Background: Water-pipe smoking, popularly known as "hookah" or "shisha," is a widespread social activity in the Middle East, involving the use of a water-filtered device to vaporize flavored tobacco. A concerning trend has emerged as individuals add various drugs to the tobacco mixture, complicating the health implications.
Aims: This study aimed to explore the prevalence, demographic factors, and motivations behind drug mixing with tobacco in shisha among university students in Jordan.
Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a structured questionnaire was used to collect data on participants' demographics, shisha smoking habits, drug mixing practice and the motivations behind it. Four hundred and sixty-nine (469) students, aged 18-30 years, including medical and non-medical students, from two universities in Jordan participated in this study.
Results: Approximately 18% of participants reported mixing drugs with tobacco in shisha, with paracetamol being the predominant choice (80%). Motivations varied, with 42% seeking euphoric effects, 46% a relaxing experience, and 12% a sedative outcome. Males (73%) showed a higher frequency of drug mixing compared to females (27%). In addition, non-medical reported mixing drugs with the tobacco of water-pipe more than medical students.
Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the complex phenomenon of drug mixing with tobacco in water-pipe smoking among university students in Jordan. The findings highlight the need for further research on clinical implications and interventions to address this emerging trend.
Keywords: Jordan; University Students; drug mixing; paracetamol; water-pipe smoking.