and young adults, around the world.
Hookahs originated in the Middle East. In a hookah, tobacco is heated by charcoal. The tobacco smoke passes through a water-filled chamber, which cools the smoke before it's inhaled by the smoker.
Significant health risks
Some people think hookahs deliver less tar and nicotine than cigarettes and have fewer health consequences because the smoke is filtered by the water.
Not true, Thomas Eissenberg, head of the Clinical Behavioral Pharm acology Laboratory at Virginia Commonwealth University in the US, said in a prepared statement.
"Water pipe smoking may be associated with significant health risks, and we only now are beginning to accumulate information on the issue," Eissenberg said.
Initial research indicates hookahs can increase carbon dioxide and nicotine exposure, speed up heart rate, and may contribute to heart disease and cancer.
A practice not to ignore "The water pipe is another method of tobacco use, one that we should not ignore as we fight the tobacco epidemic. Past experience has taught us that ignoring the epidemiology and health effects of tobacco-use products can lead to a public health disaster that may have been preventable," Eissenberg said.
He published a study in the April issue of Preventive Medicine that found hookah smoking, particularly for women, generally is viewed in a more positive light than smoking cigarettes. It's one o f the first studies to examine the effects of social attitudes and gender on hookah and cigarette smoking. - (HealthDayNews)
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
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15 comments:
I don't understand how these places can be in business?? They don't have an age limit even though in the State of Colorado, you can't smoke until you are 18 legally!!! The advertising surrounding these "bars" is aimed right at this under 21 crowd that can't go to other types of bars...I find this unfathamable that the Colorado State Legislature has allowed these businesses to access our children.
hookah bars are awesome, the atmosphere is incredible
Hmm parker mom maybe ur right. hookah bars arnt just a fun place to hang out. i guess they r really that evil... i guess us teens will just have to find something else that is fun to entertain us... im sure crack has something going for it. why do so many ppl do it if it isnt that great amount of fun? we could play with guns i guess. or hey lets just have sex and smoke pot.
the fact of the matter is hookah bars may not be that great for us but it is something for us to do that we like. it isnt as bad as so many of the alternatives out there and is really fun. so lets see... we could
A: smoke crack
B:play with guns
C: use harder drugs to pass the time
D: have sex with everything and everyone causing stds and teen pregnency
or E: go and hang out at a fun place and do hardly any damage to ourselves?
the choice is yours and try to remember some of the alternatives
I'm all for being a safe, as I'm a mom of a teenager too. However, there is such a thing as tobacco free hookah. In fact, due to the new Colorado tobacco ban, the Hookah bars can't even sell the tobacco based Hookah. So, all that they are doing is smoking a 100% herbal based substance that is made out of sugar cane and fruit. If it's between a Hookah bar or a Rave, I vote letting my teenager go to the Hookah bar.
Actually there is no provision to the Colorado Indoor Act limiting the sale of tobacco in hookah bars. I am sure that most of the hookah bars do use tobacco. Others may offer both tobacco and a herbal alternative, because if the bar sells tobacco to a minor it would be breaking the CO law prohibiting sale or furnishing of tobacco to individuals under 18. Many businesses on their own initiative limit youth access (like bars, video stores) because they do not want to risk selling to minors.
I would argue hookah bars should be policed more often by local authorities to ensure they are not selling tobacco to minors. Also because of a CO law passed this year, minors cannot possess tobacco - local authorities could take the tobacco away from minors in possession of it in the hookah bar. Maybe a fear of penalties would help the bar owners nmake the decision not to allow minors at all on their property. But currently there is no fear of punishment because enforcement of CO tobacco laws is so weak...
There is an age requirement at these hooka bars. You must be 18 to get in... Some don't card these kids, and some have fake ids.
It's not just tobacco, but the whole atmosphere that is unsafe for kids... Where are these kids parents? Talk to your kids, know where they are!!
