| The slow and relaxed experience of smoking a | | | | include the following: always use the proper charcoal, |
| hookah, which includes preparation of the hookah and | | | | specifically made for hookah smoking-regular charcoal |
| the tobacco, is the whole point of hookah smoking. It's | | | | briquettes cause carbon monoxide poisoning, and |
| not about a buzz or a nicotine fix, it's about the relaxed | | | | charcoal which isn't low-smoke will overwhelm the |
| space, among friends and out of time, that is created | | | | hookah smoke; only a very small amount of hookah |
| by the hookah and the act of smoking it. Typically, a | | | | tobacco is needed in the bowl, since a little goes a long |
| hookah smoking session lasts somewhere between | | | | way; if the smoke or flavor are lacking, it's probably |
| 30 and 60 minutes. | | | | because the coals aren't hot enough-when smoking |
| After carefully preparing a clean hookah with cold | | | | for more than half an hour or so, fresh coals will be |
| water, selecting a flavorful tobacco for the bowl, | | | | needed. |
| lighting and adding the charcoal, the aromatic hookah | | | | Because hookah smoking is, and has traditionally been, |
| smoke is drawn bubbling through the water. Cooled | | | | a social activity, the etiquette which attends it is |
| and softened after being filtered by the water, light, | | | | important. Some of the rules of etiquette are never to |
| pleasant smoke infuses the senses, lingering on the air, | | | | light cigarettes using the charcoal that heats the |
| encouraging slow meditative breathing and sweetening | | | | hookah tobacco; avoid blowing smoke in the face of |
| conversation, games of dominoes, or quiet | | | | another person unless they ask--so they can taste the |
| contemplation and study. | | | | flavor being smoked; since the point of the individual |
| Some techniques used to enhance the experience of | | | | plastic mouthpiece is health and safety, don't share |
| hookah smoking are adding ice to the water and chilling | | | | them; when one person is done smoking but the |
| the hoses beforehand. The lush fruit flavors of hookah | | | | hookah is still in use, setting a hose directly on the table |
| smoke can be heightened by the addition of fruit juice | | | | signifies that smoker is finished and another person |
| or wine to the water in the base, and both customers | | | | may use the hose; when a hookah smoking session is |
| and proprietors of hookah smoking lounges regularly | | | | completed, the hoses should be wrapped around the |
| combine tobacco flavors to come up with their own | | | | stem; finally, don't smoke anything but tobacco out of a |
| special blends. | | | | hookah. |
| Some tips and warnings given by veteran smokers | | | | |