Hookah Use Is Not A Safe Alternative To Smoking Cigarettes Essay Samples

The use of hookah pipes is riding in the U.S., particularly among young people. Forty percent of university students reporting they has used a hookah pipe in the last year. One reason it is becoming a popular trend in the U.S. is the erroneous belief that using a hookah pipe is safer than smoking cigarettes. However, a recent study has disproved this common assumption an concluded that smoking tobacco from a hookah pipe is no safer than other forms of smoking. There is a belief that smoking from a hookah is a safe alternative because the water-filled pipe acts a filter, and prevents the consumption of toxic chemicals found in tobacco smoke. The research study examined four different popular brands of tobacco, to determine the levels of heavy metals present in both the tobacco and the smoke. Heavy metals, including copper and uranium were found in both the tobacco samples and the smoke. The water in the hookah pipe filtered out only %3 of the heavy metals present in the tobacco, and %57 were found in the smoke. Not only are hookah pipes not safer than cigarettes, they may increase a users risk of lung and oral cancers. Research indicates that benzene is found in hookah emissions, which may be associated with higher risk of leukemia.
These recent findings are important to the health care sciences because people are increasingly looking for alternatives to smoking cigarette. There is societal consensus and appreciation about the dangers of smoking, so smokers are turning to hookah pipes and vaping, or electronic cigarettes. However, both are increasingly believed to be just as unsafe, and luring people into a false sense of safety about their use. It is important to healthcare providers and leaders to make sure that the community knows that these alternatives also have high risks and are associated with disease. When working with patients and clients, healthcare providers must make sure they warn the public about the danger associated with hookah use. Young people may be tempted to start smoking, using a hookah, because they believe it is a safe alternative to smoking. The research is clear, and the misinformation about hookah’s “filtering” smoke needs to be debunked so health care consumers can make informed decisions about their health and understanding the risk. During interviews, check-ups and presentations, health care professionals can include information on hookah use with any other form of tobacco consumption. The general public does not read peer-reviewed research articles. Therefore, the medical community has the responsibility to get this information out there to young people, who are at-risk for developing an addiction to nicotine. Early prevention can prevent diseases and long term health care costs for all of society.

Work Cited

Rettner, Rachael. "Hookah Myth Debunked: They Don't Filter Out Toxic Chemicals." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2015. <http://www.livescience.com/49884-hookah-heavy-metals-myth.html>.