Nicotine content in hookah tobacco.
The strength of hookah tobacco might be the most important attribute. Its deficiency will neither satisfy nicotine hunger nor cause burning in the throat. At the same time with its overabundance, nicotine intoxication will occur before tobacco runs out.
The level of nicotine in tobacco depends not only on the variety of the tobacco leaf, but also on the conditions of its growth, the time when the tobacco was harvested and the method of its drying and fermentation. Thus, a later harvest tobacco in combination with rapid drying gives a higher nicotine content. No less important is the location of tobacco leaves on the bush, because the higher the leaf is located, the higher the nicotine content in it.
Shisha tobacco is distributed by strength from extra-strong to non-nicotine. It would seem that you just need to pick up tobacco with the right nicotine content. But the difficulty is that the strength stated on the package rarely corresponds to the actual one. This is a common problem not only for small companies, but also for leading manufacturers of hookah mixes (Nakhla, Fumari, Haze, Starbuzz and many others). The real fortress may differ from the declared one at times. And both up and down.
The reason is the lack of international standards and requirements for this category of goods. Independent studies have shown that Tangiers tobacco has the highest strength. Medium – Nakhla products. The lightest hookah tobacco is sold by the American company Starbuzz. Useful advice: if you come across an unsuitable mixture, do not rush to throw it away. It can be used in a mix with lighter or stronger tobacco.
Also one of the most common reasons associated with the strength of the hookah is liquid nicotine. In pursuit of strength many manufacturers add it to the tobacco mixture, which negatively affects the taste of the product, and also gives the same blow to the throat, which many mistake for strength. The feeling of strength in this case occurs only due to syrup burning in connection with which it becomes difficult to take a puff and the hookah is perceived by us as very strong.
Not so long ago a scale was invented for the convenience of determining the strength of hookah tobacco. It simplifies the interaction of hookah and guests in identifying the necessary level and also allows to describe the characteristics of a particular tobacco more accurately:
0.6-1% nicotine content — weak strength
1-2% nicotine content — average strength
2-3% nicotine content — high strength
3-4% nicotine content — very high strength
But it should be understood that for each smoker this scale may differ due to the individual characteristics of the body. While smoking the same hookah the strength can be felt differently by each person. This is influenced by factors such as:
- Smoking experience
- Smoking on a full or empty stomach
- Emotional state of the smoker
- Alcohol consumption