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Hookah, Narguila, Hubbly Bubbly, Shisha: A Water Pipe By Any Other Name

Hookahs have a history of use for centuries, mostly in the Middle East and India. Lately, though, they are becoming popular in many parts of the world such as South Africa, Asia, South America and North America. Bars where you can smoke hookahs are opening up all over the world.

A hookah is a type of water pipe that is used for the smoking of tobacco, although, it has been used for marijuana and opium as well. Other names for a hookah include narguila, shisha, hubbly bubbly or just plain water pipe. Which name is used primarily will depend upon where you are. In North America, for example, hookah is the name most commonly used.

Hookahs first came into being in India in the 1500s. They were invented by a doctor from Baghdad who was concerned about the health effects of smoking tobacco, which had recently been introduced to the country. His belief was that the water would filter any impurities from the tobacco.

Smoking from a hookah then become popular in India, particularly with the noble class. It later began to decline in use but, currently, it is experiencing renewed popularity. Other substances are being smoked in hookahs by young people there, such as herbs and molasses.

The hookah is an integral part of the culture in many countries in the Middle East, not just Arab countries, but in Israel as well. There, it will not only be smoked in cafes and bars, but families often partake together after a meal, for example.

To prepare a hookah for smoking is easy. There is a bowl at the top where one places the tobacco. Many people than stretch a piece of foil over the top and poke holes in it. You heat a piece of charcoal and place it on top of the foil. Underneath the bowl is the jar with sufficient water to cover a small portion of the tube that is sealed inside the jar.

You then inhale through the hose attached at the jar top. Air will pass through the charcoal and through to the tobacco underneath, producing smoke. The smoke passes down the tube and is cooled off with the water. This cooled smoke will then rise up the jar to the hose where it is inhaled by the smoker. Doing so will change the air pressure which will continue the pull through the tobacco.

Hookahs can have either one or multiple hoses depending on how they are going to be used. In bars or cafes, you often see the multiple hose variety as groups of people go there to smoke together. Young people in particular are beginning to gather at places like this. They are especially popular where the youths are too young to buy cigarettes but are allowed to use a hookah.

Places with hookahs are showing up across the globe. Often, it may be an expat who opens up a cafe or bar in a location where they quickly become popular with tourists and locals alike. Even in a place as remote as Cusco, Peru, there are bars and tearooms where you can smoke from a hookah. If you have always wanted to try one, you should have no problem finding a place reasonably close by.

There are a lot of people trying to find a healthy alternatie to smoking a ciggy. If you are one of them, you may want to look up hookah and learn more about hookah tobacco