Best Herbs to Smoke for Anxiety (15+ List)

This is an extensive list of the best herbs to smoke for anxiety. Our blog will describe each herb and explain how it can help with anxiety. Readers will also learn whether herbal cigarettes are truly a healthier alternative for tobacco.

What are the Best Herbs to Smoke for Anxiety?

Here is a quick list of the best herbs to smoke if you’re struggling with anxiety:

• Clove
• Mint
• Peppermint
• Basil
• Tea
• Uva-Ursi
• Mugwort
• Chamomile
• Cannabis
• Arnica
• Mullein
• Skullcap
• Coltsfoot
• Sage
• Ginger Root
• Lemon Balm

Is Smoking Herbs Healthier Than Smoking Cigarettes?

Smoking herbs is a safer and healthier alternative to tobacco. It allows smokers the same oral gratification while delivering healing compounds to the throat and lungs. Moreover,  it does not contain any harmful or addictive compounds, like nicotine. 

Smoking natural herbs can help to lessen the urge to smoke tobacco cigarettes. Thus, it can be a great option to wean off of cigarettes. Treating illnesses might also be facilitated by smoking herbs. 

However, there are a thousand other chemicals that go along with nicotine that cause harm when smoking. Even if smoking herbs do not involve tobacco, any organic matter when smoked, releases black tar. Black tar is very harmful for the lungs. 

The smoke released from these contains carcinogens equivalent to or in excess of those of tobacco products. Herbs when smoked delivers significant amounts of carbon monoxide, and ultra-fine particulate matter to the lungs.

Herbs You Can Smoke When Feeling Anxious

Herbal remedies for anxiety are a growing trend for both professionals and the masses. One of the ways of using herbs as adaptogens is to smoke them. Researchers have investigated the effects of smoking herbs containing cannabinoids. However, there are a lot more herbs that can serve this purpose.

Below, we have described some of the best ones:

Clove

Cloves are full of antioxidants. These compounds help the body to fight free radicals, which damage cells and can lead to disease. By removing free radicals from the system, the antioxidants can help reduce the risks of developing heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Clove cigarettes, known as “kretek” is an onomatopoeic term for the crackling sound of burning cloves. Clove essential oil has stimulating properties that help in easing anxiety, stress and reduce fatigue. A soothing clove oil massage can calm you down and lift up your energy.

Mint

Mint is a calming herb that people have used for thousands of years. Because of its cool effect, it has also been widely used in tropical countries to relax and rejuvenate. 

Some research suggests that the aroma of mint may reduce feelings of frustration, anxiety, and fatigue. Others have shown that inhaling its scent soothes anxiety in people who have been hospitalized for serious procedures. Menthol, present in mint is a harmless substance. When smoked, it leaves behind a cooling effect in the throat.

Peppermint

This herb is a cross between two types of mints: water mint and spearmint. Peppermint has compounds that relax the tissues in the gastrointestinal tracts. It is a popular traditional remedy for a number of conditions and is believed to have calming effects.

The active ingredient in peppermint is menthol. Studies show it can lessen the pain of migraine headaches. It may also reduce light sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting.These are extremely common physiological symptoms of anxiety. Pleasant-smelling peppermint may increase the success rates of smokers trying to quit.

Basil

Basil has compounds that can help to alleviate anxiety and depression and increase the ability to think clearly. It is known to lower the risk for age-related memory loss. Essential oils in basil can help to fight inflammation in the body. 

All parts of the holy basil plant act as an adaptogen. An adaptogen is a natural substance that helps your body adapt to stress and promotes mental balance. Basil leaves are one of the best ways to quit smoking as smoking cigarettes after consuming basil burns the throat.

Tea

Tea reduces the risk of heart disease. It can potentially improve the blood flow around the body, by widening key arteries and reducing the risk of clots. Tea also contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which may slow down the onset and risk of heart disease.

Some teas can soothe stress and anxiety. One of the key reasons tea is so beneficial for health is due to L-Theanine, which helps to balance mood. Tea’s beneficial compounds could possibly be absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream through the lungs, than through the stomach.

Uva-Ursi

Uva ursi is used primarily for urinary tract disorders, including infections, swelling, increased or painful urination, etc. You can also make your skin flawless and blemish-free with Uva Ursi. 

Its infection-fighting properties come from several of the plant’s natural chemicals, including arbutin and hydroquinone. Thus, it lends itself to helping fight infection by reducing inflammation. Used in smoking mixtures, the leaves would be dried and smoked by themselves or mixed with tobacco or other herbs.

Mugwort

People take mugwort root as a tonic to boost energy. The rest of the plant can be used for stomach and intestinal conditions including constipation, cramps, worm infestations, and vomiting. Mugwort is also used to stimulate gastric juice and bile secretion.

