Hookah a hit among young people
The cafes are filled with perfumed smoke, hip music and the chatter and laughter of the young people who enjoy them.
Hookah pipes use charcoal to burn flavored tobacco; the smoke passes through water and through a hose from which the user inhales. The lounges are filled with comfortable couches and decorated in a chic way that makes reference to the pipe’s traditions in the Middle East.
Now, a study has been released that shows how this ritual has really caught on among today’s young people.
According to the study by University of Florida researchers, 11 percent of high school students and 4 percent of middle school students have tried smoking hookah.
“This is something that’s become popular in the last couple years,” said Tracey Barnett, medical sociologist and lead researcher on the study.
Some users think the water acts as a filter and makes hookah safer than smoking cigarettes.
“There’s no reason to think it’s any less harmful,” Barnett said. “There’s no safe way to use tobacco.”
Michael Dowie has been working at Hookah Hutt on University Avenue since May 2009. He’s 19, studying History at Santa Fe.
“I know it’s bad, but I still do it,” Dowie said. “I’m aware that it’s not healthy for you.”
He said a lot of young college students and seniors in high school come in to smoke hookah.
Florida’s minimum smoking age is 18.
The owner of Hookah Hutt has been running his shop in Gainesville for three years. He preferred not to be named out of concern for his family. He said that he checks the ID of anyone who looks close to underage.
“If you’re not 18, we can’t serve you,” he said.
He said that his lounge is a good place to socialize. “What makes hookahs so enjoyable is that you connect with many people,” he said.
He said he doesn’t try to hide the fact that smoking is unhealthy. “It’s just as bad as cigarettes … it’s not good for you,” he said.
By Andrew Ford, Gainesville
