Hookah pipes, widely used in the Middle East and growing in popularity in Hawai'i and on the Mainland, pose more risk to smokers than cigarettes, American Lung Association of Hawai'i officials said yesterday.

"This is a warning that we want to get out early," said Bertrand Kobayashi, director of advocacy and partnerships at ALA of Hawai'i.

During a news conference, officials said there is no campaign in Hawai'i to deter using the pipe, which is the latest tobacco fad among some young smokers.

The smoke produced from a one-hour hookah session can equal 100 cigarettes, according to a report on the Mayo Clinic Web site. The tobacco, which is usually sweetened with molasses, produces smoke that contains carbon monoxide, heavy metals, nicotine and carcinogens, the report notes.

College students are attracted to hookah-smoking establishments, said Debbie Oda, director of tobacco control at the American Lung Association of Hawai'i.

"It's enticing because (the tobacco) is flavored and it's new, so they want to know what it's all about. It's really being glamorized as safe, fun and OK. But it's not OK," Oda said. "It's very dangerous."

Tobacco smoke is drawn through chilled water at the base of the pipe before entering a hose that the smoker sucks on. Tyson Suzuki, a member of an anti-tobacco organization, said the water cools the smoke, giving the illusion that the smoke is filtered.

The extra force to draw smoke through the pipe pushes the smoke deeper into the lungs, damaging the avioli of the lungs and increasing the risk of emphysema.

Oda said hookah smokers tend to inhale smoke for a longer duration than cigarette smokers. She noted reports of college students on the Mainland puffing through three 45-minute sessions at a time. "You're taking in more nicotine with more carbon monoxide exposure," she said.

Kobayashi said hookah smoking is more dangerous than cigarettes because it's done "in a room with other hookah smokers so you get side-stream smoke."

Mathew Monkewicz, part-owner of Pipeline Novelty and Gifts on University Avenue, sells hookah pipes for $30 to $200.

"People always come in and ask us where a hookah bar is ... by military people, by college kids, by locals," Monkewicz said.

A few businesses on O'ahu offer hookah services. One of them is Pink Cadillac, Oda said.

Anna Bannana's, near the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, stopped contracting out hookah services several months ago.

"It just never drew a large enough crowd for it," said manager Tim Wells, pointing out that contracting the services cost about the same as hiring a band and didn't bring in as many people.

Hookah bowls cost $4.50 to $10, depending on the type of tobacco for the session, Wells said.

Suzuki said he's seen a growing number of students using the water pipes to smoke tobacco at bars, cafes and even bookstores on the Mainland.

"It's a social gathering when it comes to hookah smoking. It's something you want to do in a big group," Suzuki said.

Students are drawn to the lounge-like, relaxed hookah bars, which are often lit with dim or colored lights and feature menus of flavored tobacco, such as apple, strawberry and vanilla.

"You're paying for the tobacco use and you're paying for the atmosphere that comes with it," Suzuki said.

Reach Robert Shikina at rshikina@honoluluadvertiser.com.