Hookah vs. Vaping: What You Need to Know

Over the past few years, vaping has become a popular alternative to traditional smoking methods. Its growing popularity has triggered curiosity and questions around the globe, particularly when compared with smoking shisha tobacco using hookah. 

In today’s blog, we will explore the similarities and differences between these two smoking methods and help clear your doubts, so you can decide which method will suit your lifestyle and smoking preference the best.

Hookah: What Is It?

A hookah is a specially designed water pipe used for smoking shisha tobacco. These water pipes come in various shapes, styles, and sizes. Regardless of the design and style, all hookahs have the same basic parts, and they all work in the same way. In all hookahs, the smoke is produced by adding heat to the shisha-packed hookah bowl at the top, then passes through the hookah stem into the base, where it is cleaned and cooled down in the water. Finally, the filtered-out smoke passes through the hose for you to inhale.

Hookah Tobacco: What Is It?

Hookah tobacco is a specially prepared tobacco that is smoked using hookah. It is not the same as pipe tobacco or dry cigarettes. It is a moist tobacco that is infused in a concoction of molasses, glycerin, or honey and flavoring. Hence, it heats up slowly and takes longer than cigarettes to burn. Doing this not only extends its burn time but also adds some robust flavors that make it even more enjoyable to smoke.

Vaping: What Is It?

In vaping, one needs a special vaping tool to heat the vape juice, also known as e-juice or e-liquid, on the heating coil and then inhale the produced vapor, whereas in hookah smoking, one heats the shisha tobacco and inhales the smoke through the hookah hose pipe.

There are various types of vaping tools available on the market, like the e-pen, mech mod, e-hookah, vape pen, box mod, and so on. From being as small as a pen to a large box-like hand-held device, vaping devices vary in size. There are even some vape juice-filled electronic bowls or heads on the market that can be smoked with a water pipe. However, all the vaping tools function in the same way.

Vape Juice

The particular liquid used for vaping is called vape juice, which is also popularly recognized as e-juice, vape flavor, or vape liquid. The ingredients of the vape juice can vary depending on the brands, but the basic ingredients remain the same among most of the liquids.

Vegetable Glycerin, or VG. It is generally made using different vegetable oils, like coconut oil or soybean oil. It works as a carrying medium for the flavors present in the vape juice. 

Propylene Glycol, or PG. It is a flavorless, odorless substance that also works as an agent carrying flavorings in vape juice. It can be used as an alternative to vegetable glycerin or in mix with it. 

Flavors. Though most of the vape juice brands hesitate to reveal the ingredients used for flavorings as they consider them an exclusive in-house recipe and thus keep them confidential. Therefore, if you require a detailed insight on the flavoring ingredient, then you need to contact the manufacturer separately. 

Nicotine. While some vape juice does not contain any nicotine and some have varied levels of nicotine. You can check the package where the nicotine level is stated in milligram levels like 0, 6 mg, 12 mg, 18 mg, 24 mg, 32 mg, or more. 

Hookah vs. Vaping

In the first place, both hookah smoking and vaping involve inhaling a combusted vapor into the body, which is neither healthy nor safe compared to not smoking at all. It is important to understand that both of the smoking methods pose certain health risks. Therefore, take your time to study the effects before indulging in any of them.

When compared, there is hardly any similarity between hookah smoking and vaping. Well, just like regular hookah bowls, there are vape juice-filled electronic heads that can be used with a regular hookah. You can even filter the vapor through the water before taking it in. However, this vaping tool is just an exception. 

Each of the smoking methods, its culture, and its practices is unique and exceptional. Hookah has a rich history that traces back even before the 17th century. It has been an emblem of trust, alliance, and status for centuries. It is not wrong to consider Hookah as a bridge connecting different civilizations. However, the concept and culture of vaping are relatively new and opted for, primarily by those who want to leave or reduce smoking.

While vaping is more of a personal activity due to the nature of the vaping tool, hookah has been a social activity, perfect for groups as well as a solo session. 

These days, there are online communities for vaping lovers where they can share their experience, information, and tricks with other enthusiasts. On the other hand, the Hookah community has its reach extended around the globe, both online and offline. There are hookah bars, lounges, and cafes where hookah lovers can come together and enjoy themselves smoking hookah tobacco together. There are even online forums and communities where shisha lovers from all over the world connect and share. 

With this, we will conclude our discussion today. However, if you have any other questions or thoughts do not hesitate to let us know. As for now, whether you are into vaping or hookah smoking, Khalil Maamoon is here with an excellent assortment of high-quality hookahs, vapes, and other accessories for you. Don't forget to check them out.

Happy Smoking!