Hookah smoking around the world

A hookah pipe is an instrument used to smoke tobacco through a water chamber, which cools and filters the smoke. The hookah can have a single hose for a single user or multiple hoses. Multi-pipe bongs or hookahs are a great idea for an event or social occasion.

The hookah originated in India and is part of the culture throughout the Middle East but recently it has gained popularity in Europe, Australia, North America and Brazil. One of the more popular hookahs types is known as the Malabar hookah and comes from the city of Koyilandy.

The hookah has a number of alternative names: in Arabic the pipe is referred to as a shisha and this is the most common name used in the Persian Gulf states. Meanwhile, Islamic countries close to the eastern Mediterranean such as Turkey, Cyprus, Jordan and Syria enjoy a narghile. In Croatia and Albania the hookah is a Lula, while in Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina the pipe is called a nargile.

Hookah pipes are most common in the Arab world, where the smoking of flavoured tobacco has entered their tradition and culture. It is estimated that Arabs are the biggest users of shisha pipes worldwide. Nearly all cafés offer shisha smoking and the cafés are the centre of Arab social life, being likened to the bars and pubs in the Western world.
 
Because of the increase in smoking bans across Europe and North America, many hookah cafés have begun to offer a smoking experience by using non-tobacco mu’assel, a mixture of molasses and honey.

Posted in Herbal Highs, Hookah Pipes, Legal Highs, Smoking at August 26th, 2010. No Comments.

How to Select the Ideal Hookah Pipe

Where legal highs involving the smoking of herbals and plant materials are concerned, a very popular piece of paraphernalia in use is the hookah pipe.  As popularity grows, the amount of products available does also, creating a challenge for those individuals who want to start enjoying this type of smoking device for getting high legally.  Here are several suggestions for how to select the one that is best suited to your needs.

Determine the way you are going to use the hookah pipe.  Will you be using it to smoke cannabis, herbals and plant materials (legal highs), or regular loose tobacco?

Size really does matter.  If you are only going to use it by yourself, than a smaller one will be sufficient.  Otherwise, purchase a multi-user style to accommodate a group of smokers.  Additionally, where the size factor is concerned, you want to make sure that you have sufficient storage space so that you can keep it out of the reach of children and pets.

Glass is the preferred material for the bowl base.  However, acrylic models are now emerging throughout the market and are increasing in popularity because of their price and the fact that they do not break or crack as easily as the glass-based ones do.

For the beginner, there are a lot of first time buyer deals available online, making it more affordable than ever to get started with this type of smoking venue.  There are numerous value packages available so that your purchase includes the hookah pipe, the accessories, and even the tobacco in some instances.

Posted in Herbal Highs, Hookah Pipes, Legal Highs, Smoking at May 12th, 2010. No Comments.

The tradition of the Hookah Pipe

A hookah pipe, commonly referred to as a shisha in Arabic, is a water pipe that has either one or more stems for smoking.hookah pipes were originally developed in India, but its popularity quickly spread throughout Asia and the Middle East. In addition, thanks to travellers in these areas, the hookah pipe is also gaining a following in western countries, such as the US, the UK and Canada.

The hookah utilises water to filter smoke from herbal mixtures with indirect heat, thus creating a unique and enjoyable legal smoking experience.

The hookah has a range of titles depending on where in the world it is being used. For example in Turkey and most of the Middle East it is called a nargeela. Alternatively, in Egypt it is called a shisha and the content is referred to as moassel.

Throughout the Arab world the hookah is smoked as part of the region’s culture and tradition. Hookah smoking in social settings is very common in these areas and is often done with single or double hoses. Hookah smoking in Arab social settings carries with it certain social niceties that are observed, such as placing the hose on the table after smoking to signal to the other smokers that the pipe is available. Alternatively, if the pipe is simply being passed from one smoker to the next, it is handed with the mouthpiece folded back, and not pointing in the direction of the recipient. The recipient takes the hookah and gently slaps the person he received it from as a sign of respect and thanks.

Posted in Hookah Pipes, Smoking at August 13th, 2009. 1 Comment.

