Hookah: A Fun Fad or Harmful Habit?

Hookah smoking has been a well-known activity in the Middle East for hundreds of years. More recently, hookah has become a worldwide phenomenon, especially in the United States of America. It is important to know why people choose this habit, and specifically why teenagers and young adults are becoming the main frequent users. An interview session consisting of a questionnaire was the methodology used in this study. This session involved a total of twenty individuals. Ten of these individuals were people who actively participated in smoking hookah. The other ten subjects were individuals who do not engage in hookah smoking. After the questionnaire was filled out, the researcher discussed the effects that hookah smoking has on the overall health of the individual. The researcher also compared the similarities of smoking hookah and cigarettes. Last, the data were analyzed to determine if there are significant differences among subjects who choose to smoke hookah and those who do not. Results reveal that of the twenty college-aged individuals, ten of the subjects actively participate in hookah smoking while five subjects have tried hookah before. Results indicated that it was common for the subjects who smoked hookah to also have friends who actively engage in hookah, as well (eight out of ten subjects). Of the twenty subjects who participated in the study nineteen concluded that smoking hookah was harmful with one subject noting they did not believe hookah to be harmful. It was concluded that five of the subjects who do not actively participate in smoking hookah have tried the fad before, but all stated that it made them sick, nauseas, or lightheaded when they previously tried hookah