Thoughts On Hookah "addiction"?

[pickensdr]

Just curious as to thoughts on hookah addiction.

Have you or anyone you know ever been addicted to smoking hookah?

Do you think addiction to hookah is common or even possible?

I am aware that one can become addicted to just about anything, I'm speaking more in comparison to a cigarette or other tobacco addiction. As an ex-cigarettesmoker I notice some stark differences in my feelings towards hookah versus cigarettes. For example I never feel like I need hookah, however I am a consistent smoker. I have also never felt any withdrawl symptoms when I stop smoking hookah for any period of time. Cravings for hookah also seem non-existent for me. I generally feel it is a complete matter of choice when I smoke hookah unlike when I smoked cigarettes and I felt like I needed them.

Thoughts on why one may be so addicted to cigarettes and not so much with hookah?

Anyone feel the same way?

[MichaelLCP]

[quote name='pickensdr' timestamp='1314837882' post='522108']
Just curious as to thoughts on hookah addiction.

Have you or anyone you know ever been addicted to smoking hookah?

Do you think addiction to hookah is common or even possible?

I am aware that one can become addicted to just about anything, I'm speaking more in comparison to a cigarette or other tobacco addiction. As an ex-cigarettesmoker I notice some stark differences in my feelings towards hookah versus cigarettes. For example I never feel like I need hookah, however I am a consistent smoker. I have also never felt any withdrawl symptoms when I stop smoking hookah for any period of time. Cravings for hookah also seem non-existent for me. I generally feel it is a complete matter of choice when I smoke hookah unlike when I smoked cigarettes and I felt like I needed them.

Thoughts on why one may be so addicted to cigarettes and not so much with hookah?

Anyone feel the same way?
[/quote]
I think addiction to Hookah is possible. Addiction to anything is possible. I know that I don't NEED hookah. Yet I smoke almost everyday. I went to Spain for 16 days and didn't have a problem not smoking. I mean I wanted to, but it wasn't like I was trying to find a lounge in Madrid. I don't smoke cigarettes so I can't really shed any light there, but I know it's a lot easier to become addicted to cigarettes. My mom and dad were smokers for a long time until I was around 12 or 13. Yet my dad smokes hookah with me now and doesn't have an issue with wanting it or anything like that. idk. Hope this makes sense. lol.

[Zildjian]

if you have an addictive personality it can be, but so can drinking coffee or eating cat litter. not making light of the subject but it is different for everyone. I have been smoking hookah for over 4 years and have taken breaks as long as a year without missing it. I do not have an addictive personality at; I look forward to hookah with my friends but i never crave it.

[pickensdr]

I think I was going a bit in the direction of chemical addiction. I get snyde remarks from some of my avid non-smoking peers that I have "replaced" cigarettes with hookah, which I simply feel is not the case. I don't completely freak when I can't have hookah, nor do I wake up first thing in the morning dying to have it. I've done research on this topic several times, only to turn up with some outlandish, uneducated information. ie: one hookah session for the average hookah smoker is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes. Really? Because I was under the impression that smoking 100 cigarettes in one sitting would result in some dire consequences. Anyone ever smoked 100 cigarettes in one sitting and been perfectly fine? You are my hero haha.

[joytron]

Someone made the point that generally hookah smoker sit down for a session and then are done for the day, whereas a cigarette smoker will continue to keep nicotine in their system throughout the day. Since nicotene has a fairly short half life, it seems that a hookah smoker will generally go through most of his/her without having much nicotine in their system

I would say yes I have a chemical addiction to hookah, but judging from my past I have an addict personality.

[Chreees]

My opinion:

-There are hundreds of chemicals added into cigarettes. Surely some of those chemicals make them more addictive. However, with hookah tobacco these chemicals are absent. It is my opinion that these chemicals are what leads to cigarettes being addictive, not so much the nicotine.

-With cigarettes you are smoking pretty frequently throughout the day every day (most cig smokers anyway). With hookah you are not. For most of us on the forum, it's a couple hours a few days a week (from the best I can tell). Some guys on here smoke a few hours everyday, and they say they can go a long time without smoking hookah and don't feel addicted. Either way, with cigarettes you are keeping nicotine in your body consistently. With hookah you are not.

[Bornluckee13]

I quit smoking cigarettes almost 5 years ago, I had smoked for 13 years or so and was up to over a pack a day. I was, with out a doubt, addicted. One day though, after many, many, many failed attempts I just said "that's it" and quit without a problem.Untill a year ago i refused to even smoke cigars for fear of nicotine addiction. Now, after a year of enjoying 4 or so cigars a week and Hookah a few times i feel no addiction at all to either. I do it because I enjoy it. If I don't get to smoke, I feel no effects at all. That said, I'm sure it is possible, there is nicotine in tobacco.

[Epoch]

I'd say it's possible, but setting up and maintaining a hookah seems too impractical to be terribly addictive. It's hard to set up your hookah every few minutes to feed your habit.

