Herbal cigarettes have been around for quite a long time but are seeing a surge in popularity that is expected to continue. Herbal cigarette brands from Europe and the US are generally natural smokes that offer habitual smokers a nicotine-free alternative to traditional tobacco. Brands from other parts of the world, like China, can contain additives and even nicotine. There are herbs that are better flavored for smoking than tobacco, and they are generally not habit-forming, so what is the problem? Why are people often disappointed with them?
What are herbal cigarettes?
Herbal cigarettes are traditional cigarette tubes and papers filled with natural herbs that do not contain tobacco or nicotine.
Are herbal cigarettes safe?
Burning any material releases tar and carbon monoxide [1]. We address this, expose the dangers of some ingredients and wrappers, and discuss the biggest health distinction between smoking herbs and tobacco: chemical addiction [2].
Studies have shown that some herbs produce less tar than tobacco, while others produce more [1]. At this time we have no definitive proof showing that if someone smoked the same amount of herbs as tobacco, the herbs would be healthier to smoke. We do know that burning any material releases compounds that are not healthy to breathe in [2]. Some herbal cigarette companies who claimed herbs are healthier to smoke, found themselves in hot water with the FDA, and were required to display warning labels on their products [3].
Not all herbal cigarettes are created equal. A study was done on popular herbal cigarette brands from India (many available in the US) filled with basil, clove, cinnamon, and green tea along with other herbs that found smoke from them contained slightly higher levels of lung-irritating compounds than tobacco cigarettes [4]. They also found one of the brands (marketed as 100% natural) and comprised mostly of basil contained heavy metals like lead [2]. Indian herbal cigarettes that used Indian ebony tree leaves (tendu) in place of standard cigarette papers contained significantly higher levels of lung-irritating compounds [5].
Although, as stated, at this time we have no definitive scientific proof that smoking herbs is healthier than tobacco, we do know that when used for non-smoking purposes, like herbal teas, for flavoring food, etc., most of the herbs in herbal cigarettes are not inherently bad for your health. In some cases, potential health benefits have been observed, unlike tobacco, which, even when chewed, is the known cause of several types of cancer.
A tobacco smoker’s body becomes physically addicted to nicotine, driving them to smoke habitually. Most people with smoking-related health issues are habitual smokers or live with one and breathe in the smoke consistently. According to the CDC, smoking habitually results in a buildup of unhealthy compounds in the lungs that can do real harm over time. Herbal cigarettes are nicotine-free and have not been shown to be physically addictive.
What are the problems?
Consistency
Machines that make cigarettes, the filters, and the papers are designed for tobacco leaves, which are soft, pliable, and cut into thin strips of the same size and shape. Blends of herbs come in different sizes and consistencies. Some are hard; some are soft. This makes some blends of herbs challenging to pack into a cigarette tube and can result in it burning unevenly. This is a common critique of herbal cigarettes. Tobacco leaves are large, and the stems are easy to remove. Some herb leaves are relatively small, making the stem of the leaf difficult to fully separate from the leaf itself. In order to pack the leaf in a cigarette, the stems must be ground up with the leaves. Stems are generally not the smoothest smoke.
Supply
Tobacco is grown, harvested, and dried for the purpose of smoking. Sure, there are other uses like chewing tobacco or snuff, but tobacco leaf that was produced specifically for smoking is plentiful on the market. This is simply not the case when it comes to herbs. Most herbs are produced for flavoring food, herbal supplements, tea, etc. How an herb tastes and burns when smoked is greatly impacted by how it was grown, when and how it was harvested, dried, and stored. With a supply of herbs that are produced specifically for smoking limited at best, many herbal cigarettes wind up being filled with material that is less than ideal for smoking purposes.
Cost and Quality
I have a friend who is a supplier of bulk herbs, and now runs the family business founded by his father. They offer hundreds of herbs, mostly for use in the herbal tea industry. We got to talking about the different grades of herbs and which were the most popular. He said by far the lower grades. Many of the businesses sell tea bags, so the color of the herbs is not an issue, and the flavor when blended with other herbs is acceptable, but the price between grades can be significant. When it comes to smoking herbs, lower-grade material can be vastly less enjoyable than fresher, high-grade material, which is much more expensive and harder to acquire. If you were purchasing herbs for an herbal cigarette company, would you want to risk running out of herbs? In order to reduce costs and have a steady, stable supply, some herbal cigarette brands use lower-grade herbs.
