{"id":190,"date":"2024-01-15T16:40:03","date_gmt":"2024-01-15T16:40:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/?p=190"},"modified":"2024-01-15T16:40:04","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T16:40:04","slug":"how-to-make-your-own-nicotine-free-smoking-mixes-epictactical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/?p=190","title":{"rendered":"HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN NICOTINE-FREE SMOKING MIXES \u2013 EpicTactical"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By Christopher Nyerges<\/p>\n

[Nyerges is the author of \u201cGuide to Wild Foods,\u201d \u201cForaging California,\u201d \u201cHow to Survive Anywhere,\u201d \u201cSelf-Sufficient Home,\u201d and other books. He leads regular survival and wild food walks. He can be reached at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com<\/a>, or Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041.]<\/em><\/p>\n

For the most part, I am not a smoker.\u00a0 Clearly, smoking tobacco isn\u2019t good for you! The real culprit in commercial cigarettes are the chemicals added to the tobacco and paper, things such as moisturizers, flavors, things to keep the cigarette burning, etc. etc.\u00a0 There are anywhere from 70 to 250 such chemicals, depending on who you believe.\u00a0 If the tobacco companies had to list all the ingredients on the label, there\u2019d be no room on cigarette containers.<\/p>\n

Growing and smoking your own tobacco, either that you grow or wild tobacco, is still not good, but it\u2019s less bad.<\/p>\n

Here in the West, there is a widespread introduced species of tobacco commonly known as Indian tobacco (Nicotiana glauca) or tree tobacco (it can grow up to 25 feet tall). (In fact, there are wild tobaccos throughout North America.)\u00a0 We allow it to grow out back because its yellow tubular flowers attract hummingbirds.\u00a0 This plant would kill you if you ate it, but it can be dried and smoked.\u00a0 It is far more potent than commercially grown tobaccos, and in general I would not recommend driving your car and smoking this plant at the same time.\u00a0 If the bureaucratic do-gooders ever outlawed tobacco, there\u2019d still be no shortage of wild tobaccos around the country.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

All that said, though I have smoked tobaccos in the past (commercial and wild), today I prefer to make my own non-nicotine smoking mixes for those times when I sit out back and think about important things.<\/p>\n

My blend varies from season to season, depending on what wild leaves I have picked and dried.<\/p>\n

I usually begin with dried manzanita leaves (Arcostaphylos sps.), which were used by American Indians of the Southwest in their smoking blends.\u00a0 This smokes very well, though there is little taste or flavor.\u00a0 The most commonly known variety is the kinnikinnik, or Arcostaphylos uva-ursi, which is not a bush or tree like the other manzanitas but is a trailing vine.\u00a0 Regardless which variety I use, I let them air dry, and then crush them into small pieces. The manzanita leaves are all somewhat tough and leathery so it will be necessary to break them into small bits so they can smoke.\u00a0 I have heard that the flavor of this particular leaf is improved a bit if it is aged, and if it is allowed to slightly ferment, in much the same way that one might age certain tobaccos.\u00a0 However, I\u00a0 have never taken the time to experiment with this, since the dried and crumbled leaves smoke quite well.<\/p>\n

The blend will typically have some dried peppermint and\/or white sage (Salvia apiana). This gives a sweet flavor to the smoke, somewhat like menthol in cigarettes.\u00a0 Any of the sages and mints would do \u2014 even those growing in your garden.\u00a0 This should be no more than 1\/5 of your blend.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is a European medicinal herb of the Mint Family that can now be found throughout most of North America and the world. It has a long history of use for treating coughs and sore throats when used as a hot tea or candy.\u00a0 I learned that it can also be blended into your smoking mixes and there still may be some good effect from the horehound, even if you smoke it.\u00a0 It is a true mint, after all, and it smokes well, though it doesn\u2019t add that menthol-like quality to your smoking mix as do the other mints.<\/p>\n

