Let's Make Our Own Hookah Etiquette List

[HookahCulture]

When I have my hookah at a session, I distribute plastic tips.
Just take off your tip before passing. A hookah lounge in Arizona had a hepatitis outbreak from the hookah....
Some places DO NOT offer mouthtips. If you ask and they don't have any, I recommend either BAILING or ask for a bit of tinfoil.
I myself have a mouthpiece keychain!

NO DROOLING ON THE HOSE MOUTHPIECE!! It's called something else too but I will refrain.

No lighting cigs from the hookah coals. Bad form in ANY country!
Ashing in the coal tray also pisses me off, good call there. TOTAL KOOK MOVE.
In fact, smoking cigs in the vicinity of a hookah session is off in my book but sometimes at parties it happens.

Hookahs are supposed to be on the floor.
Regarding hose handle placed on a table for passing - often there's a small table between smokers for backgammon, and the hookah is on the ground next to the table, so there's a situation where this can take place.

If I clear a hookah, or "Buffalo Fart" then I only blow a little so that only the air from my hose enters the bottle, not enough air so that my BREATH enters the hookah bottle. I know it's not a complete clearing, but it's a courtesy thing not to go all the way.

[HookahCulture]

"Hold the hose like a woman" Good call there.

Yeah, you can spot the kooks that hold it with a fist and close to the tip!
It looks so stupid!

[aldonb1]

-- If the smoke feels harsh tell the person who is handling that and don't bitch if they take a drag to assess the harshness level and how the coals should be readjusted.

(This one has kinda already been said):
--Don't offer suggestions and try to tell the person setting up how to set up until after the session. I hate noobs who are saying I'm putting to much in the bowl when they have never tried tangiers before

[Gaara]

I agree with pretty much most of these already listed. And for myself and my friends, most of these rules are natural to us.

Always hold the hose in the right hand, pass with the mouthpiece towards you.
The whole setting the hose down on a table before pass is kind of a moot point considering that hookahs are not suppose to be placed on a table, unless they are mini's.

Bowl packer gets first smoke, man in charge of charcoals gets second smoke and should be sitting next in the clockwise rotation.

That's pretty much one of our first and only rules other than not passing the hose on time.

[MechAnt]

Tell all other smokers that you need to leave for whatever reason. This prevents the possibility of knocking the pipe over.

Don't bitch that you don't like the flavor when others are enjoying it, especially when the host (owner and packer of the session) is enjoying it. That's just rude.

No blowing smoke into another's face unless asked to.

[quakerotis]

The "norm" is usually different depending on who I'm smoking with, and if its their hookah or not. I've got a couple friends who take LOOOONG turns before passing, but to them its normal, so I just kinda conform to whatever "house rules" or "unspoken house rules/etiquette" they have. But when they come to my house and smoke, I make sure they pass often, usually after 4-5 hits. We tend to just pass to the left, if we are in a circle. Luckily none of my friends are douchebags, so we always are considerate to each other while smoking.

And I'm never taking my hookah to a party again, its just lame when people don't do as they should (its out of ignorance, but its still annoying)

[Cheese//]

No blowing smoke into another's face unless asked to.

Or if you wanna have sex with the person.
That's what I heard.

If you blow smoke in someone's face that means you want to have intimate relations with them.
Probably originally made when a bunch of friends were tired of one friend blowing smoke in their faces so then they made up the rule.

It's good as a sort of inside joke when someone does it to a hookah newbie and he/she doesn't know what it means.
And all the old pros do know.

[camelflage]

yeah thats actually an old tradition dating way back. look up some old cigarette ads and you will see them use that concept as innuendo to sell cigarettes.

[Allia22]

yeah thats actually an old tradition dating way back. look up some old cigarette ads and you will see them use that concept as innuendo to sell cigarettes.

I'd probably clock the person if they did that with cig smoke, but it actually worked for my current fb (going for about a year ) Actually... I believe that was what my first post was about o_O Edited October 4, 2007 by Allia22

[KillZedKill]

yeah thats actually an old tradition dating way back. look up some old cigarette ads and you will see them use that concept as innuendo to sell cigarettes.

I'd probably clock the person if they did that with cig smoke, but it actually worked for my current fb (going for about a year ) Actually... I believe that was what my first post was about o_O

Hah, my gf and I always smoke and shotgun eachother. Then things get a little crazy, hahah.