Value
An average pack of herbal cigarettes containing 20 smokes sells for around $14. That is a little under a dollar a smoke. The average herbal cigarette contains about 0.9 grams of herbs, which means you are paying the equivalent of $21.84 per ounce for the herbs. Some premier brands come in at over $1.40 for a single cigarette—a whopping $43.40 per ounce for the herbs. There are cheaper options, but the quality of the fill drops dramatically.
Ingredients
The herbs used in some herbal cigarettes can contribute to an unpleasant or harsh smoking experience. Ayurvedic herbal cigarettes can contain herbs like nutmeg, clove, tulsi (holy basil), and cinnamon. All have been shown in clinical studies to be irritating to the lungs when smoked. Herbs like “Green Tea,” which is inexpensive but not exactly a smooth and enjoyable smoke, can also be found in some brands.
Freshness
Smoking herbs should be stored at below room temperature in airtight containers. When the herbs are taken out of containers and put in a cigarette, they are no longer protected from the air or moisture. This can result in them getting stale in a relatively short period of time. Herbal smokes being stale is a common complaint from users.
Filters
Herbal cigarettes are made using standard cigarette tubes, which means they come with standard tobacco filters. These filters are made of a dense plastic called cellulose acetate and engineered to trap tobacco tar. Unfortunately, these filters catch a large amount of essential oils and resins, resulting in a dull, bland, or what is described as a papery flavored smoke when used in herbal cigarettes. To get the true flavor of a tobacco-free herbal blend, paper tips are a better option.
Expectations
When someone who has smoked tobacco cigarettes tries an herbal cigarette that looks exactly the same, they naturally compare it to tobacco. Aside from the issues previously mentioned that can affect the flavor of herbal smokes, expecting herbal cigarettes to taste and burn like tobacco can contribute to people being put off by them. In order to get the best results from an herbal cigarette, they need to be blended to produce the smoothest, highest-quality smoke from nicotine-free herbs not designed to taste like tobacco.
The Solution
RYO (roll your own) herbal cigarettes solve these issues and offer several other benefits. It is easy to do and inexpensive to get started. A rolling machine and a couple of packs of rolling papers can be purchased for around $10.
- Cost: Top-shelf herbs and herbal smoking blends can be purchased for significantly less than pre-rolled herbal cigarettes, saving money and increasing quality.
- Quality: When herbs are acquired directly, they can be examined, properly stored, and rolled as needed, preventing them from getting stale.
- Material: Stems and seeds can be cleaned out of loose herbs before they are rolled, as opposed to them being ground up into the material. If they are not a good consistency for rolling, herbs can be easily ground with an herb grinder. This can greatly improve the flavor and burn.
- Improved Burn: RYO herbal cigarettes can be rolled to suit the particular fill. Does the material burn better or more evenly when it is rolled tight, loose, or in between? Herbal blends can contain herbs of various sizes and consistencies, making them difficult to evenly pack into a cigarette. Laying them on the paper and rolling it over them solves this problem in most cases.
- Customization: RYO offers the ability to fully customize the fill, including the tip or filter. By being able to choose the herb or herbs and the percentage of them in the fill, with some experimentation, it can be adjusted to suit anyone’s personal preference. For people who may be looking to wean off tobacco and nicotine, tobacco can be added to the fill and slowly reduced over time.
- Versatility: Loose herbs are not limited to rolling papers. They can be packed into a pipe, made into a tea, etc.
Conclusion
Herbal cigarettes are a nicotine-free, additive-free alternative to smoking tobacco. Some brands are showing real signs of improvement, but issues remain. While not as convenient, RYO herbal cigarettes are an option that offers high quality and full customization at a lower cost.
Sources:
- Bak, J. H., Lee, S. M., & Lim, H. B. (2015). Safety Assessment of Mainstream Smoke of Herbal Cigarette. Toxicological Research, 31(1), 41–48.
- Khorasani, A., & Chadi, N. (2022). The tobacco-free fallacy: What paediatricians should know about herbal smoking products. Paediatrics & Child Health, 28(3), 141–144.
- Lempert, L. K. (2022). TAAT hemp cigarettes’ unsubstantiated cessation and harm reduction claims. UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education.
- Prasad, R., Ahuja, R. C., et al. (2010). A case-control study of bidi smoking and bronchogenic carcinoma. Annals of Thoracic Medicine, 5(4), 238.
- Wu, W. (2003). Assessment of tobacco-specific nitrosamines in the tobacco and mainstream smoke of Bidi cigarettes. Carcinogenesis, 25(2), 283–287.