I sometimes add dried and pulverized willow bark (Salix sps.), usually red or arroyo willow.\u00a0 This adds a pleasant flavor, and was apparently used in traditional American Indian smoking blends.\u00a0 A tea from the willow bark has effects similar to aspirin, and can be drunk or applied to wounds to relieve pain.\u00a0 In fact, the original aspirin came from the inner back of willows, which contains salicin.\u00a0 We have heard some folks say that smoking the willow bark in their mixes also provides some pain-relieving qualities.\u00a0 That\u2019s not been my experience, but you can try it and see what you experience.<\/p>\n

I often add the dried leaves of mullein.\u00a0 Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is now a common weed in the U.S. though it\u2019s a European native.\u00a0 Of the many virtues of mullein, it is good in a tea for breathing problems, even asthma.\u00a0 Interestingly, mullein has long been smoked to improve the breathing passages.\u00a0 If you\u2019re going to smoke, you really ought to include mullein in your mix.\u00a0 The large leaves of mullein have the texture of flannel.\u00a0 I generally pick leaves from the first year growth.\u00a0 Mullein lives for two years, and in the second year it sends up a tall flower spike and produces smaller leaves. \u00a0Mullein is common throughout the country in fields and along streams.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0 usually add a little bit of mugwort to my mix \u2014 no more than about 1\/5 of the mix \u2014 since it produces a very pleasant aroma when burned.\u00a0 Mugwort (Artemisia sps.) is found along streams and the dried leaves, rolled into a cigar shape, were used by early Native American in Southern California as punks for transporting coals.\u00a0 When I collect mugwort for smoking, I typically just collect the leaves from the lower stalk of the plant that have dried on the plant. \u00a0On the other hand, if I am collecting the leaves for their medicinal values, I would collect the leaves green, clean them, and then dry them for storage.<\/p>\n

There are other herbs that I sometimes add in various amounts.\u00a0 I like the leaves of passionflower (Passiflora sps.), a somewhat common vining plants throughout much of the west, the south, Europe, Mexico, and even the Hawaiian islands.\u00a0 The leaves have a sweet odor and don\u2019t seem to irritate the throat or mouth.\u00a0 Medicinally, the tea from passionflower is drunk in cases of insomnia or nervousness.\u00a0 The flowers are used medicinally also, but I usually only smoke the leaves.<\/p>\n

I also add a small amount of Damiana leaves to the blend which I buy from the health food store.\u00a0 This is a plant which supposedly grows in the wild in northern Mexico and the Southwest, though I do not encounter it often. \u00a0It makes a delicious tea, and a very pleasant smoke.\u00a0 Damiana leaves were also smoked by the ancient Aztecs.\u00a0 I have long enjoyed the fragrance of the damiana tea, and it does create a pleasant aroma when smoked.<\/p>\n

When I have it, I add a few pulverized pieces of sweetgrass braids to the smoking blend.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon sps.)\u00a0 is a common southwestern herb found in dry and desert-like places.\u00a0 It is very fragrant, and usually sticky.\u00a0 There are several varieties, and all have a history of being used as a tea for breathing and bronchial problems.\u00a0 It is sometimes added to smoking mixes for its fragrance, and apparently because some folks believe that the beneficial effects on the lungs and bronchial tract still carryover when you smoke it.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, you\u2019ll notice that many of the herbs I have listed are frequently used as the primary remedy for coughs, sore throats, asthmatic conditions, etc.\u00a0 At the very least, there is the presumption that by smoking herbs that are generally beneficial to the throat and lungs, that you will be somewhat counteracting the harmful effects of the smoke.\u00a0 Whether this has any real scientific basis is uncertain.<\/p>\n

Coltsfoot is an herb commonly found along roadside ditches and wet areas in the eastern parts of the United States.\u00a0 It is a two year plant, and the large first year leaves are the ones typically gathered for smoking.\u00a0 Coltsfoot has been used as a smoke for at least a few centuries, and there is the belief that smoking it can actually be somewhat good for a sore throat.<\/p>\n

