Hookah use increased among high school students

Another emerging tobacco product is becoming popular among young people.  
Hookah use increased from 4.1 to 5.4 % among high school students.

What is a hookah?   Hookahs are water pipes used to smoke specialty tobacco.  Hookahs can be traced back to India and ancient Persia.   They have become very popular throughout Europe and many parts of the world.  Hookahs are often smoked in groups where the hookah is passed around for everyone in the group to share a smoke.  An illustration of a hookah can be found at   http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/tobacco_industry/hookahs/ 

Many hookah smokers believe smoking a hookah is safer than cigarettes.  However, the experts at Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have their doubts.  They believe that hookah smoking exposes the person to increased risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease and addiction similar to cigarette smoking.  When multiple people share the hookah, the risk of contagious disease can be spread among the group.  Another concern is that currently no one (not the Food and Drug Administration) oversees or tests for safety of hookah tobacco.  http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/tobacco_industry/hookahs/

The experts at the Mayo Clinic agree that hookah smoking is not a safe alternative.  Check out their information at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hookah/AN01265