The age limit is 16 NOT 18. And parent can't keep a leash on their kids until they are 30, so the least we can expect is for the law to be consistent and not let these "Hookah Bars" be above those laws that we all voted for.
Parents BEWARE! These places NEED to be policed better or shut down completely, as some of these establishments are nothing more than a front for illegal drug activity/sales. While there are age restrictions, many do a piss poor job of enforcing this policy and have allowed kids as young as 13 and 14 to pass through the doors! I've been working on a story for several months now and have been in complete shock as to what occurs in these buildings.
I wish people would leave their names when they post.. :( I would love to see your article when it comes out. I still know so many teens who think.. oh hookah isn't bad for you... WHAT?? They need to be informed!
You all need to be informed i run and manage two lounges there are strict laws against underage kids being in my places of business EVERYONE gets there id checked there are no drugs no alcohol there is loud music tobacco everyone over 18 and off duty cops not only in uniform at the door but under cover at some random tables if underage kids get let in i get shut down. you do not like what you do not understand come out some time and see no one is underage some lounges may not follow this strict code but they do not do well or they get shut down i run a legit business not just a drug house do not speak badly of what you do not understand
That might be the case in your establishment Mr. Anonymous, but my daughter and a bunch of her friends at 16 all went into a hookah bar, none were carded and I went to sites like "Mayo Clinic" etc. and the statistics for carcinogens in hookah were higher than for regular old nasty cigarettes. It may taste better because of herbs added, but that only makes this nasty habit MORE addictive and palatable to our youth. THIS JUNK KILLS PEOPLE! Period.... Why have a business that's only eventual outcome will be people dying of lung cancer or getting sick??
You know Parker Mom it is people like you who make the world go nuts. Why should anybody care, if it was their decision to make. Hookah owners dont go up to kids diquised as ice cream men to sell them cigarretes. If anything it is the kids stupid decision plus i think their would be something wrong with you if are watching out for other peoples kids. Bottom Line is NOBODY CARES except for crazy mothers and liberal politians.
I would happily be called a CRAZY MOM! If the definition of that is caring about and trying to protect your kids! Your Mom probably didn't do that and now you feel left out!
Thanks for bring this to my attention, I will make sure my teens are educated to this fact.
You parents are so stupid. I'm sorry but, where are you guys when your kids are at a hookah bar. If its anyone's fault it is your's, you obviously don't care that much about your kid that you don't know where their going all the time. I don't think theres anything wrong with hookahs. I know it's not good for my health but who cares, we are fighting back because of bureacrats telling us that everything enjoyable is a burden on society, which is complete bull crap, There are a lot of things worse then smoking. You think police should be looking for smoking kids rather than murderers, rapists, and pedifiles. No, of course not, that is you as a parents responsibility for your kids. I am sick of moms being uptight because they don't have the capacity to keep tabs on there kids.
Exactly right if a mom and dad cant keep tabs on their kids then ground em I understand the health risks just fine ive seen what tar in the lungs dose first hand and i also smoke ciggarettes and ive been to alot of hookah bars and never once been offered to buy ciggarettes or illegal drugs/ alcohol i spend almost every friday and saturday night at a hookah lounge and i have a good time i meet new people and its much better than sitting in a park stoned out of my mind or drinking at a party then driving home and killing someone you tell me your choice in this senario your son/daughter gose to a party and gets drunk and heads home and because they are afraid to see what you might do if they call so they don't call and ask for a ride well the blow a red light and kills a family of four headed home from the airport from a vacation in disneyland plus he kills an inisant by-stander plus himself/herself and his/her freind in the car. A month later you find out that night he/she had the oppertunity to either go to the party or go to the hookah bar how would you feel? I know that i could call my parents and ask for a ride home but personaly i enjoy the hookah bars more and every friday and saturday night i get txts asking if i wanna go to a party but i always pick the hookah bar i know alot of kids whose parents tell them to go to the hookah bar for that reason and most partys end by closing time at a hookah bar and most kids won't leave till then because they are having such a good time so your pick
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