Parents Understanding Hookah

[3rooker]

I'm 19 and still living at home (for the free ride while in college ). My parents found my "bong". My dad said I have no business smoking "hash" because I'm not Turkish. I tried explaining the whole thing to him. The cultural aspect, the rising popularity. My father is highly anti-smoking. Anyone have any ideas how I can kinda convince him that it's what I want to do and to have him kind of accept it? With the terms in "quotes", I am talking about a hookah pipe and shisha. Just wanted to clarify! Any suggestions would be a HUGE help! Thanks!

[aldonb1]

eh i kinda think if ur living in his house and he doesn't want you to smoke... you shouldn't.

Thats just me tho.

[GordonMac]

have them try it. thats what I did with my parents. tell them your smoking fruit and your not inhaling it. compare it to a fine wine that they would drink. haha the fruit thing was good i said "its basically smoking fruit" even tho its not... if your not cheatin your not tryin am i right?

[Shifty]

I groomed my family from the start. That way when I did bring it home, even though they don't like it, they realize in the grand scheme of things, there are MUCH worse things I could have chosen to do with my spare time. So while they don't like it, they accept that I do it. This approach is kinda out of your hands at the moment though, considering they are already jaded by thinking it's a "bong" anyway. If they are that deadset and aren't willing to listen.. I'm sorry man, you're going to have to do your hookah "ninja" style and brave their wrath if they find you.

[girlgeek]

Well his house his rules.. . so start smoking in the front yard. Watch hw quickly he has you bring your hookah into the house.

[3rooker]

have them try it. thats what I did with my parents. tell them your smoking fruit and your not inhaling it. compare it to a fine wine that they would drink. haha the fruit thing was good i said "its basically smoking fruit" even tho its not... if your not cheatin your not tryin am i right?

I like your philosophy Gordon! That's awesome. Seeing as how my dad drinks about a beer every blue moon, that won't really work lol. My parents are both just over 50. They see a water pipe as a "bong". I have thought about having them try it. My mom smokes cigarettes (GROSS), so I could get her "hooked on hookah!" lol I j u s t d o n ' t k n o w ! ! !

[3rooker]

have them try it. thats what I did with my parents. tell them your smoking fruit and your not inhaling it. compare it to a fine wine that they would drink. haha the fruit thing was good i said "its basically smoking fruit" even tho its not... if your not cheatin your not tryin am i right?

I like your philosophy Gordon! That's awesome. Seeing as how my dad drinks about a beer every blue moon, that won't really work lol. My parents are both just over 50. They see a water pipe as a "bong". I have thought about having them try it. My mom smokes cigarettes (GROSS), so I could get her "hooked on hookah!" lol I j u s t d o n ' t k n o w ! ! !

[3rooker]

Well his house his rules.. . so start smoking in the front yard. Watch hw quickly he has you bring your hookah into the house.

I was thinking in the back yard on the pool deck...it'd be badass to have a hookah pool party!

[web250]

Try to explain it to them. Be rational, be an adult.

Maybe have them try it.

[The King]

IF she smokes cigs she can't have a problem with hookah, make her try it

[hookaheveryday]

Do what I did...blow smoke in their faces. haha kidding. :-)

[KillZedKill]

Sit them down and show them your tobacco, and even print out a page of hookah history for them to read.

[SafeSearchOff]

this is how we convinced two of my friends families thus far:

Explain to them thoroughly, that yes, the shisha is tobacco. Say that its only for traditional reasons, or convince them the tobacco is just a medium for other things (actually are part of shisha):
Say something including these aspects (which are big big lies)
The tobacco is just a medium for honey and molasses. The tobacco never burns (not a lie), it just helps give substance to what we are really vaporizing and then smoking, honey, molasses, and glycerin.

From that core arguement, elaborate even further, even show them how you pack it, and how it works, fully showing the fact that the shisha does not, in fact, burn. Also mention your mom smokes ciggys, bring up that a: the nic levels in shisha are like, 1/8 of what they are in cigs. and/or b: water is a much better filter than little bals of cotton, since the nicotine and baddie chemicals will dissolve as a solute into the water (a partial lie... it does, but not fully)

thats just a base to get you started...

[mgcsinc]

the nic levels in shisha are like, 1/8 of what they are in cigs. and/or b: water is a much better filter than little bals of cotton, since the nicotine and baddie chemicals will dissolve as a solute into the water (a partial lie... it does, but not fully)

Those are nearly complete lies.

In any case, I agree that the key to your situation is making an honest attempt at educating them. Just be careful not to exaggerate; if one of your parents hears one of the increasingly-common news reports about the dangers related to hookah and feels like you were misleading them, they won't be receptive at all next time.

