Let's Make Our Own Hookah Etiquette List

[Codename067]

And MWlax00, you said never blow into the hose? Ever heard of Purging the base? You have to blow into the hose..it is why the purging valve was created to begin with.

Not everyone has a hookah with a purge valve.

...you did not read his statement? Let me show you..

"Never blow into the hose. [Buffalo Farting]"

The "Buffalo Farting" noise he referred to is the sound when you blow through a hose, and the metal ball in the purging valve starts rocking up, down, left and right. If you dont have a purge valve, you can not get this "Buffalo Farting" noise, because the water will just come out of the stem at the top where the bowl is placed.

[hookah hippie]

Well most of these are great but this happens at my place a lot.

Don't attempt to move the coals around and play with the win cover if you don't know what you are doing especially without asking to touch the hookah first moron roomates

[NickReppinThe909]

just dont try and move my coals or mess with my set up or make recommendations to me or i will stab you

[MWlax00]

codename, im sorry i made an incorrect statement. i got myself mixed up.
i dint mean to make a cause for an argument.
ill edit if necessary.

[Codename067]

codename, im sorry i made an incorrect statement. i got myself mixed up.
i dint mean to make a cause for an argument.
ill edit if necessary.

No arguments my friend. Just stating my .2 cents.

I did assume that you had mis-typed that because I thought "This guy is right on all other perspectives except for this one,, what happened there?" lol

I just had to make sure thats all =D

PS: Not need to apologize man, everyone makes a mistake/mixes sh*t up here and there. Smoke up!

[srawas89]

To any and all people who say that these many of these rules are simply anal and not necessary....go smoke with people who are very impatient and now next to nothing about hookah a.k.a punk ass wannabe big shots than you will know how important these lists are because although many are common sense and common courtesy we like to list them out for those beginners who want to do things right and not be called a moron or an ignorant fool. Trust me it makes a difference in your session because I smoked with some impatient white kids and it pissed the hell out of me...and someone there thinks he knew a bunch of shit about hookah since he has owned 2 and he thought I was a god when I started up the quick light coals properly by making sure at least the bottom was completely red hot so that there would be no unnecessary coal taste with the smoke. That is why and I consider myself as having decent knowledge of the hookah

[Speak_In_Vowels]

in my book these are just no-nos even though many of them have been already mentioned.

1. don't rush the person in charge of setting it up.
2. don't hold the hose in yur mouth without any hands(you look stupid, and you're being very disrespectful)
3. don't move the hookah, without asking the owner.(very rude, and often leads to breaking of the hookah)
4. don't complain about the flavor, if you don't like it just don't smoke. it's as simple as that.
5. if you're buzzed don't act like a drunk, not funny at all and makes even more people think hookah is bad.
6. def. hold the hose with respect, not like a terrorist clutches a bomb lol
7. ALWAYS ask the person in charge to make any modifications with coals or what not.(i have ALOT of burn holes from people who think they can do it all by themselves)
8. do not come by a friends house and take his/her hookah without asking.(this has happend more than once to me, and was returned to me uncleaned = super disrespectful)
9. let the n00bs or guest/s choose what you are going to smoke.(it's your hookah you can smoke from it all day everyday)
10. do not take a hit with food in your mouth!!!
11. do not mock the owner of the hookah for being protective of his/her hookah, it's their's not yours so respect that!!

by people not following this rules, i have gone through two broken bases, a broken phunnel, a scalli mod was thrown away, and multiple burn holes, and not to mention unsatisfactory sessions.

[liquidglass]

aight guys I'll throw my pennies into the jar


1) I don't know where you guys get the idea of "puff puff pass" beyond certain things we don't mention here. A traditional rule held by my Indian friends is 3 puffs and a pass at a casual rate especially when it's not among close friends.

2) Passing the hose via the table is good if 1) you have a table and 2) you're sticking to hard core tradition

3) The owner gets reign over the hookah in any circumstance. So if we're sitting outside smoking both my hookahs, then I can have any hose I please for as long as I please. I don't take advantage and hog the hose but it's a unwritten rule. (now it's written bitches)

4) I personally always ask my guests what flavors they're feeling and give them the options, of course I can over rule them.

5) you knock over my hookah, I knock you over, enough said.

6) don't HOG THE HOSE period, esp after the owner of it asks you to pass it to the next person. had one girl who would clutch to it like it was the last vaccine in an outbreak.