[ZenSilk]

Freakin Hippie Kiss!

Can be very sensual if done... sexily..

[Allia22]

YAY

[camelflage]

I'd probably clock the person if they did that with cig smoke, but it actually worked for my current fb (going for about a year ) Actually... I believe that was what my first post was about o_O

haha, i remember that was way back in the day. congrats on longevity though, i just keep expanding my fb locales

[BrotherBuford]

Don't put on a MST3K movie when smoking. It's guaranteed that at least one person will choke, sputter, and cough from laughing right after they've taken a deep pull. Edited October 4, 2007 by BrotherBuford

[Zildjian]

camelflage is known in these parts as the Love Giraffe. strangely enough...no one knows why... *spooky music*

[tingjunkie]

Some of you are anal with this stuff! To quote the Japanese tea master Sen No Rikyu, "The art of chanoyu (the tea ceremony) consists of nothing else but in boiling water, making tea, and sipping it." There is something to be said for simplicity, no?

For purely functional reasons, I think a good suggestion would be to try and keep a good 30 seconds inbetween draws. If you have a group of people who are all hitting the hose hard one after another, then the coal gets too hot, the smoke gets harsh, and the session gets short. All the other "rules" are just common sense.

[shisha fan]

dont ash your ciggerette in the tray..(I cringe everytime i see it)

isn`t that what an ashtray is for?....

[Allia22]

The foulness of a cigarette should be nowhere near a hookah

[Cheese//]

^
Amen to that.

I don't think that hookah and romance mix.

[Allia22]

I don't think that hookah and romance mix.

Bah... Ok, I guess it wouldn't count as ROMANCE for the average person, but it does well by me

[Zildjian]

hellooooo my gf and i met at a hookah bar. it can be very sensual and sexy

[Glottis2]

Man, it sounds like you guys smoke with a bunch of assholes. Here's my rules:

1) don't knock the hookah over
2) tell me if it's harsh and I will try to fix it
3) don't go out of turn
4) if the next person wants it, give it to them
5) try not to drool

All the archaic rules are sorta funny to me, or even the ones like how you are supposed to hold the hose... who gives a crap, really. If someone wants to look like an idiot while they smoke, they may do so as far as I am concerned.

[Dr. Atkins]

Man, it sounds like you guys smoke with a bunch of assholes. Here's my rules:

1) don't knock the hookah over
2) tell me if it's harsh and I will try to fix it
3) don't go out of turn
4) if the next person wants it, give it to them
5) try not to drool

All the archaic rules are sorta funny to me, or even the ones like how you are supposed to hold the hose... who gives a crap, really. If someone wants to look like an idiot while they smoke, they may do so as far as I am concerned.

Agree 100%

[Alademuerte]

Man, it sounds like you guys smoke with a bunch of assholes. Here's my rules:

1) don't knock the hookah over
2) tell me if it's harsh and I will try to fix it
3) don't go out of turn
4) if the next person wants it, give it to them
5) try not to drool

All the archaic rules are sorta funny to me, or even the ones like how you are supposed to hold the hose... who gives a crap, really. If someone wants to look like an idiot while they smoke, they may do so as far as I am concerned.

Agree 100%

What, so simply holding it with your right hand is looking like an idiot? Or just passing it with the mouthpiece towards you and always wiping it off before pass?
I'm sorry, but a hookah has been around for a very long time, and might as well keep some tradition and decency when using it.

[Sonthert]

Great thread!

Kim...you told me you were single I wouldn't have sent you that free stuff otherwise

Simple hookah rules.

1. Don't yank on the hose. Yours or the hookahs.
2. Charcoal is not for lighting cigarettes. Buy a cigarette lighter, cheap-ass.
3. Blowing and rattling the vent valve loudly and repeatedly is annoying.
4. No cigarettes in the charcoal tray.

More rules.

5. Set up the charcoal to keep the hookah idling so that in three hours, after you've had sex, you can smoke.
6. Hold the hose by the base of the hose, (where the head part meets the hose) gently, resting your hand on your chest. Holding the hose by the tip and angling it parallel to the ground is tacky.

Use the proper terms!
7. It isn't a NH. Its a hookah.
8. Its not a hookah, its an nargeela.
9. Its not a carb, its a vent.
10. Hubbly-Bubbly...don't even start with that phrase. It makes want to punch people in the face.