Hookah unites cultures

Your friends lead you into a dimly lit building lined with strange pillows tossed about squat couches. A sitar plays in the background with the flowing, twang of its strings, and you wonder, "What is a sitar?" You become even more confused as you sit down around this tall bottle-shaped object with hoses running from it that you have only seen in instances involving marijuana, or some science fiction movie. Your friends call it a "hookah" and say that it is not marijuana, but it is flavored tobacco that will not harm you at all, which may or may not be the case.

This cultural icon of the Middle East has increased in popularity greatly among university-age students, which would be the most likely reason for the three lounges in the general vicinity of the UNLV campus, as well as others throughout the city. The hookah obviously finds its roots in the Middle East, particularly Egypt, where its bowl usually contains moistened tobacco and a variety of flavorful ingredients such as dried fruit. In the early 1980s, Egyptian tobacco manufacturers used different sweeteners to increase appeal to women, and after its advent to Western societies, in the mid 1990s, saw glycerin added into the mix that made the smoke even more pleasing to the palate. Since then, it has increased in popularity on University campuses, as many students see it as a healthy alternative to cigarettes and cigars. But is it really that much safer?

People neglect to realize that both cigarettes and hookahs are two different experiences. Most social hookah sessions can last longer than an hour, and several bowls of tobacco, which is a great deal longer than the average time it takes a cigarette smoker in their usual sessions. In addition, the quick-light charcoal used in many Western countries increases the concentration of carbon monoxide, which can lead to headaches and nausea from prolonged exposure. Deemed "hookah headaches," this sickness is actually a form of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can result in death, although that is unlikely after the nominal levels of carbon monoxide reached from the average hookah exposure.

A Journal of National Cancer Institute article has stated that while the smoking rate of the traditional pipe had decreased from 14 percent in 1964 to 2 percent in 1991, it has "actually begun to rise among middle and high school students thanks to the growing popularity of hookahs." It goes on to say that pipe smokers, including hookah users, can increase their risk of six out of nine different cancers related to smoking. These include colorectal, esophagus, larynx (throat), lung, oropharynx (mouth and vocal cords) and pancreas. Researchers have also discovered links between heart disease and pipe smoking, but, somewhat reassuringly, add that the risk of death from such pipe smoking is lower than that of a normal cigarette and cigar smoker.

However, the rediscovered culture still remains, and, with the lower nicotine levels absorbed by the smoker from hookah tobacco, the addictive aspect can be surely discounted, thereby easing fears of long- term health problems from prolonged exposure. So, the choice becomes personal. That is: Do it if you like it.

The mystery behind it does not stop biology majors like Calvin Spott from saying, "Hookah is great," somewhat summing up the view of the average university student. With so many hookah venues near the campus and a few shops that sell them, a student could be caught up in the new and interesting society and enjoy a little too much hookah for their own good.

Larissa Gallo, a junior and biology major, liked the "relaxing" and "interesting" environment of these hookah venues and said she thinks that hookah "would be unhealthy if it is used every day," agreeing with the prevalent attitude that "moderation is the key." Certainly this would be the case, especially with a smoke that is considered much less harsh than that of a cigarette or other tobacco products, and moderation would likely diminish the slight potential health risks that some claim hookah can have. This could differ from the hookah smokers in the cafes of the Middle East who typically smoke a few times a week, if not every day, as it has become a central part of their culture.

Still, the emergence of hookah, and all that comes with it, illustrates the growing pluralistic urban centers where Middle East meets West. At a time in which social differences between the two regions rage in violence and terrorism, the acceptance of hookah in our society represents many possibilities of acceptance to come, a blending of two cultures to exemplify the best in each; and, maybe with time, it will become a central social element to a new world culture with only mild distinction of regional heritage and without the hatred and anger we see today.

All these things can run through your mind when you sit down next to your friends on that oddly-shaped pillow in that dimly lit place with that strange, bong-like contraption sitting in front of you, but the real decision on hookah will be a private one. Some may like it; some may enjoy the social relaxation and the ambience; and some may still get a kick out of experiencing something good from a culture of which they may have only heard radical, violent things.