7) Same girl always complained about the flavors unless it was x on the beach. Fuck that. Commenting on flavors is welcome and preferences too, but complaining about me inviting you over to smoke something which is supposed to be a relaxed time isn't acceptable.

8) Don't give me tips unless I respect you as a fellow smoker, I haven't had a problem with it, but someone that comes over and wants to tell me how to handle my hookah and accessories needs to fuck off. If they're an expert they should bring theirs over and show me just "how to do it"

related however, I do have friends that are learning or have experience, and so I welcome their suggestions, because it never hurts to have outside input, that's how you learn.

and in an even more related note, if you tell me of problems with your hookah, accept my advice, you don't have to use it, just take it into consideration.

9) Same girl from above. Would ask me to pack up all my shit and head over to her apartment with her room mates so she could smoke....really? So you're asking me to pack, prepare, and unpack and use my gas so you can smoke some hookah? I don't mind people who ask every so often, but generally just ask if i'm smoking and I'll invite you over.

10) I actually have a good friend who I respect as a fellow hookah-er and as a favor he offers to start up the bowls for me (get them going) which is a plus in my book. I prepared everything else so you can get it burning right.

- same guy will fix bowls for my hookah from time to time because i trust he won't fuck it up, although he doesn't want to touch tangiers prep.

11) DO NOT invite yourself into a hookah circle, especially if you're drunk. If i don't know you, you have to ask me. I've had tons of people asking my girlfriend to come join and i had tell her to refer them to me. If you want to come, ask, I'm a pretty open guy I just like the cordial asking. It's a southern thing.

[Canon]

My rules.

1) dont slobber on the hose
2) dont babysit the hose
3) dont hold in the smoke
4) dont let the shisha burn, if you can tell then fix it or have person who is closest to the hookah fix it
5) take precaution to not knock over the hookah or the coals.
6) dont offer to put any NHT in the hookah
7) keep your tongs on the tray (and keep an extra set of tongs where you will know where they are incase you drop the hookah)
8) if you have mouth herpes then no hookah for you
9) dont purge too hard
10) if the person knows how to set up hookah but does it differently then you then dont correct him
11) cover your hose if its multihose
12) NEVER pick up the hookah by the stem
13) if you drop the coals and burn the carpet offer to help pay for the costs
14) dont light a cigarette on the coals
15) dont smoke cigarettes while smoking hookah
16) if you break any part of the hookah you pay for it
17) if you smoke with someone over time then offer to pay for the costs either by bringing stuff over or your own shisha/coals
18) help the person who is setting up the hookah, either get the coals, fill the vase full of water/ice or anything else
19) dont talk about NHT when you are smoking hookah
20) dont pass a burning hose
21) dont mess up someones smoke by blowing in it
22) dont suck as hard as you can on the hose
23) if you mess with the coals then deash the bowl

[ronald_dooley]

1) don't molest me while I'm setting up the hookah, not only will you traumatize me for life, but I might drop a coal or spill water
2) don't put pepto-bismol in the base, ever! one friend thought it would be cool and I threw away a perfectly good tub of eskand apple cuz I thought it went bad
3) don't try to demonstrate that coals can be picked up and juggled with bare hands. I saw that shit on the discovery channel and I don't give a f*** cuz you might drop it on my carpet
4) don't try to get a propane torch to light by firing it on the coals. that will only extinguish the goddam coals cuz propane gas is cold! and if I'm taking a hit at that moment, it will taste like shit!
5) if you get sick and throw up in your car after smoking hookah, don't even talk to me about it. it's your problem
6) if you suggest a flavor and I pack it, and you don't like it and want to change the flavor again, then you have to EAT the bowl before I pack a new one
7) don't bring your NHT paraphenalia to my hookah party and try to explain that they are all "water pipes." Mine is a traditional hookah. Yours is a trashy NHT pipe made out of pvc, so get the f*** out of my house
8) if you bring a girl and she tries to start a fight or some other shit, as the owner of the hookah and house, I get to bodyslam her into my fireplace which may or may not be going full blast

Follow these rules, and everything will be fine.

[liquidglass]

My rules.

