So, what’s a hookah?

More college students are using hookah than ever, but at the same time many students do not even know what they are or how they are used.

Originating in the Middle East, hookahs are water filled pipes used to smoke tobacco, which is usually flavored by molasses or fruit. However some college students also use them for smoking marijuana.

A recent study by VCU’s Office of Health Promotion has discovered that many students think hookah smoking is less harmful than smoking cigarettes. That is not true. Hookahs have more than twice the amount of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide of cigarettes, meaning they should only be enjoyed in moderation.

Grant Fanning, a Mass Communications major at VCU says that he only knows a little about hookah smoking.

“People tell me that it’s really convenient: it stays lit for a really long time and multiple people can smoke from the same source,” says Fanning. “You also get different flavor tobaccos.”

A hookah has three main parts. A plate, located on the top, holds tobacco which is heated by charcoal. Once the tobacco is heated, the smoke is suctioned through the body into water, where it is cooled. Finally the smoke makes its way into a hose where it is inhaled by the user.

Richmond is home to several places where students can go to try hookah. Unlike traditional bars and pubs, hookah bars do not require patrons to be 21. Some restaurants that feature hookah, like Sahara and Aladdin, are open until at least 1 a.m., which means they are a popular alternative for under-age students who want to stay out late.

For more information on the health and safety effects of hookah, please visit the Centers for Disease Control fact sheet.