HERB - Tobaccoless smoking

[Walter J. Wakefield]

Mullein has commonly been used for smoking, so much so that one of its
common names is rabbit tobacco.  And it is good for the lungs and helps
relieve congestion.  Also coltsfoot is good for smoking and helps clear
and strengthen the lungs.  This is even period - Gerard's Herball
recommends dried coltsfoot put onto a coal and the fume inhaled through a
funnel.  Some herb stores even sell a ready-rolled coltsfoot cigarette,
though they are a bit pricey.  I have been told that both mullein and
coltsfoot are hard to keep lighted, so a pipe might work better than
rolling cigarettes.  Also, some people think coltsfoot smells somewhat
like marijuana, so from this standpoint the ready-rolls might be a good
idea.

Fennel is reputed to reduce the craving for tobacco.  And chewing on a
licorice stick (piece of dried licorice root, not the candy) satisfies an
oral craving and, so I am told, makes cigarettes taste so nasty you don't
want one for a while.  Licorice can elevate the blood pressure, so if
there is a problem with that, it might best be avoided.

Some other herbs that are good for the lungs and might be smokeable would
include grindelia, hyssop, red clover, sage, Solomon's seal (finely
ground, since it is a root), yerba santa.  I have no idea how these burn
or how they taste.  Some clove or peppermint added to the mix might
improve the flavor, and cloves are slightly sedative.  I thought I had a
recipe for a smoking mix from my mis-spent youth, but I can't find it....
 If you come up with a good mix, let us know.

Suzanna, the herbalist, Barony of the Steppes, Kingdom of Ansteorra
(Dallas, TX)

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