The amazing results of using Herbal cigarettes

Although smoking herbs for healing and preventative purposes has been practiced in many different cultures for thousands of years, the scope of scientific research on smoking herbs is relatively limited.

This is apparently due to the scientific community's supposed lack of economic or intellectual interest in such a study.

Several researchers have however made the effort to express their view on this subject and to examine aspects related to the safety, toxins release, and beneficial active substances associated with smoking herbal cigarettes.

Jong Ho Bak, Seung Min Lee, and Heung Bin Lim, Safety Assessment of Mainstream Smoke of Herbal Cigarette, Toxicol Res. 2015

What was the Objective of the Study?

In this study, that was conducted in Korea, the researchers sought to assess the safety of herbal cigarettes and the various substances emitted while smoking them in comparison to regular cigarettes.

The researchers used cigarettes made from the Artemisia spp. herb and scrutinized the smoke with specially designated equipment.

One of the interesting points presented by the researchers is that only 3%-5% of smokers are successful in quitting their smoking habit.

The researchers point out that such a low rate of success is due to nicotine's strong influence over the body and the body's powerful addiction to this substance.

The researchers indicate that there is growing Korean awareness of solutions that assist nicotine detoxification processes and that herbal cigarettes are therefore a source of great interest.

Smoke generated by herbal cigarettes contains a lower level of tar (the main substance emitted from cigarette smoke) and carbon-dioxide (CO) than regular cigarettes, although not markedly so.

By contrast, herbal cigarette smoke contains absolutely no nicotine!

The number of amino aromatic substances (toxic substances emitted from cigarette smoke) in herbal cigarette smoke was significantly lower than that in the smoke of regular cigarettes.

The level of other substances, mostly toxic, emitted in regular cigarette smoke, such as benzopyrones, phenolic compounds, and nitrosamines was lower in herbal cigarette smoke.

So, what's better – Herbal Cigarettes or Regular Tobacco?

The researchers conclude that herbal cigarettes contain a similar number of toxins to that found in regular tobacco cigarettes, although at a lower level.

However, the absence of nicotine in the herbal cigarette's smoke certainly makes it a good auxiliary tool in transforming the process of quitting nicotine an easier one.

Aiyin Chen, Stanton Glantz, and Elisa Tong. Asian herbal‐tobacco cigarettes: “not medicine but less harmful”? Tob Control. 2007

A Study of Articles on the Use of Smokable Herbs

This broad study focused on an examination of articles and other works on the topic of herbal cigarettes and their scientific credibility.

23 different products were analyzed – originating from China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, and Taiwan.

Most studies on these herbal blends, usually conducted by the manufacturer, indicated results similar to those of the Korean study: a complete absence of nicotine in herbal cigarettes and the presence of toxins at a significantly lower level than that of regular cigarettes.

The manufacturing companies issued different statements regarding the herbal cigarettes such as: that they soothe coughing, alleviate asthma, throat irritation, bronchial conditions, and other respiratory problems, help lower blood pressure, alleviate liver and gall bladder problems, and contain beneficial anti-oxidants.

The study however failed to find valid scientific support for these statements.

Quit Smoking Using Herbal Blends

Cheong YS. The Efficacy of Herbal Cigarettes (Kumyeoncho) and Nicotine Patches in Smoking Cessation. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 2003

This study attempted to check the degree of influence of Korean-manufactured herbal cigarettes in helping smokers to quit their habit.

The cigarettes were given to 100 smokers from whom data was gathered throughout the period during which they abstained from smoking their regular cigarettes.

After one month, more than 50% of them reported that they had succeeded in refraining from smoking.

After 2 months, this figure had dropped to approximately 40% and after 3 months, to about 30%.

The researcher determined that smoking herbal cigarettes is definitely beneficial and assists in quitting smoking.

Abdolali Mohagheghzadeh et al. Review: Medicinal smokes. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 108 (2006)

This study was conducted at Teheran University by a team of researchers who expressed great interest in the curative power of smoke.

The researchers gathered data on 256 herbs used in 50 countries, and from which smoke was produced as a curative substance in a variety of ways, including smoking them directly.

The researchers concluded that smoking such medicinal plants has significant potential as a means of using them to produce active and important substances of medical value.