[MichaelLCP]

[quote name='Epoch' timestamp='1314845980' post='522124']
I'd say it's possible, but setting up and maintaining a hookah seems too impractical to be terribly addictive. It's hard to set up your hookah every few minutes to feed your habit.
[/quote]
My God that would be such a pain in the ass! Imagine how many coals you would go through. That would get expensive.

[vendetta_revived]

[quote name='Epoch' timestamp='1314845980' post='522124']
I'd say it's possible, but setting up and maintaining a hookah seems too impractical to be terribly addictive. It's hard to set up your hookah every few minutes to feed your habit.
[/quote]

How can you set up your hookah every few minutes when a session can last for hours?

[Pull]

I think every cool thing brings addiction, just like PS3, not necessarily chemical related.

[Satou]

[quote name='Chreees' timestamp='1314841802' post='522115']
My opinion:

-There are hundreds of chemicals added into cigarettes. Surely some of those chemicals make them more addictive. However, with hookah tobacco these chemicals are absent. It is my opinion that these chemicals are what leads to cigarettes being addictive, not so much the nicotine.

-With cigarettes you are smoking pretty frequently throughout the day every day (most cig smokers anyway). With hookah you are not. For most of us on the forum, it's a couple hours a few days a week (from the best I can tell). Some guys on here smoke a few hours everyday, and they say they can go a long time without smoking hookah and don't feel addicted. Either way, with cigarettes you are keeping nicotine in your body consistently. With hookah you are not.
[/quote]


I have to agree with this.


That and any one any where can become addicted to any one thing; hookah, cigarettes, gambling, alcohol and other things whether it is legal or illegal.

[joytron]

Also I think it should be stated, as I am sure many feel the same way, I am more addicted to hookahforum than actually smoking itself.

[Hassouni]

It has nicotine, nicotine is addictive. I don't get the I GOTTA SMOKE NOW craving my cig-smoking friends get, and I don't get withdrawal symptoms (oh man, my friends if they haven't had a smoke in the last hour, not pleasant). That being said, I often do think, "man, nargile would be great now" or even "damn I wanna smoke." I've gone everywhere from not smoking for almost a year to smoking twice a day for a week. My normal pattern is once or twice on weekends, and maybe once or twice during the week. I feel as though by the time smoking time has rolled around it's like "finally!" I found the more frequently I smoke, the more I continue to smoke frequently, but if I cut back, the desire also cuts back.

So the short answer is yes addiction is definitely possible, the long answer is, it's complicated

[Stuie]

for me it can be, but only mentally not physically.

[Chreees]

[quote name='joytron' timestamp='1314856135' post='522146']
Also I think it should be stated, as I am sure many feel the same way, I am more addicted to hookahforum than actually smoking itself.
[/quote]

Word! Haha.

[Bawhee]

Im weird in these addiction related situations. See I smoke hookah when I feel like it, sometimes I dont smoke for a week, sometimes I smoke a few hours every day for an entire month, just based on what I feel like, the thing is tho, that I also smoke cigs in the same way. Sometimes I dont smoke for a week or two, then I feel like smoking a cig and just smoke one, then other times I smoke a pack in a few days... So Im not sure how these addictions are supposed to work, but Im pretty sure there is something odd with my situation

[Anxiety]

It really depends on how you look at it. For me personally, I go a whole 10 hour work day, with out thinking of my hookah or smoking once. When I get home, I enjoy a session or two no doubt. In the same respect, I can go on vacation with out a hookah and be just perfect...but when I'm home I can't watch TV or play on the computer with out my hookah. I think it's more of a "mental" addiction then anything else. I don't feel cravings, or have mood swings but when I am home, and I'm not being active I need to smoke my hookah lol.

[ukhookah]

Hi guys, shisha is addictive. It is true cig smokers don't feel the cravings for shisha, but simple - its because they get there nicotene hit througgh out the day. Now u tell me this- if a cig smoker was adamant on quiting cis, but didntt mind smokin shisha, what do u think the chances are they won't feel the urge for a shisha more often?

[ezxen]

[quote name='Stuie' timestamp='1314858362' post='522156']
for me it can be, but only mentally not physically.
[/quote]
same

[Trini]

i think i have a greater dependence on cigarettes as in is the hour passes and i dont have one i get very upset,
however in the short time i have been smoking hookah i do miss the "event" of smoking hookah rather than the smoke it self to me that bowl on an evening signifies the end of the day every thing from getting coals lit packing a bowl has become like a pre-bed time check list
and things just feel out of whack when i don't do it...
that being said i am feeling pretty antsy now as my order has not shipped yet and i am down to about 50g of baccy and some no name olive wood coals the rationing has began

[mushrat]

Hmmm..i can quit anytime i want. I just dont want to.

I find myself drawn more to sitting around and talking to my friends at my local lounge far more compelling than the actual smoking part. But physically addicitve? If i'm not physically hooked after all the hours spent smoking at HB then id say no.