If you own hookahs or even just enjoy them at hookah bars or @ friends houses who have them and you live in the united states you need to read up on H.R. 4439. The Tobacco Tax Parity Act of 2010 will drastically alter your ability to enjoy this ancient tradition that has only in recent years started to become popular again.

H.R. 4439 would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose the same rate of tax on pipe tobacco as is imposed on roll-your-own tobacco.

In other words, it would effectively take the tax rate per pound of pipe tobacco from the current $2.8311 to $24.78. The shisha AKA Hookah tobacco is considered pipe tobacco. This means a $12.00 wholesale can of starbuzz will now wholesale at 18.75 now x2 = $37.50 at mail order and easily $40.00 +tax at your local shop.

A lot of smoke shops are going to go out of business and thus hookah bars and for those that own and smoke at home you would have to give it up unless you are a millionaire. Unless I am doing my math wrong the cost increase would be like 775% (yes.. seven hundred seventy five!)

If this bill passes, the average increase to your favorite blends will be about:
$2.74US per 50gr
$5.48US per 100gr
$13.68US per 250gr
$27.36US per 500gr
$54.72US per 1000gr

So write your congressman and tell them this is just plain stupid. They wont be able to make any money off this tax if nobody can afford to buy it anymore

I don't smoke, nor have I, but I have helped a few friends grow their own tobacco. It's not really hard, but it does take time, and it can be really fun.

Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8hgm_vA2O8

thx for the update, i know a few people who do, and this'll probably save em

Lol, sin taxes are nothing new, they're easy income for governments. I don't think a 7 buck rise in the wholesale price of can of tobacco is going to start an uprising or revolution. Most people only smoke hookahs occasionally so it won't be so much of a big deal.

hmm makin your own bacco......gotta try that.

You would actually be suprised, there are a lot of people who smoke every day multiple times a day.

Glad i stocked up on 8 flavors of Starbuzz and over 12 hookahfreaks.

Blueberry Pancakes ftw!

This is BIG PROGRESSIVE GOVERMENT. Did you know the first federal tax was called the "progressive income tax"? Here where I live they are taxing anything to do with nicotine than telling every one its going to support health care. After people forget about the tax they take and spend it on other crap.

Seriously I wish every one would quit smoking for 1 year and watch big goverment scramble to invent another tax. " progressives " in both parties dems and reps should stop this big goverment BS

I wonder what the impact of quitting a year would be on people's health and how it might increase other (more?) unhealthy habbits, like junkfood or so -- a bubblegum tax would probably appear But that's pretty theoretical anyway.

Doesn't a pipe-filling last hours? Seems like they should promote it over cigarettes, but I don't know how the health risks compare.

I know some people who can make it go that long.. but they also take smaller puffs.

I can go about 45 minutes on a bowl but I also inhale a lot more which results in big puffy clouds where you can't see my face or upper body :D

Ah, but that's still considerably longer than 1 cigarette. I know there are pipe/cigar smoking clubs that have competitions on who can last the longest, and I thought I remembered them going for hours.