by Maya Akoum / April 15, 2021

Hookah flavors: alternatives without tobacco or nicotine do exist !

Hookah, often known as shisha, is used for many millennia to smoke tobacco. Over the years, we have gone from so-called “Ajami” preparations, which are only made from pure tobacco leaves, to a large choice of flavors and compositions.

Hookah tobacco, what is it again ? Recall that today, the most common form is tabamel, made up mainly of tobacco and glycerin. As the hookah market is booming across the world, trends keep changing and new products are appearing regularly.

The practice of hookah and tobacco consumption in general have recently been widely discussed, especially with the global health crisis. But before that, for the sake of limiting the indisputable health risks, some countries have strengthened laws related to tobacco consumption: ban on the sale of mentholated hookah tobacco for some, increase in taxes on tobacco products for some others.

To remedy this and adapt to these new constraints, tobacco brands are now offering new, less harmful alternatives, without tobacco and without nicotine.

Ajami Tobacco Preparation Nargile Hookah Arguile Cachimba Shisha Chicha Kalyan — *Ajami Preparation*

Cellulose Fiber

It is undoubtedly the closest alternative to traditional hookah tobacco. What is its composition? Cellulose fiber + glycerin + aromas.
Goodbye tobacco and nicotine ! The overall appearance remains very similar to that of hookah tobacco, both visually and in terms of use, hardly any difference can be seen. It is used in the same way as regular tobacco and is compatible with all kinds of hookah bowls. Generally full of glycerin, the heating created by the charcoals will always make large clouds of smoke full of flavor !

Here are few brands that produce cellulose fiber:
Aroming plus, Cloud One, Cloud 4 You, Grand Paris, Nexit, Nic3, Zero.

Steam stones

These are small stones soaked in vegetable glycerin and aromas. Since the smoke is created by the heating of the glycerin and aromas, the sessions last until the stones in the bowl dry.
The stones can then be rinsed and reused after being mixed again with flavored glycerin. There are also neutral and therefore tasteless steam stones for sale.
Many tobacco brands went for the development of steam stones by offering their own recipes to provide a nicotine-free alternative to their tobacco products.

Here are few brands that produce steam stones:
Shiazo, Bigg (Ice Rockz), Mig (Vulcanos), Dschinni (Stones), Steamshox, True Passion, Diamond Smoke, Hookain, 7 Days (Cloudz), Kraken, Amy Stones, Volkan Pure Stones, Fumo, Starbuzz, Mya, Xhale, Hydro Herbal, Fantasia, Shisharoma.

Gel – Hookah Cream

Hookah no tobacco no nicotine Steam Stones Chicha Shisha Tobacco substitute Paste Hookah Cream True Cloudz — ? True Cloudz ©

Hookah no tobacco no nicotine Steam Stones Chicha Shisha Tobacco substitute Paste Hookah Cream Gel Ice Frutz — ? True Cloudz ©

The hookah flavors in gel or cream form are in this case a composition of flavored and gelled vegetable glycerin. They bring together all the elements that give the taste and make it possible to produce smoke. Since glycerin is not an element that burns, it vaporizes, the gelled flavors allow for a smoother session.
These substitutes can be used on their own but are most often added as complements to hookah tobacco to enhance the taste or to make personalized mixtures.
Why not combine it with cellulose fiber or steam stones for a session without tobacco, without nicotine, 100% customized ?

Here are few brands that produce flavored gel or hookah cream:
Hookah Squeeze, True Cloudz, Ice Drops, Hookah Cream, Ice Frutz, Deezer ice, Primal, Sophie’s.

Hookah Herb

As you may have noticed, the main ingredient here is called “the desert herb” mixed with (once again) flavored glycerin. It is however the less known substitute. It is without tobacco, without nicotine and is used in the same way as hookah tobacco.

Hookah no tobacco no nicotine Steam Stones Chicha Shisha Tobacco substitute Herbal Hookah Herb Heavenleaf — ? Mistersmoke ©

Here are few brands that produce flavored hookah paste:
Fly Herbal, Fantasia, Hydro Herbal, Heavenleaf.

Vegetable Glycerin

The vegetable glycerin isn’t a distinct alternative, but this is the element that we find in all the substitutes presented previously.
It therefore makes it possible to provide the taste when it is flavored as well as to create the smoke by its vaporization when it is subjected to the heat of the charcoals. The more vegetable glycerin, the more smoke !
We can add it to the steam stones in order to reuse them, to the cellulose fiber to intensify the smoke, or to rehydrate hookah tobacco that has dried.

Hookah no tobacco no nicotine Steam Stones Chicha Shisha Tobacco substitute Vegetable Glycerin Hookah Squeeze Aroma Shots — ? ShishaVaping ©

Here are few brands that produce flavored glycerin:
Adalya, 7 Elements, Amy, ShishaVaping, Hookah Squeeze.

Now, many possibilities exist if you want to consume the hookah thanks to preparations without tobacco and nicotine. These generations of tobacco-free hookah flavors are available for sale in shisha shops and stores, but also online.

In your opinion, is it simply a trend or does this market have a bright future ahead of it?

We would like to remind you that despite the fact that these tobacco-free and nicotine-free alternatives exist, the consumption of hookah remains a dangerous act towards your health, and must remain occasional.