“Caution: Don't go near the water pipe” ! A Recipe on How to Make 21st Century Depressive Red Skins’ Middle East Peace Pipe Popularity Grow Again

Just published: “Caution: Don't go near the water pipe. Health officials voice concern over misperceptions that smoking a hookah is less dangerous than other methods”. By Ann Wlazelek (The Morning Call) for Los Angeles Times

“To find out, the Allentown and Bethlehem health bureaus obtained a first-of-its-kind $100,000 grant to survey Arab Americans in Lehigh and Northampton counties about their smoking habits in general and their use of arghiles in particular.”

Oh, really ? Another $ 100,000 grant for this kind of study ? What about the $4,000,000 grants (2002-2007- 2012) for the joint US-Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies ? What about its dozens of studies ? Historical garbage ? What about its last “study” published with the prestigious “Gold Standard” Cochrane Collaboration label ?

Come on Eddie, come on everybody: Cochrane 2007 Review Masquerade on ““Waterpipe”™ Smoking Cessation” (Wasim Maziak, Thomas Eissenberg, Kenneth Ward) Is Summertime Blues !

“Arab Americans represent a large segment of the Lehigh Valley population. They also smoke more than any other ethnic group after American Indians and Alaskan natives, said MaryEllen Shiels, a chronic-disease manager with the Allentown Health Bureau.”

Oh, really ? Sure the Middle East Peace Pipe of these Red Skins of the 21st century must be eradicated.

“In a report released this spring, the American Lung Assn. called water pipe smoking "an emerging deadly trend." The group said that although the practice dates to ancient times in Persia and India, it is relatively new in the United States. Many major cities and some college campuses permit hookah smoking in bars and lounges.”

Oh, really ? Read this: American Lung Association Erroneous Report

“The World Health Organization also declared water pipe smoking unhealthy in a report released in May. The report said water pipe smokers may inhale the equivalent smoke of 100 or more cigarettes in one session.”

Oh, really ? Read this: WHO Erroneous Report on "Waterpipe"™ Tobacco Smoking

“Health officials hope that spreading that message among water pipe users in the Arab American communities will help discourage other users too. That includes members of the military returning from Iraq, Wenrich said. Some are bringing back arghiles from the Arabic country and adding to the water pipe's popularity. "It is culturally related, but becoming more mainstream," she said.”

Oh, really ? Read this on CBS Evening News: Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans

“The health bureaus' one-year grant covers an area where more than 16,000 Arab Americans reside. It was awarded by the American Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to smoking prevention and cessation.”

Oh, really ? Has the US citizen (and taxpayer) been informed of what is done with funds supposed to support Public Health ? Read also this killing analysis by Pr Michael SIEGEL (Boston University): American Legacy Foundation Tactics to Increase its Funding Exposed

Finally, dear reader, if your are not too depressed, have a look at this “new study” from Wayne State University, School of Medicine (Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, USA): Arfken CL. Health issues in the Arab American community. A review: depression and smoking. Ethn Dis. 2007 Summer;17(2 Suppl 3):S3-16-S3-18.

“Also, the association extends beyond depression to other mental disorders, including consumption of illegal drugs and non-medical use of prescription medications. Although the studies emphasize cigarette smoking, it is plausible to generalize the findings to other tobacco delivery systems involving deep inhalation, such as a hookah, due to the pharmacodynamics of nicotine”.

Oh, really ? Ain’t there some contradiction with the Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans ?

Image: courtesy of Pipes.org

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