Herbal smoking mixtures can include everything from common herbal blends to legal synthetic marijuana and even certain hallucinogenics. Smoking any substance carries significant health risks, especially to the lungs, throat and mouth. Different herbal substances also have their own risks and effects to be aware of.
Common Herbs
Cigarette smokers trying to quit sometimes rely on herbal smoking blends to help quell nicotine cravings. The idea is to continue the smoking habit while slowly curbing the nicotine addiction by using non-addictive and less harmful herbal substances. Typically, these herbal blends include two or three distinct agents to mimic tobacco smoke. The base agent gives the smoke its heavy feel and often uses dogwood, kinnikinnik, madrone, manzanita, pyrola or willow bark. The flavoring agent is usually made with a combination of spices and may include angelica, clove, lemon balm, mint, mugwort, osha, sagebrush or salvia sages. Many blends also include pedicularis or skullcap as a calming agent.
Since the nature of these blends is to kick a potentially deadly habit, it's unsurprising that the herbs and spices themselves are typically non-toxic and non-addictive. However, like all forms of smoking they do carry the risk of lung damage.
Marijauna Alternatives
Many synthetic marijuana products have emerged which advertise a legal, safe and natural way to enjoy a similar high to that of marijuana, with countless varieties, flavors and concentrations to choose from. However, instead of relying on an herbal blend to replicate a marijuana high, more often than not these alternatives are simply dried herbs sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids which trigger similar psychoactive effects.
The effect of these alternatives depend largely on the chemical used. The chemical JWH-018, used in the K2 and Spice alternative marijuana products, is four times as potent as marijuana. It's also important to note that JWH-018 binds almost exclusively to the psychotropic receptors in the brain, whereas natural cannabinoids bind equally among psychotropic receptors and pain and inflammation receptors. This means that JWH-018 lacks the medicinal value of marijuana, all while supplying a more severe high.
Other common synthetic cannabinoids include cannabicyclohexanol, JWH-073, and HU-210. While there have yet to be conclusive human studies of the effects of these chemicals, there are a number of reports of users having extreme reactions which are not typical in marijuana users including vomiting, severe agitation and headaches. While legal on the federal level, many states have enacted laws banning such substances, and it's likely that others will follow.
Hallucinogenic Herbs
Salvia divinorum, also known as diviner's sage, is legal in most of the United States and is often used for it's mind altering properties. It can be extracted into high concentrations and the effects of this herb depend on the potency. Smoking the plain herb, the user may feel increased relaxation or may feel nothing at all. However, smoking an "80x" extract will likely put the user in a trance or dream-like state with hallucinations. In this state, the user will have impaired motor functions and will likely become extremely disoriented. Regardless of the potency, salvia effects usually occur within a minute of inhalation and last about 5 to 10 minutes.
Salvia divinorum is not toxic nor is it physically addictive. While the smoke has no harmful effect aside from normal smoking damage, because of its hallucinogenic properties using salvia irresponsibly can pose significant risks.
References
- Stop Smoking: Quit Smoking Through Herbal Blends
- "Influence of the N-1 alkyl chain length of cannabimimetic indoles upon CB(1) and CB(2) receptor binding"; Aung MM, Griffin G, Huffman JW, Wu M, Keel C, Yang B, Showalter VM, Abood ME, Martin BR.
- Live Science: Fake Weed, Real Drug: K2 Causing Hallucinations in Teens
- Salvia Center
