It is known worldwide that the world of tobacco is vast and of many types, but the most well-known and used are hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco. Some may think that the two are very similar, but the truth is that there are fundamental differences between the two types in terms of composition, method of use, health effects, and method of preparation. In this article, we’ll take you on an introductory tour to learn how hookah tobacco differs from cigarette tobacco, and why each may affect the body differently. This is done through the following main points:

• What is ” Molasses ” hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco?
• How to use hookah tobacco, cigarette tobacco, and how to smoke
• The difference in smoking duration and the amount of smoke inhaled between molasses and cigarette tobacco
• Flavors and variety in hookah tobacco versus cigarette tobacco
• Comparison between ” Molasses ” hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco
• The fundamental differences between hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco

•  What is “Molasses” hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco?

Shisha tobacco is a special type of tobacco used in hookah. It is wet tobacco mixed with glycerin with additives from natural or artificial flavor extracts that add a distinctive taste to the smoke. It is smoked through a hookah pipe where the smoke passes through the water at the base of the pipe before being inhaled, giving a different smoking experience than cigarettes.

Cigarette tobacco is the dried and cut tobacco used in the manufacture of traditional cigarettes. It is sold in the form of packed tobacco leaves or fine powder. The cigarette is lit directly and the smoke from the combustion of the tobacco is inhaled. It is used individually and quickly compared to hookah.

• Method of use of ” Molasses ” hookah tobacco, cigarette tobacco and method of smoking
• Shisha Tobacco:

Tobacco or Molasses is placed in the head of the hookah, then covered with a layer of burning charcoal. When the charcoal burns, it produces enough heat to release the smoke from the tobacco. The resulting smoke passes through the water at the base of the hookah, where it cools and partially filters before being inhaled by the smoker through the hookah hose.

This method makes smoking milder in heat, gives a different flavor experience, and also allows smoking shisha for longer periods.

• Cigarette Tobacco:

The cigarette is ignited directly by the flame, and the tobacco burns quickly, producing thick smoke. The smoker inhales this smoke directly from the cigarette through the mouth into the lungs. So that smoking here is quick and direct without the presence of a moisturizing medium such as shisha.

• Difference in smoking duration and amount of inhaled smoke between molasses and cigarette tobacco

_ Hookah session: It usually lasts between 30 minutes to an hour or more, and the smoker continues to inhale large amounts of smoke continuously or intermittently during this session.

Because of the smoke passing through the water and the slow burning of tobacco, the amount of smoke a smoker inhales during a hookah session can be much greater than that inhaled when smoking a single cigarette.

_ Cigarette smoking: One cigarette usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes. The amount of smoke inhaled is less than one shisha session, but due to direct combustion of tobacco, concentrations of some chemicals are higher.

• Flavors and variety in hookah tobacco versus cigarette tobacco

_ Hookah tobacco:

It is characterized by a great variety of flavors, as you can find fruit flavors (apple, grape, cherry, mango), sweet flavors (vanilla, chocolate), herbal flavors (mint, anise), and complex.

This diversity is one of the reasons for the popularity of hookah and its attraction to different age groups.

_ Cigarette tobacco:

Mostly natural tobacco flavor with some slight improvements or light aromatic additions. Vanilla or cherry flavored cigarettes are sometimes found, but they are much less versatile compared to hookah.

This limits the choices smokers have compared to hookahs.

•  Comparison between “Molasses” hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco

Shisha tobacco ingredients:

• Natural tobacco: base material, blended tobacco leaves.
• Glycerin: A thick, sugary liquid that resembles molasses. It helps moisturize tobacco, prevents its rapid burning, and gives it a soft texture.
• Flavors: Various fruits (apples, grapes, cherries), herbs, sweets, and artificial flavors that add a distinctive aroma and taste.
• Humidity: Shisha tobacco is more humid compared to cigarette tobacco.

Cigarette tobacco ingredients:

• Dried tobacco: It is prepared by drying and cutting tobacco leaves.
• Chemicals: Added to improve taste, stabilize moisture, facilitate combustion, and increase nicotine addiction.
• Preservatives and additives: to preserve tobacco for long periods and ensure smoking quality.
• dryness of cigarette tobacco is relatively dry to facilitate combustion.

• Substantial differences between “honeyed” hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco

1. Composition & Components

• Shisha tobacco: It is usually a mixture of natural tobacco and natural or artificial glucose with various flavor additives such as fruits, herbs, or artificial flavors. This mixture gives shisha tobacco a distinctive taste and pleasant aroma.
• Cigarette tobacco: It consists mostly of dried and refined tobacco with the addition of many chemicals to improve the taste and increase burning time. It also contains preservatives and other additives.

2. Method of use

• Hookah tobacco: Usually used in a special pipe called a hookah, where the tobacco is placed in the head of the hookah and covered with hot coals. The smoke passes through the water at the base of the hookah before being inhaled. This method slows down the heat of smoke and reduces some harmful substances.
• Cigarette tobacco: smoked directly by lighting the cigarette and inhaling the smoke resulting from the combustion of the tobacco.

3. Duration of smoking and period of exposure to smoke

• Smoking a hookah usually takes a long session that may take up to an hour or more, with a large amount of smoke inhaled during this period.
• Smoking a cigarette usually takes a few minutes, as one cigarette takes about 5-7 minutes.

4. Health & Risks

• Although hookah smoking passes through water, studies have proven that smoke is not free of toxic substances such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, and carcinogens.
• Cigarette smoking is known for its great harm to the lungs, heart, and cancer, because it contains many harmful chemicals.
• In general, both types carry high health risks, but the method of smoking and the duration of exposure make the experience of harm rather different.

5. Flavors & Variety

• Hookah tobacco: It is characterized by a wide variety of flavors that attract its users, such as fruits and herbs.
• Cigarette tobacco: It usually has limited flavors, and some companies offer mild or scented flavors, but they are less diverse.

In the end, hookah tobacco and cigarette tobacco differ in composition, method of use, and nature of exposure to smoke, which makes each of them have different health effects. Although hookahs may seem less harmful to some because of the passage of smoke through the water, both types carry non-negligible health risks. Awareness of these differences and risks is the first step toward making an informed decision about smoking and how to deal with it.

At the conclusion of this article, we invite you to try Debaj’s authentic honey with its diverse and rich flavors that last as long as possible. So that the flavors of Debaj Molasses retain their high concentration without causing unwanted change.