Hookah is often seen as a cleaner alternative to smoking cigarettes, but researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington are launching a new study to put that assumption to the test.
Ziyad Ben Taleb, associate professor of kinesiology and director of the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Laboratory, has received a two-year, $442,763 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to investigate how waterpipe size and heating sources affect hookah smoking.
“There is a new trend of electronic heating elements that heat the tobacco without combustion,” Dr. Ben Taleb said. “There are marketing claims that these are safer, but we don’t know. That’s why this study is needed.”
The study will involve 60 established hookah smokers who will use both large and small waterpipes and both traditional charcoal and newer electronic heating devices in separate sessions.
Hookah smoking is “highly prevalent and has been rising in popularity among young people worldwide,” according to a 2025 study. A typical hookah session lasts about 45 minutes and can expose users to more than 30 times as much carbon monoxide as a single cigarette. This prolonged exposure translates into a significant amount of smoke entering the body.
“In our previous studies, hookah users inhaled nearly 100 liters of smoke per session on average, while some single puffs exceeded two or three liters,” Ben Taleb said. “There is a misconception that hookah is safer because the smoke passes through water. In reality, the water cools the smoke, but it does not filter it.”
Ben Taleb hopes the findings will help people make informed decisions about hookah use. The research could also help guide future regulations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“My responsibility as a researcher is to empower people with evidence so they can make informed decisions about their health,” Ben Taleb said. “Also, agencies like the FDA need data on how different product configurations affect exposure, addiction and health. If we find that certain designs or heating methods increase risk, that information can help guide future public health policies.”
The study began on May 1 and will run through April 30, 2028.