[3rooker]

this is how we convinced two of my friends families thus far:

Explain to them thoroughly, that yes, the shisha is tobacco. Say that its only for traditional reasons, or convince them the tobacco is just a medium for other things (actually are part of shisha):
Say something including these aspects (which are big big lies)
The tobacco is just a medium for honey and molasses. The tobacco never burns (not a lie), it just helps give substance to what we are really vaporizing and then smoking, honey, molasses, and glycerin.

From that core arguement, elaborate even further, even show them how you pack it, and how it works, fully showing the fact that the shisha does not, in fact, burn. Also mention your mom smokes ciggys, bring up that a: the nic levels in shisha are like, 1/8 of what they are in cigs. and/or b: water is a much better filter than little bals of cotton, since the nicotine and baddie chemicals will dissolve as a solute into the water (a partial lie... it does, but not fully)

thats just a base to get you started...

That's a really good idea!! I'll have to think what I'm going to tell them and give that a whirl.

Keep the ideas coming. If one fails, try, try again!! lol Thanks to the suggestions so far!

[Johnny_D]

Well as a parent i can tell one simple fact.
I would not like to see my daughters smoking. Period. Via any medium.

Your father is not a dummy Inhalation of anything other than the normal air is not going to be a good thing.

Now we are all adults. we choose to partake in this particular passtime for all the reasons we know and love. But your parents may never understand -or- like it.

In fact even now at the age of 33 i allways felt very uncomfortable smoking in front of my mum.

So i'd take the advice given above, and ensure you allways communicate and talk with your parents, but i don't think that i would be trying to convince them.

JD

[teq]

I don't know how your parents react, but for the sake of sanity, respect their wishes while inside their home.

Outside their home, however, choose to live your life as you see fit... provided you take the rest of humanity into consideration in the process, of course.

If you feel that smoking is something you don't want to give up, do so at a lounge or friend's house; what your parents don't know can't hurt them.

[OrangeLazarus]

Yeah, I'd go with doing your best to respect your parents wishes and rules, it's the least you can do. It is their house and they are giving you a free ride and/or lodging while you are in college. Since you're over 18 they can give you the boot... Try explaining the history and methodology to smoking hookah to see if it helps. Or maybe some kind of compromise such as only doing it outside in the backyard. And if you have any young and impressionable siblings, don't do it around them.

When I turned 18 I immediately started smoking cigars and my parents didn't mind. My dad smokes cigs (in the house) and despite this I still gave them the courtesy of only smoking outside or in the garage. They teased me a bit when I told them I started smoking hookah recently, but after I explained it my dad became curious and he wants to try it when I go up there to visit soon. Same thing with the cigars though, I won't do it in their house.

So basically, be courteous, respect their rules, and educate them. Think of all the things they have done for you...

[aldonb1]

Yeah, I'd go with doing your best to respect your parents wishes and rules, it's the least you can do. It is their house and they are giving you a free ride and/or lodging while you are in college. Since you're over 18 they can give you the boot... Try explaining the history and methodology to smoking hookah to see if it helps. Or maybe some kind of compromise such as only doing it outside in the backyard. And if you have any young and impressionable siblings, don't do it around them.

When I turned 18 I immediately started smoking cigars and my parents didn't mind. My dad smokes cigs (in the house) and despite this I still gave them the courtesy of only smoking outside or in the garage. They teased me a bit when I told them I started smoking hookah recently, but after I explained it my dad became curious and he wants to try it when I go up there to visit soon. Same thing with the cigars though, I won't do it in their house.

So basically, be courteous, respect their rules, and educate them. Think of all the things they have done for you...

yeah u really have to respect them...
I know my parents don't approve of me doing it, so when im on breaks from college i just dont smoke. It just makes everything easier.

At first they were straight up against it. They didn't want me doing it at all. I simply told them that I understood I would respect their wishes. A few days later they said that they understand that I'm an adult now and it I can make my own decisions but to be careful about the decisions I make. (both my parents are nonsmokers)

[Interpol]

I understand what you're going through. My parents both used to be heavy smokers, my dad still smokes a good cigar maybe once a month. I haven't let my parents know about any of it. I usually go out with friends to a hookah bar or on occasion to my beach house with my little hookah. Sometimes we'll be at a park or a Starbucks to smoke, just expect to be hastled a bit by those who don't know what a hookah is.

As for making parents understand, I can't help you without knowing them.

[hookah hippie]

If your parents aren't cool with it don't smoke at there house but since you are an adult feel free to own and use a hookah at your discretion.

[3rooker]

Well, smoking inside public establish is now against the law in the state of Florida (where I currently live). But thanks for the advice so far. I just pissed him off the other night. 19 years old and coming home anhialated. Not wasted. ANHIALATED!!! So, I can't quite talk to him about it just yet. Maybe a couple of days? I don't know. I'm going to try all the techniques given so far though!