Soo....I just went to a Hookah Bar for the first time

[Kuhnada29]

And it was fun. I went with my girlfriend, her sister, and her sisters friend. I've never been to one, it was a fun experience. Most people there are open-minded and friendly, and the environment is laid-back and chill. If only you could smoke cannabis there, that would be sweet lol.

[Marvo]

Hookah smoking definitely is a much nicer form of smoking. It is much more social than cigarettes, and you can't really carry them around, so second hand smoke is barely an issue.

[Kuhnada29]

Yea, it really didn't even look like real smoke. It looks like vapor, like the stuff from those electronic cigarettes. I don't smoke cigarettes...I'll just do the hookah thing as a social event. Have you done it before Marvo?

[Xaqaria]

I'm not a fan of most shishas which is what you would typically smoke at a hookah bar. After being a smoker, all the shishas I've tried were basically like "smoking" flavored air. As for the general atmosphere, did you feel like people were comfortable there or was it the kind of place where people are there to put on a front? Hookah bars, tea bars, and the like always seem like a big act to me; like people are going there so that they will appear to be like the kind of people who go to a hookah bar (if that makes any sense; obviously they are the kind of people to go to a hookah bar).

[dajo]

I'm not a fan of most shishas which is what you would typically smoke at a hookah bar. After being a smoker, all the shishas I've tried were basically like "smoking" flavored air. But it is fun to play human fog machine. Much more smoke than cigarettes. I don't know, I like it once in a while, I guess. But even when I had a couple at home, I barely ever lit them up.

[Kuhnada29]

Your right Xaqaria, it is like smoking air lol As for the general atmosphere, did you feel like people were comfortable there or was it the kind of place where people are there to put on a front? yea I feel like people are comfortable there...people are in there relaxing and socializing with their friends, and are just generally enjoying themselves.....and most likely aren't even concerned with everyone else. Although one random girl tried to push-up on me while i was at the jukebox thingy. Are you uncomfortable in social situations Xaquaria?

[Raphael]

I went to a hookah bar in downtown San Diego one time when my friend got back from the Marines. Not really my thing though, I'd rather be out walking around instead of sitting there smoking.

[DeeryTheDeer]

Thanks to this thread, last night I had a dream about going to a hookah bar with my family. I choked on the air and my throat got sore. I'm very intrigued by places like these, since I had no idea about it until now and did a little research. So what is the benefit from the smoke? Is it bad for your health like cigarettes? Is it just flavored? I don't really understand the basic motive.

[Xaqaria]

Your right Xaqaria, it is like smoking air lol yea I feel like people are comfortable there...people are in there relaxing and socializing with their friends, and are just generally enjoying themselves.....and most likely aren't even concerned with everyone else. Although one random girl tried to push-up on me while i was at the jukebox thingy. Are you uncomfortable in social situations Xaquaria? Not particularly, just in the types of places that people go to to be seen, or to appear a certain way. Its possible that I the only reason why I have that opinion of hookah bars is because I've only seen the ones in Vermont that are rare, and they are that way. There is no real group of people who would naturally hang out at a hookah bar there, only the type of people who would consciously think something like, "lets go to the hookah bar so we can seem/feel hip". I get a lot of the undertones seeping into me in social situations, so I tend to avoid the places that people go that are sort of like 'social contest' spots. Too many unspoken negative vibes around those kind of places.

[Marvo]

Not particularly, just in the types of places that people go to to be seen, or to appear a certain way. Its possible that I the only reason why I have that opinion of hookah bars is because I've only seen the ones in Vermont that are rare, and they are that way. There is no real group of people who would naturally hang out at a hookah bar there, only the type of people who would consciously think something like, "lets go to the hookah bar so we can seem/feel hip". I get a lot of the undertones seeping into me in social situations, so I tend to avoid the places that people go that are sort of like 'social contest' spots. Too many unspoken negative vibes around those kind of places. I've never felt those vibes, but then I've only been to one hookah bar. I really enjoyed it. People are just talking and being relaxed.

[Kuhnada29]

Deery, it's a lounge..it's basically a spot to chill, they have food and stuff you can order, music playing, and they have these things called hookahs you can smoke flavored tobacco out of. me personally, its like air or vapor, it doesn't even feel or taste anywhere near as harmful as cigarettes, and i use to smoke cigarettes so i know. But it tastes good, and it's a fun place to be out with friends. I don't know if it's harmful smoking those things, but i really didn't care, life is short anyway, being around second hand smoke is harmful, masturbating too much is harmful, a lot of things aren't good for you in this world and are obviously out of your control ( like being in a polluted environment, and crossing the street, etc. lol ), and life is too short to worry about it....plus you don't go to hookah bars every day. It's just a social event kind of thing I didn't think i would like t either until i actually went.

[Marvo]

I have smoked hookah before, I enjoyed it. I was pretty young though and when my parents found out, they got a little mad. Mostly because they thought I was putting cannabis in it or something "bad" like that, I think. I would probably never buy one, as it really stinks up the place you use it in, much worse than cigarettes. From what I hear, it's just as harmful as cigarettes. You still get a large amount of nicotine. The only big difference is that it is less concentrated, so if you smoke hookah over a life time, as opposed to cigarettes, you will probably end up inhaling much less bad stuff. Unless you smoke ALL the time of course. Some people do that, that's kind of nasty.

[DuB]

There are a couple hookah bars around here that I've been known to go to occasionally--maybe once every other month or so. It's usually a pretty chill atmosphere, although one of them can get noisy sometimes since it's in the middle of the area where undergrads seem to like to hang out. We usually bring a board game (Pente!) or deck of cards and hang out for a few hours. I haven't really gotten any of the "social contest" vibes at the places that I've been to. In my experience, people pretty much just hang out with the group of friends they came with and don't pay much attention to the other patrons. And for those who were wondering, you definitely are not doing your lungs any favors when you smoke shishah. It is not a safe alternative to smoking tobacco. Just a tasty one.