Hookah tobacco, also known as shisha, waterpipe tobacco, maassel, narghile, or argileh, is a type of tobacco product that is smoked using a hookah device. It is different from dry cigarette or pipe tobacco in that it is a wet tobacco that is soaked in a combination of glycerin, molasses or honey, and flavoring. The combination of ingredients allows for the flavoring juices to soak into the tobacco leaves, providing robust flavors and allowing the tobacco to be smoked over a longer period of time than dry tobacco as it is being slowly cooked as opposed to being burned or combusted.

The hookah device (or waterpipe) used to smoke the hookah tobacco works by passing charcoal or electric heated air through the tobacco mixture and ultimately through a water-filled chamber. The resulting smoke is then inhaled by the user through a hose and mouthpiece.

It is important to note that there are no safe tobacco products, including hookah tobacco products, and using any tobacco product can harm your health. Hookah use is linked to many of the same adverse health effects as cigarette smoking, such as oral, lung, and esophageal cancer, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Short-term hookah use is associated with acute health effects, including increased heart rate and blood pressure, reduced pulmonary function, and hypoxia from carbon monoxide exposure.

In conclusion, hookah tobacco is a type of tobacco product that is smoked using a hookah device. It is a wet tobacco that is soaked in a combination of glycerin, molasses or honey, and flavoring, and is associated with many of the same adverse health effects as cigarette smoking.