All you need to know about Hookah Pipes

A hookah pipe is a type of water pipe that is used for legal herbal smoking. It consists of a container that is filled with water, through which the smoking material – a legal herb – is filtered. A tube extends from the top of the container and holds a small bowl with live, hot coal, upon which the herbs are placed. The tube extends down through the water and a mouthpiece attached to a flexible tube is connected to the side of the container. When the smoke is inhaled through the mouthpiece, air pressure pulls the smoke from the burning coals through the water, filtering it from particles. Diagrams and explanations related to the way the hookah works, and how it is constructed, can be found on the Internet.

Hookahs are often called shishas, from the Persia word for glass or bottle. Hookah pipes come in various styles, known as Syrian and Egyptian hookahs, and one can easily find travelling hookahs and custom-designed hookahs. A conventional hookah is made of blown glass and is usually decorated elaborately with bits of enamel or gold paint, porcelain, silver, carved stones, or pieces of leather.

Legal herb smoking, through hookahs, pipes, and bongs, is big business these days. A whole line of accessories exists for the hookah, including metal tongs and special charcoal that can burn for a half hour or more. Legal herbs are smoked most often in social groups. When this is the case, the hookah is not passed around; instead, it is simply set down between uses to allow other smokers to take a turn.

Posted in Hookah Pipes, Pipes, Smoking at August 4th, 2009. No Comments.

The Hookah Hook-up

Smoking tobacco with a hookah, as well as herbal smoking mixtures, is not merely a method of smoking, but a form of social interaction as well. The mechanisms of a hookah pipe allow it to be used by multiple people, sparking the emergence of different hookah bars in the country.

You can visit a hookah bar either alone or with your friends, but it would be easier if you bring your buddies along so that you can feel comfortable, especially if it is your first time. Having said that, it is also a good idea to mingle once you’re in a hookah bar, since you can use the topic of hookah smoking to strike up conversations with strangers.

Before smoking the hookah, make sure you blow into the hose to flush out the stale smoke. You can also put some ice in the hookah bowl to lower the temperature of the smoke so that it feels cooler on the throat. The mechanism of hookahs allow for you to mix different materials and flavours in the bowl. This can also serve as a conversation piece, as you can swap tobacco combinations with other willing patrons. You can also fill the hookah bowl with fresh water to eliminate smoke resins and tobacco debris left there from the hookah’s previous use. This ensures that the smoke will be fresher and its flavour fuller.

The hookah bar itself presents a whole new experience, especially for newcomers. It carries a fog-filled ambiance, reminiscent of exotic lands, and the scent will hardly ever make you nauseous, unlike ordinary methods of smoking. The introduction of hookah pipes and hookah bars has paved the way for people with similar interests to bond and converse while have a good smoke.

Posted in Hookah Pipes, Legal Highs, Smoking at June 29th, 2009. 2 Comments.

Hookah Tobacco and Its Culture

Tobacco is a type of broad-leafed plant of the nightshade family that originated in North and South America. It also refers to the dried and cured leaves. These leaves are smoked, and smoking is done in the form of a cigarette, in a smoking pipe or in a water pipe, such as a bong or a hookah.

The most frequently used substance in a hookah is a mixture of tobacco and a sweet substance, like honey, semi-dried fruit or molasses, in a 1:2 ratio. At first, tobacco was mixed with one of these sweet substances to form ‘jurak’, a flavourless and moistened tobacco. There are also experimental flavoured tobaccos produced by Egyptian tobacco companies to sell more products, especially to women. One of these is ‘shisha’, a fruit-flavoured tobacco which started in the late 1980s. At present, shisha tobacco is available in many flavours, such as strawberry, cappuccino, mint, apple, melon or mango.

From multiple hoses, the hookah’s design has led to one filtration chamber. This is to simplify the use by groups, since numerous hoses will reduce suction and smokers have to cover up their mouthpiece if it’s not in use. The hookahs with multi-hoses are well-liked in the Western countries, where hookah smoking became a social trend. However, hookahs with multi-hoses are not common in Africa and Asia. In Arab society, smokers use a singe-hose hookah. When one smoker is done, the hose is either placed on the table or handed to the next user.

Traditionally, hookahs are decorated to provide a distinctive appearance. Hookahs display similarities to the traditional American Indian peace pipe.

Posted in Hookah Pipes, Smoking, Tobacco at June 13th, 2009. No Comments.

