Question 1

What is the National Hookah Community Association (NHCA)?

Accepted Answer

The National Hookah Community Association, Inc. (“NHCA”) was created to represent the hookah/shisha industry at the Federal, State and Local government levels to protect the interests of its members. Members of the NHCA include manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and lounges. The NHCA also engages public officials at all levels of government to develop sensible regulations of the hookah/shisha industry. The NHCA also works with its members to ensure the membership is aware of all laws and governmental policies which impact the hookah/shisha industry.

Question 2

Why is hookah being banned in cities, counties, and states across the U.S?

Accepted Answer

According to the U.S Food & Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey, 26.5% of high schoolers and 15.2% of middle schoolers use tobacco products regularly; with more than 8 out of those 10, smoking flavored tobacco products*. The FDA has utilized this data to consider this to be a youth-vaping public health crisis. To prevent youth access to nicotine vaping products, many cities and states across the U.S. are passing comprehensive legislation to ban flavored tobacco. Virtually all hookah is flavored. This means that a ban on flavored tobacco products which includes hookah would be a de facto ban on the unique culture, history, and use of hookah; both for on-site and off-site consumption.
Unlike traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, hookah does not have widespread youth use and is not a contributor to the vaping epidemic. According to the Center for Disease Control, hookah use among high school students is 2.7% and this number has remained unchanged for several years further proving that there is no teen hookah epidemic. Furthermore, the FDA has stated in its Guidance for Industry dated April 2020 that data shows that youth are attracted to flavored tobacco products, however with regards to cigars and hookah “such data do not appear to raise comparably urgent public health concerns, as the lower prevalence of youth use of these products suggests that they do not appear to be as appealing to youth at this time.” Our role in these flavored tobacco bans is to educate lawmakers on the 1,000 year history and cultural significance of hookah, and ensure that we, as a minority community, are protected in the ongoing war against vape.
-NYTS
-Youth and Tobacco Use
-https://www.fda.gov/media/133880/download

Question 3

Won't it mean more if I just send my own letter?

Accepted Answer

Even if you write your own letter, submitting a letter through the National Hookah Community Association allows us to stand stronger together. It holds legislators accountable by demonstrating the number of individuals who care about a specific issue. This collective action creates a voting bloc that yields more influence.

Question 4

I submitted my email through the National Hookah Community Association advocacy portal. What’s next?

Accepted Answer

Please look out for campaign updates as well as information on when and how to be a part of the save hookah movement. Make sure that emails are going to your inbox, not to your junk mail or other folder. We also recommend connecting with a local advocacy group. Lastly, let your friends and family know about the National Hookah Community Association so we can stand united for the preservation of our right to practice our cultural traditions. We cannot let hookah become an unintended consequence of flavored tobacco ban legislation. Together we must make it undeniable — to lawmakers, the media and everyday citizens — how much we care about our cultural traditions!

Question 5

Why is hookah being banned in cities, counties, and states across the U.S?

Accepted Answer

According to the U.S Food & Drug Administration’s 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey, 26.5% of high schoolers and 15.2% of middle schoolers use tobacco products regularly; with more than 8 out of those 10, smoking flavored tobacco products*. The FDA has utilized this data to consider this to be a youth-vaping public health crisis. To prevent youth access to nicotine vaping products, many cities and states across the U.S. are passing comprehensive legislation to ban flavored tobacco. Virtually all hookah is flavored. This means that a ban on flavored tobacco products which includes hookah would be a de facto ban on the unique culture, history, and use of hookah; both for on-site and off-site consumption.
Unlike traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, hookah does not have widespread youth use and is not a contributor to the vaping epidemic. Our role in these flavored tobacco bans is to educate lawmakers on the history and cultural significance of hookah, and ensure that we, as an industry, are protected in the ongoing war against vape.
-https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/youth-tobacco-use-results-national-youth-tobacco-survey

Question 6

What happens to my retail tobacco or lounge business if I live in an area that has banned hookah?

