Hookah Smoking - using the hookah instrument (otherwise known as huqqa, qalyan, or shisha) to vaporize or smoke flavored marijuana, tobacco, or even opium. The smoke then passes through a water basin before inhaling and then the person passes the nozzle to someone else. Many believe this practice originated in 16 century India and then spread all over the middle east to countries like: Syria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.
Men smoking already has a long history of homoerotic subtext stemming from male camaraderie, homosexual iconography, and hypermasculine advertising. Hookah smoking usually takes place in a dedicated restaurant or even just a lounge where men can put their bare feet up, relax, and bond with their fellow man. Shotgunning smoke is commonplace in these spaces. It seems to me these lounges can be a nice neutral reprieve from the often homophobic governments that discourage male affection. Hookah bars let men be men.
