The report was made by a well known UK charity organisation and went into great detail about the numbers of shisha bars that have started to trade since the smoking in public places ban was passed in 2007.

The report estimated that shisha bars have grown at a rate of no less than 200% percent, totalling almost 700 in the UK. It predicted unless something was done to slow the growth the UK would have an estimated 1000 shisha bars by the end of 2013 serving some 40,000 shisha pipes daily.

While the owners and customers of the shisha bars argue that the bar meets all legislations, other groups and organisations are trying to push for changes to slow the growth of shisha smoking and hope that one day the government may enforce an alright ban on shisha.

The warning also covered the increased number of rent a shisha companies that seem to have started up in many of the UK largest cities. Customers can call the delivery company and easily rent a shisha pipe, flavours and coals for the evening. Although the warning and report listed many concerns about such service little research has been conducted although some initial studies discovered that there are at least 100 shisha rental companies.

Throughout the paper there were several sections that mentioned the “dangers” of shisha. Warning that almost 50% of those who had smoked shisha previously seemed unaware about the health risks associated with shisha. Suggestions were made that shisha bars and rental companies should display large health warnings to their customers.

Shisha Smoking Cat

There are plenty of shisha smoking animals online, I even wrote a post about a shisha pipe smoking squirrel. But this pictures different…. it’s real, no editing, nothing, the cats just chilled out lying down by the shisha on the balcony. I wonder if Whiskers produce a shisha tobacco, Sardine & Mackerel flavour or perhaps Chicken & Duck!

Another cool cat with a shisha can be seen here http://www.quitor.com/h2o-pipe-with-cat.html

The 600 year old crime lord appears to be really proud of the shisha pipe incident in the picture. The shisha pipe although looking a little like a globe has a brass base and side stem for the tobacco and a clear tube to inhale from working in place of the shisha hose.

Shisha Pipe Smoker Jabba The Hutt!

Who would have thought that Star Wars the family film starring Luke Skywalker and Jabba the Hutt since 1977 contained shisha pipe smoking way before the shisha pipe smoking trend hit the the western world!

The only other western film that I can think of that has shown the shisha pipe was the original Alice and Wonderland with the shisha smoking caterpillar way back in the year 1951 and obviously the recent release in 2010.

Are there any other films that anyone knows of where the shisha pipe makes an appearance?

Shisha pipe smoking squirrel

Squirrels although may look very nice and cute running up and down trees and collecting nuts but they have become a major problem in some parts of the United States of America and not only have they started to smoke shisha pipes but also steal from cabins and cars parked up in the nature reserves.

The trouble is that the squirrels have become so used to human interaction they are no longer afraid, becoming a constant problem for the people of North America that can no longer leave shisha pipes, beers or food in the garden without these rodents interest.

Apparently the squirrels have already become fussy about the food they steal, not eating corn flacks or coco pops but loving crunchy nut! How long do you think it’s before they only start smoking al fakher shisha tobacco rather the nakhla!

Shisha Pipe Set Up

1. Unpack your shisha pipe and all the contents from its box or bag.
2. Take the glass base of the pipe and fill with water so that the water level shall cover the stem of the shisha pipe once pushed into the glass. The stem should be submerged by no less than one inch, ideally 1.5 inches.
3. Pack your shisha bowl with your tobacco or herbal shisha, I would suggest about 10 grams of the shisha flavour, more or less depending on how long you wish to smoke for.
4. Cover the top of the shisha bowl using aluminum foil. Poking some small holes to allow the heat to pass through from the charcoal to the tobacco.
5. Push the bowl on to the top of the shisha pipes making sure a rubber or nylon bowl grommet (seal) is in place.
6. Connect the shisha pipes hose or hoses to the stem. Again checking that there are the hose seals in place.
7. Ignite the shisha coal and place it on top of the bowl.
8. Place the shisha pipe on the ground or at a low level so that it is not easily going to be pulled of knocked over.
9. Start smoking, enjoying your favourite shisha flavours

Now you’ve got the basic idea you should try experimenting with your shisha pipe. Mixing shisha flavours together, adding ice or even alcohol to the water.

A great tasting shisha tobacco mix to try is cherry cola. Blend 6 grams of cola shisha tobacco or herbal shisha with 4 grams of cherry. For mixing the shisha flavours rub/mix while pressing the two flavours together.  Rub and mix for several minutes then leave as long as possible in an air tight bag or container prior to smoking.

Electronic Shisha Charcoal

The new device shall cost you around £60 so even if not straight away if you’re a regular shisha smoker the electronic shisha charcoal shall save you a fortune over time. And not only will it save you money but there are many added benefits of the electronic shisha charcoal.

