'It's not a bong, it's a hookah,' students say Eastern water pipe gains popularity at Tufts and abroad

by Valerie Sullivan Senior Staff Writer October 19, 2005

On the grassy hill between Aidekman Arts Center and South Hall, a small group of students is sprawled on blankets. They laugh and talk as they casually take turns smoking from a hookah.

Another day, outside Wren Hall, several students chat while passing around a hookah and enjoying the mid-afternoon sun.

Hookah - also known as shisha, narghile and hubble bubble - isn't unique to the Tufts campus. A long-time tradition in other parts of the world, hookah use has seen a recent increase in popularity in the United States.

The hookah process itself consists of smoking flavored or non-flavored tobacco through a long, flexible tube.

Data from a 2004 study, published by Tobacco Control online show that hookah has accrued fans among young people across the world, including Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. The study cites a national survey conducted in Kuwait, which found that 57 percent of men and 69 percent of women had used a water pipe at least once.

Sophomore Sami Shammas, an international student from Kuwait, smokes hookah several times a month. "For a lot of people who come from my part of the country, it's a very cultural thing," Shammas said.

Shammas attributes the recent rise in the popularity of hookah in the United States to the social aspect of the pastime, pointing out that the hookah is commonly smoked in a group setting.

The tobacco used when smoking hookah is available in a vast array of flavors, ranging from double apple and watermelon to jasmine and mint.

"The variety of flavors [available is] a main reason it's fun to smoke hookah," Shammas said. "You can mix and match, find new flavors."

Sophomore David Nangle, like Shammas, considers hookah smoking a social activity. "First of all, it tastes good," he said. "It's a social outlet. It's a way to sit around with people and talk and get to know them better."

Nangle said that smoking hookah is different from other social outlets, such as drinking. "It's something that is very relaxed and something you can do before sleeping, just while you're hanging out at night, with friends," Nangle said. "It's a great way to bring closure to a night."

Although hookah is gaining acceptance among the mainstream, particularly young people, Shammas has still met with people who are unfamiliar with hookahs.

"People think it's a bong," he said.

While transporting a hookah through customs, Shammas ran into a problem. "I had to explain, 'No, it's a hookah - it's not illegal, it's part of my culture.'"

Though legal, hookah, like any form of tobacco, presents health problems.

A 2004 HealthDay article suggested that hookah users may be exposed to the same smoke elements as those who smoke cigarettes - including carbon monoxide. Although health risks associated with hookah use have not been thoroughly studied, studies involving machine-produced smoke suggest that the smoke from a single water pipe produces roughly the same amount of tar as in 20 cigarettes.

Shammas acknowledged that hookah is still a form of tobacco, and thus has the health risks associated with tobacco. But he believes "it can be safe if you don't do it too often."

"Personally, I smoke about once a week, with a bunch of people, and we refill it two or three times. That's probably a little more than we should," Shammas said.

Shammas, however, has found a balance between smoking and other hobbies. "Because I'm an athlete, I [smoke hookah] less during the season. I swim and if I smoke too much it's bad for my lungs."

Nangle seemed unconcerned with the health hazards of smoking hookah.

"It's certainly much healthier than going out and drinking," he said.

"[Smoking hookah] is very accepted and common [at Tufts]," Nangle said. Nangle said he suspects the acceptance of hookah smoking at Tufts "might have something to do with the international population here at Tufts."

Indeed, various student groups have organized upcoming hookah events. Tent Night will be held Thurs., Oct. 20, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on the Residential Quad. Sponsored by the Arab Students Association, Tent Night is an annual celebration that includes Arabic music, belly dancers, hookah, backgammon and Arabic desserts.

"Tent Night is one of the best events of the year," said Shammas, who is a member of the Arab Students Association. "We donate the hookah equipment, music and decorations. We get food and coffee and we let people come and experience what we do when we go out to a cafe."

Students who attend Tent Night will have the opportunity to win a hookah by entering a raffle.

Several days later, on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 9 p.m., Hillel will be sponsoring Hookah in the Sukkah. Hillel invites students to "do it like our forefathers" and "enjoy a relaxing atmosphere."

Shammas feels that hookahs are gaining popularity on campus and beyond. "I think a lot of people are starting to become more interested in it," he said. "[Smoking hookah] is very popular with the international crowd and now it's making its way into the American people's hearts - and lungs."