Hookah is Growing Globally
Hookah or water pipe though originated in India hundreds of years back is still in use. It is in fact gaining a huge popularity amongst the masses. Though previously regarded as a status symbol of the upper class
gentry it is now being smoked by people belonging to different social and cultural milieu, thanks to the hookah cafes which caters to their tastes! Hookah’s popularity is on the rise not only in modern day Indian sub continent and Middle East but also in Europe, North America and Brazil.
It is believed that hookah originated in the North Western part of India almost millennia back it was then used for smoking opium or hashish. But as it made its way through the Persian Empire it not only got modified in its design but also incorporated the tradition of smoking flavored Tombeik or dark tobacco which is still prevalent. The hookah smoking has become a part of the socio-cultural tradition in the Arab world. The concept of social smoking with help of a single or double pipe is widely practiced there thus turning the smoking into a social activity. Hookah cafes are in fact one of the chief gathering place there. ‘Nargila’ the Israeli name for hookahs is a huge hit among the masses. Its use increased with such an alarming proportion that The Israel Cancer Association launched a campaign against its use.
In Pakistan though hookah smoking was traditionally prevalent for generations in the rural areas but now a day its popularity is perceptible even amongst the urban masses thus leading to the opening of a considerable number of hookah cafes and pubs in the cities. In India though the hookah has made its resurgence but its use is restricted with the government ban on public smoking and the use of tobacco products. The hookah smoking has also made its way to the East Asian countries. In Philippines for example it is prevalent among the Indian Filipino and Arab Filipino communities. Though hookah smoking has been in practice for hundreds of years but it has attained its popularity amongst the gen X only in recent times and a part of this credit goes to the government ban on cigarettes and setting an age limit for cigarette smoking. As more and more people opt out of cigarette smoking this smoking trend consolidates its position. A survey conducted by the Pediatrics has shown that hookah smoking is increasing among the North Americans at an alarming rate. As many as a quarter of North American youth has smoked hookah over the past one year. It is believed that the growing popularity of hookah is due to the perception that it is safer than cigarettes. However this perception is not entirely true since hookah smoke contains nicotine, carbon mono oxide, carcinogens and may even contain a greater amount of tar and other heavy materials than a cigarette smoke. But whatever may be the case hookah is growing globally.