In combination with other ingredients, mugwort root is used for mental problems. It can help with ongoing fatigue and depression, general irritability, and restlessness. If you are having trouble sleeping or anxiety, mugwort can help. In traditional Asian medicine, they are burned to release energy from the body.

Chamomile

Chamomile can help with conditions, like diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, anxiety, and insomnia. When used on the skin, it might soothe skin irritation and heal wounds. Some research has documented that it may be as effective as hydrocortisone cream for eczema.

This daisy-like flower is synonymous with calm, making chamomile among the most well-known stress-soothing ingredients. Studies have found that long-term use of chamomile significantly reduced moderate-to-severe symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Adding chamomile to your herbal smoke blend is a fantastic way to relax at night.

Cannabis

Cannabis is also known as marijuana among other names. It is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used primarily for medical and recreational purposes. If your anxiety stems from mental health issues, cannabis can offer relief. Smoking cannabis is one of the oldest drug habits in human history

There is adequate information supporting the mental health benefits of cannabis. It can reduce stress, depression, PTSD and mood swings. Cannabis can also reduce headaches and migraines or even help in fighting brain tumours.

Arnica

Arnica is most commonly used for pain caused by osteoarthritis, sore throat, surgery, and other conditions. It is also used for bleeding, bruising, swelling after surgery, and other conditions. However, it may be unsafe when taken by mouth.

Arnica is a crucial ingredient in homoeopathy. There are some studies showing that homoeopathy may work for anxiety. Native Americans used to smoke arnica, which led to one of its nicknames – mountain tobacco. Swiss mountain guides were said to chew its leaves while climbing and the herb was believed to prevent fatigue.

Mullein

Mullein is a plant whose flower is used to make medicine. Used for coughs, tuberculosis, bronchitis, hoarseness, pneumonia, colds, etc., it is quite an old remedy. Mullein is medicinal for the lungs, even when it is smoked. It soothes inflamed or infected lungs and prevents coughing

Animal and human research suggest that mullein works by reducing inflammation, thereby helping relax the muscles in your respiratory tract. The flowers and leaves of this plant are adaptogenic and help to lower cortisol levels in the body. This, in turn, helps reduce stress.

Skullcap

Skullcap is used for trouble sleeping, anxiety, stroke, and paralysis caused by stroke. It is also used for fever, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, rabies, epilepsy, nervous tension, allergies, skin infections, inflammation, and spasms.

American skullcap positively impacts mood and reduces anxiety by stimulating GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps calm nerves. Notably, this plant was used in traditional medicine practices as a sedative and treatment for conditions like insomnia and anxiety. Skullcap has a mild calming effect when smoked and has a mild, neutral flavour.

Coltsfoot

Coltsfoot or Tussilago farfara is a flower in the daisy family that has long been cultivated for its medicinal properties. Used as a herbal tea, it is said to treat respiratory infections, sore throats, gout, flu, and fever. 

Some research suggests that coltsfoot could help protect brain health. By protecting nerve cells, it can prevent tissue death in the brain and reduce inflammation. Coltsfoot is said to have a neutral flavour. It is thought to help soothe the throat and respiratory tract when smoked.

Sage

Sage is a staple herb in various cuisines around the world. It belongs to the mint family, alongside other herbs like oregano, and thyme. It has been used traditionally throughout the world as a remedy for the treatment of many common ailments. Some of them are asthma, angina, mouth and throat inflammations, and depression.

Some research suggests that sage contains compounds that could help ease insomnia. Considered safe with no reported side effects, it can be burned and smoked to remove negative energy.

Ginger Root

Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice. It is a very common ingredient in recipes. Moreover, it is loaded with antioxidants, compounds that prevent stress and damage to your body’s DNA. 

Animal studies have also indicated that ginger can influence serotonin levels. This may help treat and reduce anxiety as successfully as benzodiazepine drugs. Apart from reducing stress, indigestion, cough and cold, smoking ginger root can help to reduce cravings for cigarettes.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm or Melissa officinalis is a lemon-scented herb that comes from the same family as mint. It is said to soothe symptoms of stress, help you to relax, and boost your mood. Studies have found that taking lemon balm eases the negative mood effects of psychological stress. 

People have also reported an increased sense of calmness and reduced feelings of alertness vis-a-vis lemon balm. This herb is a medium smoke, with a fairly neutral flavour. A high level of anxiety can be addressed by smoking lemon balm.

Conclusion

This was an extensive list of the best herbs to smoke for anxiety. Our blog described each herb and explained how it can help with anxiety. Readers also learned whether herbal cigarettes are truly a healthier alternative for tobacco.

The herbs mentioned here were Clove, Mint, Peppermint, Basil, Tea, Uva-Ursi, Mugwort, Chamomile, Cannabis, Arnica, Mullein, Skullcap, Coltsfoot, Sage, Ginger Root, and Lemon Balm.

FAQs (Best Herbs to Smoke for Anxiety)

Citations

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0887618503000574