Spring Break
The Daily OrangeUp in smoke
By Erinn Connor
Posted: 3/4/08, 11:20 PM EST Section: Feature
Though an extensive amount of research on the effects of hookah smoking has yet to be done, there are mixed feelings about the health effects among hookah users.
Niko Rechul, who began smoking hookah in high school, has noticed hookah has affected his workouts.
"If I try to work out the next day after smoking hookah I feel a little winded," Rechul, a senior management major, said. "A little more than usual."
Cosgrave disagrees, saying that as long as one keeps exercising, it's easy to feel healthy while maintaining the practice.
"As long as you have that balance and don't smoke hookah habitually and go out for a jog every once in awhile, I don't think it's that unhealthy," Cosgrave said. "I haven't really felt any bad effects."
People can also choose to increase potential health risks even more by adding alcohol instead of water in the hookah or using marijuana instead of tobacco.
"If you put pot in the hookah instead of tobacco, it has the same bad effects but obviously worse," Palfai said. "It's like smoking an entire joint in one go."
In spite of hookah's potentially dangerous health effects, more and more students keep gathering around the hookah and enjoying smoking the tobacco, whether it's apple, strawberry - or whatever fruity flavor a practiced hookah smoker has in mind for the next time he or she feels like lighting up.
Once I got my own hookah I smoked every day," Burkhoff said. "It's a nice buzz, that's not illegal or addictive - and it tastes good."
eaconnor@syr.edu
Niko Rechul, who began smoking hookah in high school, has noticed hookah has affected his workouts.
"If I try to work out the next day after smoking hookah I feel a little winded," Rechul, a senior management major, said. "A little more than usual."
Cosgrave disagrees, saying that as long as one keeps exercising, it's easy to feel healthy while maintaining the practice.
"As long as you have that balance and don't smoke hookah habitually and go out for a jog every once in awhile, I don't think it's that unhealthy," Cosgrave said. "I haven't really felt any bad effects."
People can also choose to increase potential health risks even more by adding alcohol instead of water in the hookah or using marijuana instead of tobacco.
"If you put pot in the hookah instead of tobacco, it has the same bad effects but obviously worse," Palfai said. "It's like smoking an entire joint in one go."
In spite of hookah's potentially dangerous health effects, more and more students keep gathering around the hookah and enjoying smoking the tobacco, whether it's apple, strawberry - or whatever fruity flavor a practiced hookah smoker has in mind for the next time he or she feels like lighting up.
Once I got my own hookah I smoked every day," Burkhoff said. "It's a nice buzz, that's not illegal or addictive - and it tastes good."
eaconnor@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Douglas L. Hom
posted 3/05/08 @ 5:18 AM EST
If anyone thinks that there aren't health risks, they are nuts or ignorant. Smoking of Tobacco is addictive and passing it through water isn't likely to make it less so. (Continued…)
Michael
posted 5/07/08 @ 9:52 PM EST
i personally find cigar smoking to be just as enjoyable as the hookah experience, and similarly for the non-inhaler, a more reasonable health risk with respect to typical tobacco health concerns. (Continued…)
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