Hookah Lounges Becoming More Popular In United States

What may have started centuries ago in India and gained popularity in Turkey and Iran

, Hookah is catching fire in the West and becoming a hip alternative to cigar smoking.

Not heard of hookah? It is a large water pipe that utilizes water and indirect heat for smoking. The tobacco smoked in the hookah is called shisha and comes in a variety of flavors, with fruit flavors topping the list as most popular.

Just like cigar lounges, hookah enthusiasts now have their own place to gather as hookah lounges are popping up more and more in local neighborhoods particularly in college towns and nearby communities. College students in the U.S. have embraced this Turkish tradition and enjoy taking a break from their studies to relax and smoke with others in this new type of lounge. A typical smoking session lasts around 45 minutes.

The first hookah lounge dates back to 2000, when Paymon Raouf opened the Paymon Mediterranean Caf and Hookah Lounge in Las Vegas, Nevada. He created the domain name hookahlounge.com and allows other owners to use the name to bring more awareness to this practice in the states. Unlike most hookah lounges that offer only soft drinks, tea and coffee along with snack foods, Raouf offers a full-service restaurant and lounge that sells alcohol as well as a several menu choices for a complete meal.

Since October 2008, there were at least 470 hookah bars in the U.S. and an average of five new hookah bars opening each month, according to Bplans, an on-line service that helps new business owners. They estimate that at that time there were about 2.5 million smokers in the states and approximately 10 percent were of Middle Eastern descent and the remaining groups were of American descent.

While most Hookah lounges have Islamic dcor, many also decorate with a contemporary flair and include such modern elements as plasma televisions and oxygen bars. These bars provide a relaxing experience among interesting people of different ethnic backgrounds sharing friendship and relaxation time.

Those who frequent Hookah lounges say that the tobacco burns slow and lowextending the length of the smoking experience and allows the guest to just savor the flavor. For those who want enjoy that same experience but in the privacy of their own home, they can purchase pipes, bowls, steins and shisha from an on-line tobacco vendor like at www.bnbtobacco.com.

by: Elliot Boudin

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