Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Hookah

By John McCree


Hookahs are typically used devices to smoke flavorful tobacco. A hookah features a water basin that cleans the smoke prior to inhalation. The the highest quality hookahs are found in the region of in and around Middle East, where the hookahs essentially belong to. The parts of hookahs are pretty simple and built in a straightforward way.

Components

Basically, smoke produced by the burning tobacco is passed down via the body, the end of which is submerged in the water jar. The smoke is kept in an air chamber above the water when it is purified by the water. As the smoke goes through water, the temperature of the smoke decreases and becomes more appropriate for the lungs. At the top left section of the water jar in this picture is the hose. It isn't shown in the picture, but the length of the hose is approximately one meter. When the smoker puffs on the hose, the purified smoke exits the air chamber and is breathed in by the smoker from the hose. The end result is an extremely satisfying, aromatic, thick, and clear smoke exhaled by the smoker. Hookahs are usually smoked in group settings where the smokers can enjoy the company of their friends or family.

What Do You Smoke Out?

Generally hookahs are used to smoke shisha, which is flavored tobacco. Today the following things are used to make shisha: tobacco, treacle (uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar), honey, sugar, molasses, glycerin, nicotine, dried fruit and distilled water.

Usually shishas use a base of fruit flavor for example Apple, Mango or Peach. But offshoots of fruity flavors are now rising in popularity among the smokers and producers alike. These flavors include Peaches 'n Cream or Banana split, and so forth.

Adding flavor to tobacco at the time of production has become easy and now there are a range of different flavors. Unique flavors are made because essentially every ingredient can be combined in dried, tobacco, glycerin and sweetener.

The Origin of Hookahs

The word "hookah" is derived from the Indian "huqqa", a word that originated around the 1500's when the hookah was first designed by a Persian physician, Abul-Fath Gilani. After growing occupied with the health risks of smoking, he produced a system whereby he passed the smoke by using a water basin to 'purify' it. But, it is said that even before he invented it, hookah existed in other regions of Persia. Whatever the case, the recognition of the hookah grew throughout India and Pakistan, westward into Iran, Turkey, and Lebanon. In turkey, the Turkish elite class swiftly grew fond of hookah and thereon it spread in to Lebanon, Syria and into areas of northern Africa. It is now gaining popularity in the rest of the globe.

As it journeyed from Persia to the remaining globe, the hookah gained many names.

Nargile (also pronounced Argilee) - Mostly used in Italy, Turkey and Israel

Narguile - used in Spain

Lula (or lulava) - used in Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina

Sheesha - used in Morocco, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia

Qalyan - used in Iran

Karim Khan - used in Russia, Belarus

Chillim - used in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan

Huqqa - used in India and Pakistan

Gudugudaa - used in Maldives

Marra Pipe - used in the UK

How Can I Buy A Hookah?

Hookahs can be bought in physical shops as well as from online shops. Hookah shops have grown with the rise in popularity of hookah bars around the U.S. since the turn of the century. If your home is in or near a more populated urban setting or college town, your chances of finding a hookah shop are greater. Hookahs are gaining acceptance in the U.S., but they are not as popular here as in the Persian Gulf.

If you're unable to locate a hookah shop or you like to shop from the convenience of your home then you can buy a hookah on the net.

What You Need To Know About Health Hazards Before Starting to Smoke Hookah?

The controversy rages on about whether hookah smoking is less hazardous than cigarette smoking. Inhaling any sort of smoke is harmful for lungs but the people in favor of hookah point out that the smoke is cleaner and as compared to the smoke of a cigarette. Critics claim that hookah smoke includes just as many toxic compounds including tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, and cancer-causing chemicals. Another factor is that a hookah session can last as long as 60 minutes and sometimes even longer whereas a cigarette goes for just 3-4 minutes. On the other hand hookah is not as addictive as cigarettes. People smoke hookah once in a week or bi weekly for fun whereas a cigarette smoker smokes cigarettes daily, several times.




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