Hookah Misconception; The Real Cause?

[chromecarz00]

Spent the night at a friends last night, and this morning as I was loading my hookahs in the car, I got a LOT, i mean A LOT of stares from everbody who passed by (he lives on the side of a road, so yeah...)
most people were older people, and from their looks they def. thought it was something which it was not. I dont know if todays date played a factor or anything, but there was def. some animosity toward it. I think that besides all the other theories, a lack of exposure could be a central part of the problem...
anybody agree with me here? or am I talking out of my ass?

[MechAnt]

That could easily be part of it. It's not quite part of the whole mainstream quite yet. However, there are always those little fucks that have to go ruin things for us.

[gaia.plateau]

Why do you care what a bunch of old fucks think?

[teq]

Controversial subjects come with judgement, hence the reason they're controversial. When it comes to hookah, it's more regional than anything.

I actually had a racist biggot tell me I was "supporting terrorism" because I was buying tobacco that was made in the Middle East.

I could have just grabbed a tin of Starbuzz and told him to f@$# off because the label clearly states "Made in USA", but I'm not the type of person to let judgemental people slide.


Instead, I told him I'd rather buy product from a nation rich in culture and morals than support a president who clearly does NHT.

[Ralleac]

Spent the night at a friends last night, and this morning as I was loading my hookahs in the car, I got a LOT, i mean A LOT of stares from everbody who passed by (he lives on the side of a road, so yeah...)
most people were older people, and from their looks they def. thought it was something which it was not. I dont know if todays date played a factor or anything, but there was def. some animosity toward it. I think that besides all the other theories, a lack of exposure could be a central part of the problem...
anybody agree with me here? or am I talking out of my ass?

It's the lack of exposure along with the similarity to other NHT pipes. Well, it could also be the fact that a lot of people DO put NHT in hookahs. I'm not exactly sure that those of us who stick strictly to tobacco are in the majority.

[Codename067]

Its fucked up, but it is what it is..

Go smoke in the middle east...you will get -positive- nods from random people...rather than 'looks'.

[Johnny_D]

Why do you care what a bunch of old fucks think?

I am personally Disgusted by your comment Gaia. How dare you refer to the older generation as 'fucks'.

JD - Waiting for the 4 page essay on why it's ok to call anyone older than [One assumes] 25 as 'old fucks'

[Johnny_D]

Spent the night at a friends last night, and this morning as I was loading my hookahs in the car, I got a LOT, i mean A LOT of stares from everbody who passed by (he lives on the side of a road, so yeah...)
most people were older people, and from their looks they def. thought it was something which it was not. I dont know if todays date played a factor or anything, but there was def. some animosity toward it. I think that besides all the other theories, a lack of exposure could be a central part of the problem...
anybody agree with me here? or am I talking out of my ass?

I'm not exactly what 'real cause' you are refering to above.

Define older people also? I'm 34 and it was only about 2 months ago that the relevance of yesterday's date was explained to me.

The real cause is more likely to be hollywood and films like Knocked up. Whilst one loves Seth Rogan his constant use of certain devices throughout the film will automatically be passed onto hookah too.

Bunch of guys sitting around smoking out of a device, in the parlance of our times*, What do you think people [outside of our community] are going to think?

Sad but i'm afraid true.

JD

* - Big Lebowski

[mushrat]

Spent the night at a friends last night, and this morning as I was loading my hookahs in the car, I got a LOT, i mean A LOT of stares from everbody who passed by (he lives on the side of a road, so yeah...)
most people were older people, and from their looks they def. thought it was something which it was not. I dont know if todays date played a factor or anything, but there was def. some animosity toward it. I think that besides all the other theories, a lack of exposure could be a central part of the problem...
anybody agree with me here? or am I talking out of my ass?

It's the lack of exposure along with the similarity to other NHT pipes. Well, it could also be the fact that a lot of people DO put NHT in hookahs. I'm not exactly sure that those of us who stick strictly to tobacco are in the majority.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Yes indeed folks. The problem we have is easily traced to the fact that many people DO put NHT in their hookahs. And if they don't, then they do atleast DO NHT so the connection is STILL being made between their other habits and the fact they smoke hookah, even with tobacco. The real problem isn't really a misconception that hookahs are often used for NHT, the challange is getting people to realize that not ALL of us do. So instead of doing what comes naturally to many, including myself, of telling those people making comments to screw off, we have to take the time to show them that they are wrong ijn a reasonable, friendly, and educated way so that they can't help but see that there are other ways to smoke hookah. We have to win people over, NOT piss them off.

My .02

[mushrat]

Why do you care what a bunch of old fucks think?

Because its the "old fucks" who make many of the laws. How old do you have to be to be an old fuck? I'm 40 myself. Do you think you could actually CONTRIBUTE to this topic?

[AKammenzind]

Why do you care what a bunch of old fucks think?

