Introduction: Hookah use among the Indian adolescents is on the rise without them being aware of its tobacco content. This prevalence study highlights the issues associated with hookah use among high school students of five cities of Central India.
Methods: A study among 3500 students of high schools was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of hookah users and its associated factors including initiation/cessation, patterns, perceptions and behavior. Responses were received from 225 hookah users.
Results: The prevalence of hookah users in the present study was found to be 6.4% (225). Most of the subjects first learned about hookah use from friends (64.5%) and smoked hookah in hookah lounges (90.7%). Generally, the adolescents were aware of various lounges in their locality.
Conclusion: This study suggests that the use of hookahs is attracting adolescents at a very early age and is attributed to the presence of hookah lounges in various cities of Central India. Hence, the legality of hookah lounges in India should be reconsidered.
Keywords: Hookah; adolescents; high school children; tobacco.