While reading the article on hookah Oct. 19, we were surprised that there was no mention of the detrimental health effects of hookah use.

It is a common misconception that smoking hookah is safer than smoking cigarettes because the tobacco smoke passes through water; this does not filter out the harmful byproducts. Hookah smoking is no safer than cigarette smoking and contains the same high levels of toxic compounds including tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals and carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can be more dangerous than smoking cigarettes because hookah sessions can last up to an hour, and in that time period hookah smokers are exposed to 100 to 200 times more smoke than a cigarette smoker would be in a normal smoking period.

The rising use of hookah among college students is definitely a concern. We think there are many health risks associated with hookah use which are misunderstood, and people should know the facts before they choose to submit themselves to such a dangerous pastime.