Are Desktop Vapes the Modern Hookah?
Hookahs always make me think of deliciously exotic settings in places that are for the most part far too hot for my delicate (translucent) skin, like India, or even something much more ancient, like Persia. I think of silk roads and fragrant spices, of the most beautiful colours and intricate architecture. But beyond this, I think of coming together and sharing something very special with those we call friends and family in cafes, lounges, or even homes.
The hookah has stood as azsymbol of connection, community, and sharing since the middle ages and has literally travelled the world and established itself within many different cultures as a symbol of such. But in these modern times of light-speed technological advancement, is the hookah finally being legitimately challenged for it’s throne? The desktop vape certainly might be a good contender.
I’m here to tell you why the desktop vape may indeed be the modern day hookah, taking everything we love about this ancient device and transforming it for a world where technology and wellbeing go hand in hand, and where a sense of connection and sharing are increasingly hard to find and are more important than ever.
Why the Hookah Might Be Outdated
Hookahs are without a doubt the embodiment of where art meets functionality. They are absolutely gorgeous devices that call upon ancient, simple, and flawless technology to work. Much like a bong or water pipe, hookah is a device that is used to smoke flavored tobacco by first passing the smoke through a water basin, usually made of glass, before it is inhaled.
Although there are many more intricacies to the operation than time to discuss here, the main components of a hookah are the bowl or head which holds the coal and tobacco, the hose through which the user inhales the smoke, the water base or vase which holds the water that cools the smoke, and the body or stem, which attaches to the base and through which the smoke travels towards the water. Just like a bong, hookahs function on a principle of airtight seals and draw resistance to pull the smoke through the water and into the lungs.
The hookah may be outdated not so much because of it’s gorgeous design, but because of the way that the tobacco is heated: that is, it burns. The charcoal in the bowl is exposed directly to flame, which in turn combusts to form smoke, which is ultimately what is inhaled into the lungs. Anyone who is under the assumption that hookahs are less harmful than regular smoking because the smoke passes through water has, unfortunately, been misinformed.
When the hookah coal burns, it combusts in a chemical reaction that creates a smoke rich in toxic chemicals that can ultimately cause cancer, heart and lung disease, and a whole range of other health issues. Beyond carbon monoxide, these chemicals can include formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, benzene, heavy metals like arsenic and lead, and nitric oxide. Indeed, compared to smoking a single cigarette, a single hookah session exposes users to more carbon monoxide.
Why the Desktop Vape is Safer
Now, of course, we wouldn’t expect the middle ages to understand the dangers of smoking, so we’ll forgive them this. But to continue to use a device created before the advancement of modern medicine, and to know fully well its potential dangers, is luckily something that the modern wellness movement, coupled with advancements in technology, has indeed tirelessly tried to stop.
So how does the cbd vape save the good things about the hookah and transform the bad? Well, the clue is in the name. Desktop vaporizers, and all vaporizers, have overcome the issue of burning and combustion by instead using temperature control technology to heat dry herbs, e liquids, or concentrates to the point of producing vapor rather than burning something that results in smoke. Using conduction or convection (or a combination) heating methods, desktop vapes don’t combust anything, and so are largely much safer for you than the hookah, and indeed have even side-stepped into the medically-approved category.
Desktop Vapes – The Best of Both Worlds
The beauty specifically of the desktop vape as opposed to other vapes is that, unlike its much more portable cousin, the desktop vapes are for sharing, for gathering around, for community and communication. Because of its larger size, a desktop vape is a sophisticated piece of machinery with sensitive temperature controls and efficient operating capabilities that portable vapes simply don’t have the room for.
But perhaps most importantly, like the hookah, because of its size, desktop vapes aren’t something that comes to you, but rather you go to it. The desktop vape is, much like the hookah that came before it, a reason to come together for a communal and social activity. Desktop vapes even drawn on direct power sources from wall outlets, making them an indoor activity solely. And, moreover, that sophistication and higher performance capability results in longer sessions, ideal for sharing with friends. Larger chambers mean less refilling, and the large volume of vapour production means you can bring in a crowd. And if you’re worried about aesthetic, desktop vapes like the Volcano Hybrid by Storz & Bickel demonstrate the beauty of flawless technology.
Has the hookah ultimately been replaced? I wouldn’t think of it quite like that, but rather as an evolution. A better question might be if the desktop vape could exist without the hookah coming before it. I would say that the desktop vape has much to owe the beautiful hookah, and that the two are, and will forever be, intrinsically linked.