So You'd Like to Buy a Hookah...

So, you've finally decided to buy into the latest smoking fad. Maybe a friend of yours has turned you onto it, or maybe you followed a good-looking college student into a hookah lounge, but somehow you've gotten hooked

 on the hookah, and now you're tired of going down to your local smoking establishment (if you even have one) and using their communal pipes... You've made up your mind, you need your own.

Where do I buy one?

First of all, you should always check your local tobacconist, they may be a bit more worldly than you would expect and often times have more than one style available... however, if the smoke shops in your area are all about cigars and pipes, have no fear. There are places all over the Internet where you can purchase your very own hookah. But some of these shops are a little shabby... here's what to check out when you're examining a hookah shop on-line:

1. Do they carry all the major brands of Shisha tobacco? Al Waha, Nakhla, Al Amir, Romman, all major brands, if your shop doesn't have them, they may not be a reputable dealer.

2. Do they have a wide selection? There are many types of hookahs: Mini, Rotating, Egyptian, Syrian.

3. Do they have a buyer's incentive program? Some on-line shops have 'points' that you can earn through your purchases, which can be redeemed for certain promotional offers or as credit towards your next buy.

4. Where's the 'Free' Stuff? Any good hookah shop is going to get you 'hooked up' when you buy. Most have a standard 'package' that comes along with any hookah you buy. At the very least it should have everything you need to get it fired up once: A hose, a bowl, some mouthpieces, and usually, some shisha.