Because its the "old fucks" who make many of the laws. How old do you have to be to be an old fuck? I'm 40 myself. Do you think you could actually CONTRIBUTE to this topic?

Yeah, most people in govt aren't young. In my area I don't think there is a single cop who isn't at least middle-aged as well.

In reply to the actual topic, I've had the same thing both with older folks and younger. It's just how it is, and the only way we can change that is through education. Whenever someone gives that look, invite them to have a puff and tell them about it. Especially police, and people who look at you suspiciously. (obviously not a possibility when they're driving by, but in other circumstances... heh)

[mathuv]

Its fucked up, but it is what it is..

Go smoke in the middle east...you will get -positive- nods from random people...rather than 'looks'.

yep, a middle eastern backpacker passed by with a HUGE grin on his face when i was smoking in the park.

Yeah, most people in govt aren't young. In my area I don't think there is a single cop who isn't at least middle-aged as well.

In reply to the actual topic, I've had the same thing both with older folks and younger. It's just how it is, and the only way we can change that is through education. Whenever someone gives that look, invite them to have a puff and tell them about it. Especially police, and people who look at you suspiciously. (obviously not a possibility when they're driving by, but in other circumstances... heh)

i have offered several people puffs, and explained to countless others. they were fascinated and some even accepted to try. only once did someone assume it was NHT as when i offered him a puff he said "nah, i have to get back to work.."

[bjelder]

In all honesty, about 1 year ago, I saw a picture of my friend on facebook smoking hookah. I had no idea what hookah was at the time, and flipped out because I thought they were pictures of something else. I thought she was the dumbest person alive for posting pics of it.

Turns out it was just hookah. But it goes to show you that without having been exposed to hookah before, it can most definitely look like something else.

[r1v3th3ad]

I actually had a racist biggot tell me I was "supporting terrorism" because I was buying tobacco that was made in the Middle East.
I could have just grabbed a tin of Starbuzz and told him to f@$# off because the label clearly states "Made in USA", but I'm not the type of person to let judgemental people slide.
Instead, I told him I'd rather buy product from a nation rich in culture and morals than support a president who clearly does NHT.

Awesome man, bravo

Why do you care what a bunch of old fucks think?

I am personally Disgusted by your comment Gaia. How dare you refer to the older generation as 'fucks'.
JD - Waiting for the 4 page essay on why it's ok to call anyone older than [One assumes] 25 as 'old fucks'

Ha, 4 page essay...nice one ol' chap


anyway, on topic...I was on the blogtv live yesterday with my hookah and you don't know how much the nhtHeads and mods were harassing me..."Hey man, take a rip for me...daaaamn, alll that smoke and not choking, he's a champ" etc... but then mods were harassing me. Finally I flipped out, told the whole 4/20/08 crew off, took off my charcoals and foil to show the mods what it was and politely told them to blow me and fuck off because I had seen a few shows where guys were actually sitting there with a NH smoking NHT and they weren't shut down, but nooooo, come harass the hookah guy who isn't doing anything wrong...WANKERS

[AzZ]

 

I actually had a racist biggot tell me I was "supporting terrorism" because I was buying tobacco that was made in the Middle East.

I could have just grabbed a tin of Starbuzz and told him to f@$# off because the label clearly states "Made in USA", but I'm not the type of person to let judgemental people slide.


Instead, I told him I'd rather buy product from a nation rich in culture and morals than support a president who clearly does NHT.

Haha. Thats a cool story....I LOL'ed. 

Thats guys an idiot. It's people like that that give Hookah a 'bad' name.

[K4L30]

I think it would be the lack of the right kind of exposure and too much of the wrong kind of exposure. People see a smoking device like a hookah and they automatically think that you are doing nht. The majority of young people today wouldnt buy a hookah for smoking shisha. To them it is a really cool device for smoking their **** out of. I think that's crap. Edited April 21, 2008 by Johnny_D

[Johnny_D]

I think it would be the lack of the right kind of exposure and too much of the wrong kind of exposure. People see a smoking device like a hookah and they automatically think that you are doing nht. The majority of young people today wouldnt buy a hookah for smoking shisha. To them it is a really cool device for smoking their **** out of. I think that's crap.

Please ensure you read the rules K4L we have some rules on which words are ok and which ain't

JD

[iron molly black]

*sigh* It's just a problem. *I* even had it with a long-time friend who OWNS a hookah, and smokes only shisha. I called him up all excited to say I bought my first hookah, and the first thing he says is "oh, are you smoking THAT stuff now". *Blink* YELLING. Urge to strangle him through the phone. He KNOWS I NEVER do that and HE smokes only shisha. WTF. *head desk* And no, I'm not one of the young ones, either.

I hope that was OK to post... If not, see yeah in a couple of days... Edited April 21, 2008 by iron molly black

[mushrat]

Quit with the stupid euphamisms...We set up NHT and NH so we could TRY to talk about this without resorting to asinine shit like seal or bear hunting..whats so hard about that???