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