Hookah: Ancient Wisdoms

The art of hookah smoking originated in India and spread to Iran making it one of the oldest traditions in the Middle East. The hookah is a water pipe used for smoking and goes by multiple names. It is referred to as a narghile or narghila, shisha or sheesha, water pipe, and hubbly-bubbly. In social gatherings, a hookah is placed in the center of a group and smokers pass the hose to the next in the circle, all the while exchanging words and sharing ideas. The popularity of the hookah has grown in recent years, mainly due to an increase in international travel and the allure of the social nature of hookah smoking.

To smoke hookah one requires shisha, which is a special blend of fresh, dark leaves, fruit pulp, honey or molasses, and glycerine. The shisha is available in a wide variety of flavors including pumpkin pie, champagne, hazelnut, pineapple, vanilla, pistachio, and butterscotch. It is thought that smoking with a Hookah is healthier than cigarette smoking due to the shisha blend containing only 0.5% nicotine and no tar. It provides a smoother, more pleasant and less irritating smoking experience.