1) dont slobber on the hose
2) dont babysit the hose
5) take precaution to not knock over the hookah or the coals.
6) dont offer to put any NHT in the hookah
11) cover your hose if its multihose
12) NEVER pick up the hookah by the stem
14) dont light a cigarette on the coals
15) dont smoke cigarettes while smoking hookah
16) if you break any part of the hookah you pay for it
17) if you smoke with someone over time then offer to pay for the costs either by bringing stuff over or your own shisha/coals
18) help the person who is setting up the hookah, either get the coals, fill the vase full of water/ice or anything else
19) dont talk about NHT when you are smoking hookah
22) dont suck as hard as you can on the hose

1) don't molest me while I'm setting up the hookah, not only will you traumatize me for life, but I might drop a coal or spill water

6) if you suggest a flavor and I pack it, and you don't like it and want to change the flavor again, then you have to EAT the bowl before I pack a new one
7) don't bring your NHT paraphenalia to my hookah party and try to explain that they are all "water pipes." Mine is a traditional hookah. Yours is a trashy NH made out of pvc, so get the f*** out of my house
Follow these rules, and everything will be fine.

You guys reminded me of a few rolls i had forgotten when I posted, def. these rules. IF it isn't hookah tobacco it doesn't touch my bowl, don't be a bitch complaining about, girls or guys, that shit will get you kicked out of my place in 2 seconds.

here are some edits really quick

22) dont suck as hard as you can on the hose (unless it's my hose )

17) if you smoke with someone over time then offer to pay for the costs either by bringing stuff over or your own shisha/coals
- I actually had a guy at a party for a friend of mine give me two gift cards he had to pay for smoking some fantasia pink lemonade with us that night. Awesome guy.

[ilikemyusername]

don't be a fucking dick like my buddy eric last night.
long story short, he pushes my chair in an act of manful toughness and knocks over the hookah. not cool.
to make matters much worse we were outside and i have some lava boulders wich the stem of my MZ knocked into and the fucker marred a small section of the chrome.
coals went flying, breaking apart.
he was then escorted to his car.
no more hookah for him.
ever.
he's gonna miss it.

[rowland]

Rules are simple

1) Be careful (no horseplay). Your not going to hurt my hookah but i prefer my vase intact.
2) If your a PLAGUE RAT, please refrain from smoking till your better. I am all for sharing but get real!
3) Speaking of sharing, hookah is a social past time........Share.
4) I bring the hookah you supply the drinks.
5) The guest picks the flavor.
6) Dont turn the music up so loud i can't hear people talking.

Anyone breaking the rules will be kneecapped when we get outside

[hookah hippie]

I think tonight I am going to compile a list of my favorite rules from here and put them up on my wall. It would be a cool poster too. Maybe sell it at a hookah shop or bar.

[BHJ1320]

--- if your hookah has more than one hose and you have no ball bearings, no blowing in your hose while the other person is smoking and make sure you cover your hose with your thumb

[Giant Ninja Robot]

I agree with alot of the rules already stated but one of mine pertains more to preserving the mood.

Rule #1 - Don't be a fuckin spaz.

We can have fun, hookah smoking is a social experience, so by all means lets be our goofy-ass selves but there is a difference between a nice chill session and a session in which I want to duct tape you to your chair. PLEASE don't ruin the vibe.

[Snoopy1966]

Canon you forgot about being a bogart. You are a hose hog....

[Dranas]

That whole hookah on the floor thing, i agree with it, but what if you have really plush carpet? i do and if i left it on the floor its determined to lay down on its side tossing searing hot coals onto my uber plush carpet. So i got a small table and its designated as "hookah Plateau". Had to do it after i acquired several not so plush spots on my carpet

as for the whole not passing the hose thing. >.< it aggrivates me to no end. Rule i use is 3 puffs then pass duders. unless its just me and the Mrs. Also i never expect anyone to pay me anything for smokeing, they are smokeing because i want them to share it with me, not to burden them with guilt of not contributing. Besides they give me someone to talk to and to dazzle with the fact i can blow O rings and they cant

[mattathayde]

ya dranas i dont ask for anything either but i do have a friend whos twin sister has their hookah up at a different school so she comes and smokes with me some times and she insists shes going to get me some shisha when she goes back home to the lounge we all like. so hey, if people want to give gifts its all good

something that pissed me off that i had never experienced until the other night is people pulling so hard that it is the sole cause of a harsh bowl. one of my friends is a pretty big guy and has a crazy lung capacity but he was pulling so hard it got really harsh. maybe i just smoke enough now i dont like to have really deep inhales, idk

-matt

[ToncSTAR]

This is a list of what my etiquette is. Which is only when im smoking with people i just meet or if im having a bad day. other than that, you can get away with most of the stuff here, give or take a few.