You can make your own blends and determine what you like.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t smoke a lot \u2013 I might sit out back maybe once a month or so and smoke my hand-made elder pipe.\u00a0 I\u2019m not addicted to it, like the\u00a0 person who can\u2019t stop chain smoking commercial cigarettes.\u00a0 I simply likes to smoke occasionally, at special times, while thinking about a particular subject.<\/p>\n

I am quick to reiterate that I am neither encouraging nor endorsing smoking of any sort.\u00a0 I certainly do not advocate the use of regular commercial tobacco, since its use is related to a host of diseases. But perhaps the use of wild nicotine-free herbs can help you cut down on the harmful tobacco.\u00a0\u00a0 If you do choose to smoke, moderation is the key.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re one of those people who simply isn\u2019t going to go out and collect your own herbs, then try the Store at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com<\/a> or send $12. to School of Self-Reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

COMPARISON OF COMMON NON-NICOTINE SMOKING HERBS <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Availability in wild<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0How prepared <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Flavor **<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Harsh-ness<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aroma **<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

How used medicinally *<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coltsfoot<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Common in wet areas in Eastern U.S.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the first year leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild, bland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mildly sweet<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tea for bronchial problems<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Damiana<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Uncertain<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Good, \u201cherbal\u201d<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Very pleasant, like incense<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Horehound<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Very common<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tea for coughs, sore throats<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mint(s)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Common in wild and gardens<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild, sweet<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many uses.\u00a0 Good tea for digestion.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Manzanita<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread in west and southwest<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mugwort<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread along streams<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sagey<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium to harsh<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sweet, like incense<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many uses<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mullein<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread in fields<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the first year leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mild<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Used as tea for asthma and breathing problems<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Passionflower leaf<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread vine in west and south<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sweet; has been compared to marijuana<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Used as tea; natural sedative<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sage(s)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread in gardens and in wild<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sweet, adds a menthol quality<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sweet, sagey, like incense<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many uses<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yerba santa<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread throughout the west<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the leaves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Somewhat sweet, \u201cmedicinal\u201d<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium to harsh<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fragrant smoke<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Used as tea for coughs, breathing problems<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Willow<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widespread along streams worldwide<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dry the young bark, shred it.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bland, not noticeable<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medium<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bland<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Used as tea for pain-reliever<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

*\u00a0 For medicinal uses of herbs, see any of the books by herbalist Michael Moore.<\/p>\n

** In general, Bland flavor and aroma indicates that there is no strongly identifiable flavor or odor, and that the herb blends well with other smoking herbs.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

MAKE YOUR OWN BLENDS TO YOUR OWN LIKING<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

PHOTOS<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

SMOKE-01: Angelo enjoys an herbal smoke.<\/p>\n

SMOKE-02:\u00a0 first year mullein rosette<\/p>\n

SMOKE-03: Kinnikinnick,\u00a0 the original Indian smoke.\u00a0 PHOTO BY ALGIE AU<\/p>\n

SMOKE-04:\u00a0 Coltsfoot leaves, photographed in Virginia.\u00a0 PHOTO BY HELEN NYERGES<\/p>\n

SMOKE-05:\u00a0 Christopher collecting coltsfoot leaves. PHOTO BY HELEN NYERGES<\/p>\n

SMOKE-06\u00a0 Peeling the bark from a willow branch<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Christopher Nyerges [Nyerges is the author of \u201cGuide to Wild Foods,\u201d \u201cForaging California,\u201d \u201cHow to Survive Anywhere,\u201d \u201cSelf-Sufficient Home,\u201d and other books. He leads regular survival and wild food walks. He can be reached at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com, or Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041.] For the most part, I am not a smoker.\u00a0 Clearly, smoking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-190","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-survival"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=190"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":192,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190\/revisions\/192"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/knifevoyager.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}