Abstract
Narghile smoking by young females is becoming more acceptable than cigarettes in the conservative societies of Arab countries. Lack of social constraints on narghile smoking has resulted in an increased prevalence of narghile smoking among young Arab females and an earlier age of onset of this habit when compared to cigarette smoking.Documented health hazards of narghile smoking including pulmonary, cardiovascular and neoplastic ailments are consequently expected to affect this vulnerable sector of the population together with their offspring. In this commentary, we shed some light on the changing trend of tobacco use among young Arabic women as shown by an increasing number of studies investigating habits of tobacco use in young people.
Highlights
Narghile smoking by young females is becoming more acceptable than cigarettes in the conservative societies of Arab countries
It is considered socially acceptable by a substantial proportion of the society including young females
Several studies conducted in most Arabic countries showed that narghile smoking (NS) is growing in popularity among young females, and trends have shifted between tobacco types, with NS becoming the preferred form of tobacco use for women [9]
Summary
Empowerment of women is an important trend affecting most Arabic countries. Arabic women can enjoy a number of privileges like higher education, better career opportunities and as a result an increased spending power. Many customers of the elite cafés serving narghile in many Arabic cities are highly educated, successful women from better-off families. This image contributes to encouraging NS among younger generations female adolescents. A family member like a father, a sister, a brother, or a mother could be the one introducing NS to the young adolescent female relative. The lack of awareness on narghile hazards added to the absent role model of mothers smoking narghile contributes largely to encouraging narghile use among young females. Young people in the Arab world are no longer compliant as they used to be, and they would like to argue on many issues including social habits like the narghile. It is of prime importance that research is established to investigate whether the “hygienic hoses” and the disposable “mabsams” are as hygienic as they are thought to be
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