About the Hookah smoking there are a lot of discussions, some encouraging, some not really. Namely after the ban was launched, the water pipe smoking became highly appreciated after ban on smoking in public places has been introduced. Many smokers show preferences for the Hookah as alternative for the cigarette smoking. There are hookah’ users that have never used to smoke cigarettes.

In Hagerstown, Abu-Zayyad, 32, of Frederick, Md, Israel, plans to open a real oasis for Hookah smokers, “Oasis Hookah Lounge & Caf?” at 53 S. Potomac St.

Abu-Zayyad says that many people don’t really understand what a hookah is and think of it as “something illegal or seedy”.

Abu-Zayyad wants to create a real haven for smokers where meat pies and Mediterranean desserts and, of course, hookah will be served. Abu-Zayyad is more restricted concerning the drinks. As he said, he wouldn’t serve alcohol at the lounge.

“I want people to have a (place) where it’s really an oasis, when everything else is like the desert,” Abu-Zayyad said.

Abu-Zayyad came to the U.S. in 1998 and USA culture impresses him very much.

“This culture changed my life,” Abu-Zayyad said. “So I wanted to offer something from my culture.”

He understands that smoking is bad for health because of nicotine and only the nicotine-free herbals will be served in his caf? and the lounges will be equipped with smoke filters in order to keep the air cleaner.

Hookah is very famous among college students and young people. It can have different tastes and it is smoked by the actual cigarette smoker, but also by non-smokers. Speaking about non-smokers, for example, Shawn Otto, 26, a laptop-wielding University of Maryland senior has never used to smoke cigarettes. But after a visit to a hookah caf? he enjoys in his spare time smoking hookah.

“It’s a relaxing thing to do,” Otto said. “It tastes good, a lot better than cigarettes.”

Tobacco for hookah smoking can have variety tastes as of fruit-flavored like peach, strawberry and grape, or a combination of tastes.