Accepted Answer

What happens to your business is dependent on the exact ruling of either a City Council, Board of Supervisors, or State Legislature. If a full, comprehensive ban on all flavored tobacco products is passed; you will be required to stop selling and carrying all shisha tobacco and hookah accessories. If you are a hookah lounge and there are no exemptions for existing on-site lounges, you will be required to permanently shut down your business. This is why it is essential that you engage in NHCA’s digital advocacy campaigns and let your important voice be known to your lawmakers.

Question 7

How do I get more involved in saving hookah?

Accepted Answer

The first step is to send a digital letter to your local elected official, if there is a campaign available for your area. To check our most recent campaigns, click the “Take Action” button located on the home page and at the top here. Secondly, call your local and state elected officials immediately to ask them to not ban hookah and shisha tobacco. You can find who your local official is by using the “Find Your Legislator” button. Third, become a member of the NHCA to stay informed and help us continue our advocacy efforts to save hookah. You can find more information on how to join by clicking the “Become a Member” button on the homepage.

Lastly, spread the word! The more people that engage in stopping the ban of hookah, the greater chance we will have to save our culture, our community, and our businesses.

Question 8

I’m unable to submit my campaign information. What should I do differently?

Accepted Answer

This is most commonly caused by your browser being out of date or a browser extension interfering with the online form. The easiest thing to do is to use a different browser (for example, if you’re using Firefox try using Chrome). If you’ve had an error on Chrome, or a different individual is trying to submit a letter on the same device, use an incognito window to give the digital software a clean slate.

Question 9

Do digital advocacy letters make a difference?

Accepted Answer

The email letters you submit through National Hookah Community Association. advocacy portal absolutely make a difference! Each email your legislator receives is read by that legislator or the legislator’s staff, and the staff provides reports directly to the legislator. Although individual letters help influence lawmakers, when large numbers of individuals take action through our platform we are able to scale our advocacy efforts and amplify your messages even more effectively.

Question 10

Can’t I simply provide my zip code?

Accepted Answer

Your full address is required by almost all legislators, and the vast majority of districts are not based on zip codes. Due to gerrymandering, some zip codes are being used in up to five different house or senate districts. Therefore, it’s not possible for us to remove the full address requirement.

Question 11

Do I need to personalize my letters?

Accepted Answer

No. We have crafted letters with well-vetted message points we believe will be effective in influencing your lawmakers. However, it’s good practice to let your lawmakers know how you are personally being affected by their policies. Your story provides a human, emotional connection to the issue. So we encourage you to customize your communication before you press “submit.” The more personal the message, the better.
Please note that some of our campaigns also include a video feature that allows you to send your story directly to your lawmaker. These are particularly powerful and help to create an impactful message.

Question 12

I submitted my email through the National Hookah Community Association advocacy portal. What’s next?

Accepted Answer

Please look out for campaign updates as well as information on when and how to be a part of the movement. Make sure that emails are going to your inbox, not to your junk mail or other folder. We also recommend connecting with a local advocacy group.
Lastly, let your friends and family know about National Hookah Community Association so we can see the tide turn for the preservation of constitutional rights. We cannot let industry overshadow our voice in government! Together we must make it undeniable — to lawmakers, the media and everyday citizens — how many men and women care about freedom!

Question 13

Why do you need my contact information? How will it be used?

Accepted Answer

Your information enables us to contact your lawmakers; they require your name, email and full address to be able to respond to you directly as well as confirm that you are a constituent and voter in their district. We only use your data to 1) ensure that you are contacting the correct lawmakers and 2) send you updates on these issues. You are able to opt out of these communications at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Hookah Community Association (NHCA)?

Why is hookah being banned in cities, counties, and states across the U.S?

Won't it mean more if I just send my own letter?

I submitted my email through the National Hookah Community Association advocacy portal. What’s next?

Why is hookah being banned in cities, counties, and states across the U.S?

What happens to my retail tobacco or lounge business if I live in an area that has banned hookah?

How do I get more involved in saving hookah?

I’m unable to submit my campaign information. What should I do differently?

Do digital advocacy letters make a difference?

Can’t I simply provide my zip code?

Do I need to personalize my letters?

I submitted my email through the National Hookah Community Association advocacy portal. What’s next?

Why do you need my contact information? How will it be used?

Frequently Asked
Questions