The hard facts on hookah smoking

It seems as though these days everyone is looking for a "safer alternative" to everything that is proven to be harmful. We don't want to give up on these dangerous vices and activities entirely, so the trend in our culture is to find a replacement. Hookah smoking is one such replacement. We have all heard of hookahs, and some of us may have tried them. We have heard that they are a safer alternative to cigarette smoking, and a pleasurable way to socialize in a relaxed environment. We've also all heard the argument against hookah smoking, which claims that it is just as harmful as cigarette smoking. So, what's the truth about hookahs? Are they safer than cigarettes, or just as harmful? First of all, what is a hookah? Hookahs originated in India, but have great popularity in the Middle East, according to isitnormal.com. The hookah is a device used to smoke flavored tobacco through a water pipe. Heated coal is used to heat the tobacco. Hookah smoking is generally a social event with a reputation for a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Hookah bars have been rapidly popping up around the country. There are many arguments against hookahs. First of all, many assume that there is much less nicotine in hookah smoke than in cigarette smoke. However, according washingtonpost.com, a study showed that there were still elevated levels of nicotine and cotinine (a breakdown product of nicotine). They also claim that chronic respiratory problems such as bronchitis were reported among hookah users than among cigarette users. There is also the issue of how much smoke is inhaled in one hookah session. According to uistudenthealth.com, one hookah session entails the inhalation of about 100-200 percent of the amount of smoke inhaled by cigarette users. Also, according to fitsugar.com, the amount of smoke inhaled during one hookah session could equate to between 40 to 400 cigarettes. Senior, Adam Chinnock, replied to this statement with great astonishment, "This surprises me, I had no idea that hookahs could ever be that bad for you!" There is also the opposing side, which claims that hookah smoking is a genuinely safer alternative to cigarette smoking. Hookahhookah.com claims that hookah smoke contains .0-.5% nicotine. They also claim that hookah smoke is cleaner, since it is washed through water before inhaled. So are hookahs really safer than cigarettes? It seems to be that hookah smoke contains a smaller percentage of nicotine than cigarettes, but that more smoke is inhaled per session than the amount of smoke inhaled when smoking even many cigarettes. So, while it seems to be an activity that would be alright in moderation, it is not without its risks. So the question is, is it worth it?