gnaget

I purchased a small Sheesha in the Middle East and am curious what people think about getting a hassle from the TSA. I can avoid taking it thru TSA by changing travel plans.

It has a blunt edge tweezer type tool to place to pick up hot coals.

Also concerned if it will spark typical racist and xenophobic reaction, even though I am white.

cervisiam

can you mail the tool back?

JohnG

Forget the TSA, I would be more concerned about customs and importing "drug paraphenalia" (sp?). I know its really far fetched but if you catch the wrong customs guy, he/she could theoreticcally give you a hard time. Stranger things have happened..

fiat_owner

Is that really true? Vendors openly sell pipes, etc. in border towns in Mexico, and they're not selling to the locals. I've never seen anyone get nailed on that coming across.

Anyway, a Sheesha is actually a legitimate (and very nice) instrument of nicotine delivery! They sell them in Middle Eastern shops and delis in the Bay Area.

fiat_owner

sowalsky

I (and many friends) bring them back all the time from Israel.

There are no hassles, especially if you bring back the flavored tabacco and can show that their is no contraband in it.

gnaget

I am really not worried about US customs -- my concern is the even bigger clowns known as the TSA.

FYI, the Sheesha passed through 2 Egyptian X-rays, one manual Egyptian search and an Austrian X-ray, so far.

BTW, is there any limit on how much Sheesha tobacco one technically can bring into the US? I looked at the US customs website, horrible piece of work, and the only specific mention is regarding 200 cigs and 100 cigars.

LemonThrower

how are those different from the water pipes used to smoke marijuana?

lalala

They are waaay too big to take to a quiet riot concert.

sowalsky

marijuana bongs don't usually have hoses.

sowalsky

Not to worry -- the TSA is not (I REPEAT NOT) a law enforcement agency. Their sole purpose is to look important and take sharp and pointy objects from travelers. If you can show that your glass pipe is not sharp and pointy then you are all set.

richard

This seems a tad naive. They are not a law enforcement agency -- we are splitting hairs here.

They may not have powers of arrest and they may not carry guns, but what is different?

You are required to submit to their searches if you must travel. It is compulsory.

And they will I am sure call the cops right over in a heartbeat, and the cops are the ones to put the cuffs on. Otherwise, what's the difference?

flowerchild

The They'll Search Anything makes up the rules as they go. There have been numerous instances in the news where they have confiscated drugs and had people arrested.

jer

I have brought two of these back from the middle east. One had been smoked (tobacco only), JFK customs confiscated it. They told me I could wait until tests proved whether the residue from use contained THC, in which case I would be arrested!!! for importing a controlled substance. This was in 1988. I left it at customs because the other option was a huge hassel. They had my name and address, but i never heard form customs again and assume they tossed it. They also confiscated some curry powder i had picked up in malaysia since my mom is a curry snob.

Learning my lesson, I brought one back from Syria in the late 1990s, very ornamental and beautifully inscribed. It was unused, and they never even asked about it.

BTW, the weirdest one I ever saw was in Bonsia, where they make them by amalgamating various spent artillery shells.

gnaget

To conclude the thread, there was no problem with the TSA. I do this trick at IAD where I go thru transit immigration. The downside is that you get TSAed as you leave customs.

I succesfully took it thru Egyptian, Austrian, Swedish, LHR and TSA security.

richard

Thanks very much for following up with us and letting us know.