Issue date: 9/18/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Steve Berry Freshman Ann Knight was relieved of her duties as Miss Tuscola after photographs of her smoking a hookah surfaced.

A first-time puff on a hookah has led to the end of SIUE freshman Ann Knight's reign as a pageant queen.

Knight was crowned Miss Tuscola in March, but the crown was revoked when photos of her smoking a hookah were presented to the Tuscola Chamber of Commerce board.

The chamber voted that Knight's actions were a breech of contract. Knight, however, said she wasn't aware she was breeching her contract.

"I truly did not know I was violating the contract," she said. "I knew I was not supposed to drink or smoke weed. I don't even smoke; I actually have asthma."

Hookah is the name of a water pipe used to inhale flavored tobacco. Hookah lounges and cafes are growing in popularity and a number of them exist in the St. Louis area.

Knight, who is 18 and legally allowed to smoke tobacco, said she must have overlooked the no-smoking portion on the contract.

"Evidently it is in the contract and I just overlooked it," she said. "Probably because I don't smoke."

Photos of the queen smoking a hookah were posted on Facebook, which Knight and her friends saw no harm in, as everyone pictured was over 18. Printed copies of those photos were submitted to the Tuscola Chamber of Commerce and the matter was discussed at a chamber meeting. Knight said she was unaware that the chamber had seen the photos or was discussing them until she received a phone call informing her that she was being relieved of her duties.

The Tuscola Chamber of Commerce president released a statement that said the matter is only between the chamber and Knight.

Knight was surprised by the chamber's actions but said she was assured that the matter would remain "low key." The first reports of Knight losing her crown ran in local newspapers that same day.

"They left it open in the paper, as to what I had done, so everyone was thinking I had done something really bad," Knight said.

Then the media caught hold of the story.

"I cannot believe it has been made into as big of a deal as it has been. I come from a town with four stop lights," Knight said. "They said it would be low-key, then three days later I'm getting phone calls that it is in every paper."

Continued...

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