| Many people all over the world are now hooked on a | | | | worries and tensions. Damiana and ginseng are |
| new trend - herbal smoking, also known as legal bud | | | | reputed aphrodisiacs. |
| smoking. Legal bud smoking involves inhaling the fumes | | | | American manufacturers procure these herbs from |
| of several herbs, after lighting them, either through | | | | the Hawaiian Islands or Mexico, where the herbs are |
| specialized pipes, chillums or just by rolling them in | | | | grown in secret plantations. There is a huge market in |
| cigarette paper. | | | | America for smokers of legal buds. Some claim that it |
| A wide variety of these herbs have been branded as | | | | gives the same high as smoking pure marijuana, but |
| legal buds. These herbs are those which have been | | | | this is a misconception. Most of these herbs do provide |
| used for centuries in shamanic potions and traditional | | | | 'highs', but they are very short-lived. |
| tribal teas. Herbal smokes are prepared by blending | | | | Herbal smoke is inhaled through pipes or chillums. |
| two or more of these herbs in varying proportions. | | | | Native Indians just roll the mixture in a betel leaf. Some |
| Most popular herbs used are salvia divinorum, hops, | | | | people use cigarette paper for rolling the mixture. |
| chamomile, damiana, ginseng, kava kava, wild dagga, | | | | The general perception is that herbal smoking is not as |
| passion flower, star of Bethlehem, skullcap, Artemisia | | | | harmful as tobacco-smoking. Herbal cigarettes do not |
| vulgaris, scotch broom tops, betel nut powder and | | | | contain tobacco, and hence no nicotine. Some |
| many more. Some manufacturers also call them | | | | manufacturers even claim that these herbal blends do |
| marijuana alternatives. These blends also contain | | | | not affect children in any adverse manner. However, |
| powders of the mugwort, in order to hold the mixture | | | | health experts have a different point of view. Burning |
| together. | | | | leaves release tar, which clogs the lungs over a period |
| Many of these ingredients, like the Ayurveda and | | | | of time. Herbal mixtures may not be as addictive as |
| Persian, are well-known for their medicinal properties | | | | tobacco, but they do create a craving and a desire to |
| and even used in medicinal branches. Some of them | | | | smoke them repeatedly. The only proven effect of |
| are secretly grown. The salvia divinorum has been | | | | herbal smoke is its numbing effect of the nervous |
| used for hundreds of years by the shamans of the | | | | system, but health activists still hold herbal smoke in |
| Aztec civilization for its healing properties. The skullcap | | | | contempt. |
| is another herb which supposedly relieves a person of | | | | |