What is the appeal of hookah cafes?
Within the next couple of weeks, two hookah cafes will be opening on Court Street. Not one, but two. Where did this phenomenon come from of smoking tobacco out of a hookah? Why are college kids so interested in hookah cafes?
Let me give you the facts about smoking tobacco out of a hookah. It is believed that hookah smoking originated from India. It is a cultural practice in many Middle Eastern countries, Northern Africa and East Asia. Unfortunately, this trend has moved to the United States in the last couple of years as a fad - appealing to health- conscious people.
Here are the facts about smoking tobacco out of a hookah. Hookahs are not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. Hookah tobacco contains carbon monoxide, nicotine, tar, arsenic, cobalt, chromium and lead. All these substances are known to cause cancer and heart disease. On top of all these chemicals, patrons smoking out of a hookah inhale carbon monoxide from the charcoal used to heat the tobacco. People smoking out of hookahs are exposed to more smoke than a cigarette smoker due to the time it takes to smoke an entire hookah. Now are you going to make the choice to stay away from the hookah bars?
To raise one more question, what if Smoke Free Ohio passes? In November 2006, Smoke Free Ohio will likely be on the ballot. If Smoke Free Ohio passes, will these hookah cafes have to close? To stay open, they will have to qualify as a retail tobacco store, meaning that 80 percent tobacco sales come from tobacco.
I think Smoke Free Ohio will pass, because as of right now 21 cities in Ohio are smoke-free and 11 states are smoke-free.
- Carla Variglotti is a senior Health Service Administration major.
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