100% Chemical Free

Been electronic the coal contains no potassium nitrate or potassium chlorate. These are two of the most common chemicals found in quick igniting shisha charcoal.

Better Shisha Flavour

The burning of regular shisha charcoals produces a smoke and odour that can taint the taste of your shisha. Electronic coal does not produce any smoke nor does it give off any odour or taste, improving the overall taste given from your shisha flavours.

Cost of Electronic Shisha Charcoal

Electronic shisha coals cost around £60 to buy, the equivalent to perhaps as many as 600 regular coals. Remember there shall also be an amount of electricity used to charge the coal periodically. I don’t know about you but it would take me about five years before it started to save me money. In which time either my shisha pipe or the electronic coals may have even broke!

Constant Heat Source

Electronic coals provide a constant heat source for your shisha pipe. The electronic coals are high density ceramic which reach temperatures of 110 degrees centigrade within as little as three minutes. The charcoal stays at a constant 110 degrees centigrade until you finish your smoke and turn them off.

Safer than regular charcoal

At all times the electronic shisha coal is attached to the shisha pipe ash tray and cannot fall like regular coal. You will also find that electronic shisha coal is cleaner and easier to use, you don’t even have to worry about storing it like with regular charcoals.

The options to select from included soex herbal, high-life herbal shisha, el rosha, al salaam, hydro herbal, black label, el fakher, nakhla, el waha, starbuzz and other. The results for the poll were as follows.

As you can see from above al fakher shisha tobacco is clearly the winner with 41% of the votes and black label not even getting a vote. It’s interesting to see soex herbal shisha up there in 3rd position with almost 11% of votes; I personally smoke it and find it the best value for money not to mention the best tasting herbal shisha available.

I recently tried another herbal shisha tobacco from Beetobacco Egypt. It’s a new herbal shisha that’s not on the list to vote for. Available in over 35 flavours it’s another herbal shisha made from sugar cane like Soex. The Beetobacco from Egypt comes wrapped in 25g shots along with larger 100g and 250g packets.

Does anyone know where to buy the Egyptian Beetobacco herbal shisha online?

For the first few minutes it seemed the smoke was as normal, there were no noticeable effects of the ice or any difference in the temperature or quality of the smoke. As little as five minutes later the smoke had started to change and the taste seemed somewhat cooler and sweeter.

What it was, is that for the first few minutes there was too little surface area of ice covering the downpipe of the shisha pipe but as the ice started to melt and increase the contact area with the pipe the cold heat energy transferred more efficiently.

Shisha pipe ice shisha bowl

I was reading on another blog that its good practice to start with some chilled water as well as the ice, even slushy ice if you can get it so to deliver a cool smoke from the very first pull! And for an even cooler smoke put ice in the chamber and the base or maybe even freeze your shisha pipe stem!

I also found out that there are ice shisha bowls like the one shown in the image to the right.  Apparently there very easy to use, all you do is fill the bowl with water then put in the freezer waiting until frozen and place on you shisha pipe.

• The first thing to check when buying a shisha pipe is that the stem of the pipe tightly fits it to the glass base of the shisha. There should be a black, white or clear rubber seal in place.

• The next thing to look for is to check that shisha hose and shisha bowl seals or sometimes known as grommets are included with the pipe

• Check the hose is airtight and allows plenty of air through it. Cover the one end of the shisha hose using your finger and blow through it. You should find that no air escapes nor leaks. To check the air flow, without your finger covering the end simply breathe through the hose. If it’s difficult to inhale or like sucking through a 2mm drinking straw then this may indicate a blockage.

• After positioning the hose and bowl seals make sure to check that both the bowl fits on top and that the hose pushes into the hose input by at least a centimetre.

• Check that the shisha pipe you’re buying is airtight. Simply place your hand over the bowl and by drawing through the hose you should feel the suction on the palm of your hand. There should be no air leaking in from any of the joints of the shisha pipes.

Above all when you buy shisha check that the retailer has experience and knowledge of shisha pipes and that they offer a returns or exchange policy.

Although there were a few plus points of the bowl the downsides I found from smoking through the double shisha bowl were:

• It lasted for over two hours and for one person, two hours was way too long, I guess probably the equivalent to thirty or forty cigarettes. No wonder I was coughing towards the end!

• The double head shisha bowl consumes too much shisha tobacco. I used about fifty grams, twenty five grams in each bowl.

• I used four discs of shisha charcoal keeping it going.
  

  Shisha Bowl - Double Head

I’ve concluded that while the double head shisha bowl maybe good on multi hose pipes, so that more than one person is smoking. On your own through a single hose shisha pipe an ordinary ceramic, stainless steel or clay shisha bowl is more suitable and less expensive to buy and smoke from.

Have you ever smoked shisha pipes with a double head bowl?