1. Dont bother/rush me when im setting the hookah up.

2. Dont argue with what flavor I choose to use during this session.

3. Dont touch the coals unless asked to.

4. Dont move the coal while someone is taking a hit.

5. If using my 2 hose, and you take a hit while someone else was, apologize and let them finish their hit.

6. Dont ever purge my hookah without asking. Some ass did it way too hard once, and water came up into my bowl wetting the shisha and the coal.

7. Once were done, do not load the bowl up with shisha before asking, and do not act like its not yours, so you dont have to help clean up.

8. Noobs, get the first hit, unless hesitant, then Ill show them how to do it. Not some asshole trying to show off.

9. NO ONE EVER USES MY RAZAN HOSE WITHOUT ASKING. EVEN THEN, I ONLY LET THEM HIT ONCE OR TWICE.

10. If your not getting as fat a cloud as you would like, dont be a fucking buzz kill and bitch about it.

[Dom]

when i'm smoking with people i've never smoked with before, or are smoking at someone elses place, or at a new hookah lounge, or if i suspect that someone in the group may have a cultural ties to strict hookah tradition, i try to follow all the traditional rules. tradition is good and i don't want to offend anyone by not using the proper etiquite for the environment i'm smoking in.

however,

unless you are from the middle east or your ancestors are from the middle east, don't insist that i follow rules from the middle east when it's my freakin' hookah at my own house. i'll light a cig on my coals if i freakin' want to. i'll pass the hose with the tip first if i feel like it and don't pretend to get offended when i do. the hookah goes on the floor for traditional purposes, but if it is safer or considerably more convenient to place it neatly on a coffee table, then just let it. most people who insist on those rules are only doing so to sound smart, but they are ruining the vibe for everyone and showing thier ass. traditions are awesome and it's really fun to do things the way it's done where the hookah originates. i love taking part in other cultures, but it's something that the group in the smoking environment has to agree upon. that's the only way it's fun. and that's the whole point to these rules. i think that if people make a big deal about the rules and by doing so ruin everyone's fun, then that's going against what the hookah smoking environment is all about.

here's a modern example:
it's always irritated me when people pull from the hookah and then hold it in, like it's NHT. i'm sure we all hate that. but here's my rule about that:

don't do it. if you see some newbie doing that, then it's acceptable to politely and tactfully show them the proper way to do it. but if they continue to do it, then DO NOT embarrass them by correcting them again or smirking when they do it. that's rude.
the reason i mentioned this is because i made my neighbor self-concious about smoking the hookah because i corrected her on that issue. when i noticed that it made her uncomfortable, i appologized and learned a very important lesson.

so the only rule i have is very general: be concious of people's culture and polite to all in the smoking environment, whether it's with traditional customs or western courtesy. be especially careful if it's a smoking group that you are not familiar with. if you do that, then you can't go wrong.

[surface]

When I smoke I really dont have any rules besides dont be a dick.

Most of the people I smoke with are friends. There is one guy who is always anxious to get the hose so I just pass it to him straight up instead of putting it on the table. Usually people are smart with keeping the hose untangled and not knocking over the hookah but it happens. If we are smoking in a circle I just pass it to the next person, if they dont want it I just put it no the table and someone else will pick it up. Not a big deal.

I set it up since none of my other friends have any clue about hookah. I ask them what choice they want and usually go with it because I really dont care what I smoke. Usually people, girls mostly, will ask how to smoke it, because they see the bubbles and assume you blow out instead of sucking in. Me or another friend explains how the smoke travels and they understand then proceed to hit it, not really cool to make fun of them for it. Although my best friend really didnt understand how it worked, and he's the smartest kid I know, straight A's all through college for 4 years at a top 50 uni, biomed eng. major, etcetc. I had to draw him a diagram, it was funny.

[PatronHookah]

Rule #IDK
Do not talk to the person who it hitting the hookah. Talking with hookah smoke in one's lungs may be unplesent. As well it may speed up one's amount of time holding in the smoke.

[Chrisonfire]

My only rule is that everyone smoking is enjoying themselves.
If you are doing anything that is inhibiting someones enjoyment of the session, we will ask you to stop. If you continue to be a hassle, we will ask you to leave.