Doug was kind enough to write me a really long detailed letter on the 'water pipes'. Thought I'd share it with you all, really good history lesson.
Thanks Doug!


How about the water pipes? Actually, Nargile (hookah, hukka, or water pipe) came out of the middle east where it was and is a social tradition from the Ottoman Empire (that is in the middle east - Iran, Iraq, Turkey - Mesopotamia - the birthplace of civilization) throughout centuries. It was and is a very popular household decoration / ornament used on social occasions to bring friends together.

The water doesn't actually boil. Air from the room is drawn through the lit tobacco in the top most bowl of the pipe. This air - now smoke - is drawn by the suction of your inhalation on the hookah hose. The smoke is further drawn down through a stem of the pipe which is inserted into the water in the large glass bulb making up the base of the pipe. The bubbling, which could appear to be "boiling," is actually the bubbling out of the bottom of the stem and bubbling up through the water of the smoke as drawn by your inhalation. The smoke collects in the upper air cavity of the glass pipe base and is subsequently drawn into your lungs by your inhalation.

Tobacco water pipe smoking is increasing in popularity particularly in the US (Hollywood and Santa Monica have Hookah Houses); Israel and Europe. Please do be aware that hookah smoking of tobacco is just as addictive and chemically destructive as cigarette smoking. The water simply cools and mellows the tobacco smoke to make it "feel" smooth - and harmless.