. Because of the added ingredients, shisha flavours are too moist to be smoked through a traditional cigarette the tobacco or herbs can't be lit directly, so shisha charcoal is used to light it.
Part of the reason for the rising popularity of shisha tobacco is the intensity of anti-smoking campaigns in the UK and western world over the past few years. Many smokers or young people who have never tried cigarettes but like the idea of smoking, have found shisha tobacco or herbal shisha to be an appealing alternative.