Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To review the literature on college student waterpipe use with a focus on undergraduates in the United States.

PARTICIPANTS:

Undergraduate students.

METHODS:

Studies were accessed using the databases PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Academic Search Premier. Searches included combinations of the following keywords: "waterpipe," "hookah," "shisha," "nargila," "argileh," "hubble bubble," "college," "university," and "student."

RESULTS:

Results demonstrate that approximately 1 in 5 American college students report past-year waterpipe use. Results also suggest that there are a number of established correlates of waterpipe smoking, including male gender, Arab ethnicity, cigarette smoking, and the belief that waterpipe smoking is less harmful than cigarette smoking.

CONCLUSIONS:

Despite its harmful health effects, waterpipe smoking is quite common among college students. Future research with better methodologies and theoretical frameworks are needed to advance the field.