Blowing Smoke
Around 18 months ago I tried cigars for the first time and found them to my liking. Back in December I got a pipe and enjoy that too. On Thursday I tried a hookah.
Now thanks to the stupid smoking laws in Vancouver you cannot smoke them with tobacco anymore, merely with some “herbs”, and no, not the fun one either.
So what is my take on it? Interesting experience, probably healthier than pounding down a few pints and clearly more relaxed, but I am not sure that really makes it worthwhile. A “session” costs $15, each tea a buck and they aren’t licensed, so no beer with your water pipe.
Still though, it has made it interesting enough for me to consider buying one of my own and then use it with tobacco.
Anybody here got one? Opinions? Ideas?
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Tags: Addiction, Cigars, Habits, Hookah, Human behavior, Pipe smoking, Smoking, Tobacco, USD, Vancouver
Being an ex-smoker, I can just tell you: Don’t start with smoking. It’s unhealthy, and it’s a really bad addiction. You will underestimate nicotine addiction. You will suffer a lot from it, and you will find arguments why a) you don’t do it for the nicotine (“I like the taste”/”It helps me relax”/”It’s part of culture” – all equivalent to the more honest variant “I am addicted to nicotine”), b) you are not addicted to it (“I can stop any time I want, but I don’t want to stop right now”) and c) it’s not bad for you (“I only smoke when I’m drunk”/”I like the coolness of it”/”The cool guys also smoke cigars, so I get to be cooler when I do it too”). It can take years to realize that you’re actually addicted. And when you want to get rid of it, chances are you will stay a smoker until the end of your life; I was just lucky.
Better get a knife and cut yourself at some non-lethal and not-so-exposed places. I don’t want you to do that, but it would be healthier than smoking. Never believe in anything “cultural” about smoking – it’s just a disguise for giving way to addiction. Cigars are roughly penis shaped doses of nicotine; you will probably find a penis shaped knife when you search for it. It’s healthier.
Well, I’ve tried it at parties with “real” shisha, which I understand one can still buy at tobacconists. T’was nice, smooth, flavourful, similar to tobacco buzz but a more enjoyable smoking experience. Maybe not something I’d do regularly, but occasionally.
It’s not the most efficient delivery method for quotequote herbs but it’s something you can mix in. I’ve also heard vapo-crumbs are reasonable to mix it; they retain some potency but are harsh when smoked through typical methods.
Really too bad these places were almost driven out of business by a smoking law that refused to make an exception for them, and now forced to offer only an inferior product.
Hey Maddoc,
I already smoke pipe and cigars but it is a purely “mood” depending event and I can go weeks between a cigar. I truly am a pleasure smoker. The Shishah as it is in this case does not have any tobacco.
Hey Greg,
What was recommended to me *cough* *cough* was to fill the pipe with Beer instead of water for that “extra bang”.