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Tobacco Free Shisha vs. Traditional Shisha: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to shisha for your hookah pipe, there are dozens of options that you get to choose from, and mix and match to create the perfect hookah bowl every single time.

From choosing a high-quality brand, to the dozens and dozens of flavor options, not to mention the nearly limitless flavor combinations, you have a lot of variables to choose from. But one that is a little more niche is tobacco free shisha vs traditional shisha.

If you are someone who is interested in smoking tobacco-free shisha instead of traditional shisha, then you may have a lot of questions. All the power to you, and yes, you can still enjoy hookah without the nicotine or even the tobacco plant!

That being said, there are a few differences to keep in mind when smoking tobacco-free shisha. The better you know how to adjust your experience for tobacco-free shisha, the better.

Here is a complete breakdown on everything you need to know about the differences between traditional shisha for hookah smoking and tobacco-free shisha for hookah smoking.

What Is Shisha?

Before we can break down the differences, we should answer one crucial question — what is shisha in the first place?

Traditional shisha is a chopped tobacco mixed with glycerin, honey or molasses, and flavorings like fruit juices, spices, and flavoring liquids to produce the sticky, flavorful, and wet shisha that you smoke from a hookah.

Shisha as we know it today has only existed for a few decades, but there are now dozens of producers and hundreds of different flavors available.

What Is Tobacco-Free Shisha?

So if tobacco is one of the key ingredients of shisha, what is tobacco-free shisha then?

Tobacco-free shisha is still made with the same glycerin, honey or molasses, and flavorings that are in traditional shisha, but instead of chopped tobacco, there are chopped tea leaves or the leaves of other herbs.

This gives tobacco-free shisha a similar look, feel, and smell to regular, tobacco shisha, without containing any nicotine.

Does Tobacco Free Shisha Taste the Same?

Your biggest concern when switching to tobacco-free shisha instead of traditional tobacco shisha is probably that it won’t have the same taste anymore, and it won’t be as refreshing because of that.

Well luckily for you, tobacco-free shisha and traditional shisha taste almost identical, and depending on the brand and flavor, can be imperceptible. The main flavor differences come from the natural flavors of the tea leaves and herbs used in tobacco free shisha.

The more heavily flavored your shisha brand and flavor, the less detectable the difference will be. The more flavoring added, the more that flavor will cover the subtle difference between tobacco free hookah tobacco and traditional hookah tobacco.

Does Tobacco-Free Shisha Still Smoke the Same?

Okay, so maybe tobacco-free shisha tastes the same as traditional tobacco shisha, but is the smoke the same, thick, rich, full cloud, and does it feel the same in your lungs?

The answer to this one is yes, and no. Yes, tobacco-free shisha will give you a cloud of rich, thick smoke, since that effect is produced by the water and the glycerin/molasses combo in the shisha, not the tobacco.

But the nicotine in the tobacco is responsible for the relaxed, light headed, easy going feeling that you get from hookah smoking. You won’t get that feeling without the nicotine in the tobacco, but the smoke clouds will feel the same in your lungs, so the sensation of smoking will still be satisfying.

Does Tobacco-Free Shisha Have the Same Flavor?

Another concern we hear a lot from hookah smokers considering a switch to tobacco-free hookah shisha is that they won’t be able to find their favorite flavors tobacco-free.

But luckily there is no big reason to be concerned. It is true, certain brands don’t offer tobacco-free options, and their specific flavors would be inaccessible in tobacco-free options. But other brands offer many similar flavors.

So while your new favorite flavor may have a new name, it will just be a different brand's rendition of white gummy bear or blueberry mint.

Is Tobacco-Free Shisha Less Addictive?

This question is something we get asked all the time by people who are new to the hookah scene and perhaps don’t like the idea of smoking nicotine — they often wonder if tobacco-free shisha is less addictive than nicotine-containing tobacco shisha.

The answer is a clear yes — tobacco-free shisha is less addictive than traditional shisha tobacco. Tobacco-free shisha doesn’t contain any nicotine, which is the addictive chemical in tobacco.

So you can’t get addicted to nicotine free tobacco-free shisha tobacco. If you are someone who has quit smoking cigarettes and wants to enjoy nicotine-free tobacco, you can still enjoy hookah.

Are There Any Other Major Differences Between Tobacco-Free Shisha and Traditional Shisha?

We’ve already covered the most common questions that we get about tobacco-free shisha, but beyond this, people often want to know if there are any hidden differences that the average person might not notice.

And the short answer is not really. The cost is comparable between tobacco-free and tobacco shisha, so the cost isn’t really a factor. The only other difference we can think of is that finding tobacco-free shisha out at hookah lounges and bars can be a bit more difficult in most places, even big cities.

But overall, you can rest assured that your hookah experience won’t be curtailed by using tobacco-free shisha. In fact, some people say that tobacco-free shisha actually tastes better and clearer, and many people smoke both tobacco free and tobacco shisha depending on their mood.

Should I Smoke Tobacco-Free Shisha?

The final question that we want to tackle today is one that you probably started this article with in mind: should you smoke tobacco-free shisha?

Tobacco-free shisha is a wonderful alternative for people looking to enjoy hookah without nicotine. Tobacco-free shisha is also not taxed like tobacco products are necessarily, and can sometimes be cheaper where tobacco taxes are extra high.

There are tons of reasons you may want to smoke tobacco-free shisha, and they are all valid. The short answer is that tobacco-free shisha is sutiable for anyone, really.

Tobacco Free Shisha vs. Traditional Shisha: The Takeaways

When you first start your switch from traditional shisha to tobacco-free shisha, you are bound to have a few questions. There are a few subtle differences that you should know for the perfect smoke session with tobacco-free shisha instead of traditional shisha.

Tobacco-free shisha is made with the same glycerin, flavorings, and molasses as regular shisha, only insteading of using chopped tobacco as the main component, tobacco-free shisha is made using tea leaves and other herbs.

This means tobacco-free shisha is nicotine-free, making it less addictive than regular shisha. Tobacco-free shisha tastes the same as traditional shisha, and creates the same clouds, although it won't have the same relaxing effect that nicotine has.

Tobacco-free shisha can be a great alternative for people looking for a non-nicotine substance to smoke in their hookah. Here at MOB Hookah, we have one of the industry's best selections of shisha flavors for you to choose from, and we only offer the best brands.

Don’t forget to keep coming back here for more great content like this on our blog!

Sources:

Non-tobacco versus tobacco hookah smoking | Go Ask Alice!

Hookah vs Shisha: What are The Differences? | Rakija Lounge

A Guide to Keeping Your Hookah Tobacco as Good as New | Scrap Digest

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