OBJECTIVES: Waterpipe smoking has emerged as a new trend of tobacco use with growing popularity especially among adolescents and young adults. Our objectives were to determine the predictors of having an intention to quit waterpipe smoking among University of Houston students who smoked a waterpipe in the past month (N=276). METHODS: Cross-sectional study through an online survey in February 2011. Questions included demographics (gender, age, race/ethnicity), tobacco use history (waterpipes, cigarettes, and cigars), perception of risk, and perceived social acceptability of waterpipe smoking. The survey also inquired about characteristics of tobacco waterpipe users such as the age and place of starting the waterpipe smoking, ownership of a waterpipe, frequency and duration of waterpipe smoking sessions, as well as willingness to quit. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were used to determine the frequencies and associations of participant characteristics and multivariate logistic regression models were carried out to determine predictors of having an intention to quit. RESULTS: Most of the sample (83%) reported no intention to quit. Participants who believed that waterpipe smoking was harmful to one’s health were more likely to have a desire to quit (OR=2.38, 95% CI=1.05-5.36). Participants with Indian or Pakistani descent were more likely to have an intention to quit compared to white participants (OR=4.74, 95% CI=1.61-13.93). Those who smoked waterpipe for more than 60 minutes were less likely to have a desire to quit (OR=0.29, 95% CI=0.12-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate a low level of a desire to quit among waterpipe smokers and underscore the urgent need to develop interventions that educate waterpipe smokers about the expected harms of continued use. This may increase the desire to quit and the odds of a successful cessation thereafter.