Damiana
Damiana, also known as Turnera Diffusa, is a desert herb from South and Central America, known for its distinctive flavor and aphrodisiac effects. Native Mexicans drank sweetened Damiana tea as a relaxant, and it’s thought to be one of the original ingredients in margaritas. Today, it is used primarily for its anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, and libido-stimulating properties.
Lavender
You’re probably used to seeing lavender is soaps, teas, candles, essential oils, and potpourri, but you may not realize you can smoke it. Lavender is often used in aromatherapy for relaxation, and smoking provides a similar, calming effect. Lavender is thought to be effective in relaxing anxiety and stress, addressing sleep issues, aiding skin and hair care, providing an anti-inflammatory effect, and promoting heart health.
Lobelia
Lobelia has a long history as a nicotine replacement and has many homeopathic uses. Lobelia contains lobeline, similar to nicotine, which may be why it is effective for easing smoking cravings. It is also known as a great herbal treatment for a variety of respiratory issues, and may help relax muscles and promote blood flow.
Motherwort
Motherwort is a perennial plant that is often used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This herbal remedy may offer a whole bevy of benefits to your health. Some include helping with anxiety and panic disorder, insomnia, and heart conditions. It’s known to be anti-inflammatory and analgesic and is used to treat a variety of women’s issues.
Mugwort
Mugwort refers to several aromatic plants in the genus Artemisia. Mugworts are commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. They may provide a boost of energy, and are used to treat a wide variety of medical concerns, including digestive issues such as diarrhea and constipation, women’s issues such as irregular periods or other menstrual problems, and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Mullein
Mullein, also known as the Verbascum flower, has been used as an herbal remedy for quite some time. Though a relatively new phenomenon in North America, it has been used in traditional Austrian medicine for centuries, both as a tea and a topical. Mullein is believed to be beneficial for disorders of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, skin, veins, and locomotor system. Mullein is flavorless and produces a very light smoke, making it a great base for an herbal cigarette.
Passion Flower
The distinctive passion flower has long been used by Native Americans, traditionally made into a tea to treat insomnia, hysteria, and epilepsy. Today, passion flower shows great promise in treating generalized anxiety disorder. Passion flower stabilizes mood, promotes better sleep, controls muscle spasms, and lowers blood sugar.
Red Raspberry Leaf
Red raspberry leaf has been smoked for centuries. Historically, Native American women would smoke red raspberry leaf during certain religious rituals and ceremonies, as well as for certain health treatments.
Raspberry leaf is a fantastic alternative to tobacco that contains no nicotine but a variety of medicinal compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, ellagic acid, and vitamins A and C. It’s known to lower blood sugar, ease pain from childbirth, increase fertility, enhance collagen production in the skin, and it produces a sedative effect.
Uva Ursi
Usa-ursi, also known as Bearberry, has been smoked for centuries as part of Algonquin ceremonies. Smoking this plant is marked by a smokey flavor and stimulating effect. It is used in homeopathy to treat a variety of conditions, including urinary tract infections, contact dermatitis, and arthritis.