I found  another article (via Creative Loafing) discussing the effect anti-tobacco laws in North Carolina are having on hookah bars.

As usual, there is one group who wants to smoke socially while there is another group who want such activity to stay as far away from them as possible.  This is reasonable… but doesn’t it make sense that smoking should be allowed in a bar designed explicity for smoking?

Another question is: Will the surge in hookah smokers prove to be just a fad, or will the popularity of these flavored tobacco smoking water pipes continue increasing?  It would seems that, because of smoking laws that continue to get more stringent, people will have to opt for smoking in their homes more often than at hookah bars.

News articles have been popping up here and there about hookah bars trying to appeal to local governments for exemptions similar to those given to cigar bars and country clubs, where smoking is a vital part of the hobnobbing that goes on.  Similarly, in hookah bars, hookahs are merely a tool to facilitate socialization.  People who go into these places go specifically to smoke, so it’s a lot different than going through a buffet line and seeing someone tap their cigarette ash into the jello tray.

In Tempe I see first hand what a hassle tobacco regulation is to hookah bar owners who are trying to stay in business.  They are already selling something that has a small profit margin (two people can smoke a hookah for about an hour for 10-15 dollars).

I came to the Tempe/Scottsdale area before the restaurant-smoking ban was passed, so I have already gotten to see what a vastly detrimental effect this has had on the valley’s service oriented businesses (restaurants and bars).

As a patron of these locations, it is also a hassle for me that anti-smoking legislation only allows these places to serve food under special circumstances (this is Tempe anti-smoking regulation in action).   But this is where the tobacco debate really hits the road… the goal is to strike a balance between allowing people freedom while not encroaching upon the freedom of others to breath healthy, fresh air, right?

I, for one, am pulling for the hookah bars to win some kind of smoking exemption since I am a fan of small, local business (in addition to being a fan of hookah bars).  For the sake of the general public, I hope they don’t go any further to regulate (demonize) tobacco.  If tobacco regulation goes any further it will cross into the Prohibition-style law that plagued the US during the early 1900’s.

I distinctly remember getting a “buzz” from the first hookah I smoked (at a hookah cafe, so it was clean) and since then I still consistently get some kind of buzz.   Why would this happen?  What makes for a “hookah buzz?”

1. Nicotine –  Keep in mind, the nicotine content of typical shisha tends to be very light, especially compared to mainstream, chemically engineered cigarettes.  But, since nicotine is a natural component of tobacco, there is at least some of that.
2. Lack of oxygen to the brain – I suspect this is the main culprit for the “hookah buzz.”  Inhaling permanent markers or whipped cream will have a similar effect.  The reason for this is straightforward: The lungs have a hard time sifting oxygen out of the smoky air, thus creating an oxygen deficiency for the brain.   That “buzzy” feeling is a side effect the brain struggling to function properly.

According to this article from the Dawn Media Group, hookah might be not quite as bad inhale as tar and chemical-laden cigarrettes, but its still just as bad for your teeth.  This makes sense from a common sensical point of view, as inhaling tons of smoke is not natural for the inside of your mouth and thus it is not surprising that this should have a negative impact on your gums and teeth over time.

But, then again, breathing in smog all day probably isn’t good for you either.

So is it possible to smoke the hookah and still be healthy?  The common sense answer: Everything in moderation.  A glass or two of wine is good.  Drinking two bottles of wine by yourself every night is bad.  Smoking the hookah every once in a while is not a big deal.  Smoking four or five bowls every day is probably not smart.