Have you ever heard of a hookah bar? I can honestly say that I didn't know what in the world a "hookah" (also known as "water pipe" or "shisha") was until about a month ago when I saw pictures of some of my friends smoking one of these devices. If I didn't know what a hookah was, then I definitely had no idea what a hookah bar was.

The pictures of my friends showed them blowing thick clouds of smoke out of a long, elaborately decorated pipe-like contraption that was sitting in the middle of the table. I thought to myself, "They don't smoke cigarettes, so why are they smoking this?" But in order for me to understand the lure of hookah bars, I realized that I needed to find out what a hookah was first.

The dictionary definition of a hookah is a smoking pipe in which the smoke from tobacco passes through a long tube submerged in water (so it cools before it's inhaled). The tobacco mixture is a combination of tobacco and fruit flavoring (like vanilla or cherry), so it tastes better than tobacco.

In the Village

I asked my friend to come with me to a hookah bar in New York City to get the full experience of what a hookah bar (and the hookah itself) was like. I was surprised to find that in Greenwich Village , there are quite a few of them. We asked around and found a place that had just opened up and was already very popular. (Note: Hookah bars are only allowed to serve to people 18 years and older because only adults can purchase tobacco. Hookah bars DO NOT serve marijuana.)

When we entered, we felt like we were walking into a bar in Morocco . There was loud Middle Eastern music playing, lush couches, and dim lighting. The waiter showed us a list of flavors of tobacco, which included Cherry, Mango, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Green Apple. At this bar, each hookah cost $12 to smoke—so if you bring more friends with you, you can split the cost. We chose Green Apple. Our waiter brought out the hookah, lit the coal that was on top of it, and handed us the hose, or pipe.

Being Different

My friend began smoking it, but I was hesitant. I kept thinking to myself, "Smoking this means that you are killing cilia [tiny hairs] in your lungs!" Most of the people in the bar were like me and had never smoked a hookah before. So, I asked them why they decided to do so.

A young couple explained, "This is different than the normal ‘Saturday-night' thing. We chose to do this instead of the usual club or restaurant. It's a new experience." I agree with them that it was different—I had never experienced such a thing before either.

But why is hookah smoking more acceptable than cigarette smoking? I asked my friend that came with me and she said, "Well, first of all, the tobacco in the hookah is flavored, which is different than cigarettes and makes it taste better. And second of all, it's watered down, so it's not as harsh as cigarette smoke and it doesn't feel as toxic."

I could tell this was true—usually, whenever anybody smokes cigarettes around me I have to walk away, but the smoky atmosphere of the hookah bar was more relaxing and the smoke didn't bother me that much.

Now, this is not to say that hookah smoking is good for you. We met a couple at the bar who were both doctors, which was surprising. When I asked one of them why he was smoking the hookah, considering his profession, he stated, "Smoking a hookah once will not hurt you. Living in New York City and breathing in the fumes from the streets is more harmful to your lungs than smoking a hookah only one time."

The fact of the matter is that there really isn't too much research on the difference between tobacco smoking and hookah smoking. And his logic sounded pretty reasonable to me—I mean, smoking a hookah on a daily basis isn't the best thing for you, but once probably isn't that harmful.

But then again, tobacco is tobacco, no matter how you smoke it, and everyone knows that it's no good for you. You may be inhaling fewer toxins, but they're still making their way into your lungs. And hookah smoking can definitely become harmful if you buy your own and frequently smoke through the device.

One-Time Thing

My trip to the hookah bar was an experience that I won't forget. I learned a lot and met quite a few interesting people. After all, we did bond over our "hookah smoking virginity." Hookah bars are becoming popular because of this friendly and relaxing atmosphere—but if you choose to go, make sure you are at least 18 and go with a friend.

My trip to the hookah bar—though it was fun, new, and entertaining—was more of a one-time deal for me. I guess I'm really just more of a club-hopping, restaurant-attending kind of girl.