One of the few safe and legal leisure activities for Iranian women is the hookah. Hookah smoking has been a long-standing tradition of Iranians, somewhat diminished by the rise in popularity of cigarettes. However, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran, hookah smoking has surfaced anew.
A significant characteristic of smoking hookah is that it need not be enjoyed discretely, and that women are equally able to smoke should they wish to do so. Darband, the beautiful area in northern Tehran near the Alborz mountains, is not only a popular hiking trail, but also a favorite place to hang out, where juicy kabob with basil and onions is served with doogh (a Persian yogurt drink), sometimes accompanied by hookah. But some believe it is at times smoked in excess.
