Hookah smoking is quite popular these days with hookah bars popping all over the place. Many young people are turning to the centuries -old practice of smoking the water pipe with friends, but hookahs are bad news. Hookahs are water pipes which emit tobacco and nicotine after being chilled by water. One hookah session gives you the equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes. The smoke feels less harsh because it is filtered through water, but it has all the risks of regular cigarettes, including lung cancer and heart disease. Many times the tobacco is flavored with orange, cinnamon or mint making it seem harmless to young people.