Making a Hanging Pipe Rack

A great way to maintain a pipe collection accessible and organised is through creating a hanging pipe rack without taking up much space. In their smoking rotation, several pipe smokers have a huge compilation of pipes and such hanging pipe rack holds around 40 pipes or more. With readily available low-priced parts, you can create a hanging pipe rack. Here are some instructions that will guide you in making a hanging pipe rack.

First, go to a department store or any hardware store and look for a coated cooling rack that is rectangular in shape. The rack must be approximately 16 inches long and 11 inches wide. These racks are intended to cool cakes, bread, casseroles, pies, and other dishes. They vary in colour such as red, white, black, and chrome.

Second, you must decide the place where you will hang the pipe rack. You may hang it on a wall in your office, in your house, or on the back of a display cabinet.

Third, you must make two marks that are nine inches apart on the wall. To ensure that the marks are of the same height, use a level in making such marks. At the marks, screw the two cup hooks so that the hooks’ open side are up. On the hook, vertically hang the rack so that the cross bars will be parallel to the floor.

Lastly, the first row of the pipes’ stem must be inserted between the two cross bars. With the bowls up, you must hang the stem pipes straight and bend them with the bowls down. In order to hang five or six rows on the rack, space the pipes.

Posted in Hookah Pipes at June 9th, 2009. 1 Comment.

Cleaning a Hookah Pipe

Several hookah smokers clean their pipes after each smoking session, while some do not change the water inside the pipe for a few weeks. Cleaning the hookah pipes often reflects on the smoker’s personal preference. When these are properly cleaned, the quality of the hookah will last for many years.

There are things that you will need in cleaning hookah pipes: toothpick, test-tube brush, rock salt, and rubbing alcohol. First, slowly dismantle the hookah into pieces. Wash the bowl and get a toothpick and carefully get rid of the dry and burnt tobacco hidden in the holes of the bowl. Rinse all the particles in the pipe, using the test-tube brush to easily clean spaces that are hard to reach.

Another way is to pour a cup of salt and water inside the hookah. Leave it for a few minutes, and then start shaking it, so that the rock salt will remove tobacco grime inside it. After this, you can now remove the water and salt by rinsing the base thoroughly. Introducing air forcefully will completely remove built-up ashes inside the hookah hoses. Warm water can be used by running it through these tubes. The mouthpiece must be cleaned using alcohol and warm water before using it again. Finally, before reassembling the parts make sure that all are completely dry.

Always remember that the best way of cleaning hookah pipes is by placing potable water in the pipe’s base prior to a smoking session. The water filters the smoke, which is why it quickly becomes dirty. Never try to use any kind of soap on the hookah because it can contaminate the flavour of the smoke. If rock salt is preferred to be used, it is advised to rinse the hookah a couple of times.

Posted in Hookah Pipes at May 29th, 2009. 2 Comments.

Reducing the Health Risk of a Hookah

Many people prefer to smoke hookah tobaccos, believing that these do not contain toxic parts. However, the risks in hookah tobacco may be the same as those of cigarettes and other addictive substances. There are risks in smoking tobacco through a hookah pipe, which may be more hazardous to the smoker’s health.

Hookah tobacco smoking is considered to produce a smoother and more flavourful smoke. Shisha smoking is usually believed to have less damage to health than cigarettes. Research has shown that because tobacco is heated it produces fewer carcinogens in the smoke. Furthermore, there is less risk of addiction in hookah smoking. However, a published review in the medical journal, ‘Paediatrics’, states that the absorption of the addictive and cancer-causing substances in hookah pipes may be of an equal amount to that of cigarette smoking. The reason for this is that the high temperature involved is enough to produce carcinogenic nitrosamines, and the burning charcoal adds a quantity of carcinogenic hydrocarbons and heavy metals to the smoke.

The use of a hookah may increase the exposure of smokers to toxins. Studies have shown that the usual hookah smoker spends more time in smoking than other smokers, probably because the hookah smoke is less irritating.

One of the studies has cited that self-lighting charcoal may be a major hazard for hookah smokers because it generates more carbon monoxide and other dangerous substances than natural charcoal. For those individuals who cannot avoid smoking a hookah, they should discontinue using dangerous self-lighting charcoal. It is recommended to use natural charcoal in the traditional way of hookah smoking.

Posted in Hookah Pipes at May 5th, 2009. 1 Comment.