Science
The Cannabis Mixologist – Instead of Tobacco, Try Mixing These Herbs with Your Weed
Instead of Tobacco, use these herbs instead to mix with your cannabis (Mostly for Europeans)
When you live in a land where cannabis is common, cheap and highly accessible – mixing it with tobacco is akin to sinning. However, if you’re from places like Europe, where cannabis is significantly more expensive, or hashish reigns supreme – mixing tobacco with cannabis is common practice.
Now don’t get me wrong, when I used to smoke tobacco – I eventually learned to appreciate the blend. However, as a non-smoker these days, having to be forced to smoke tobacco because weed is too expensive sucks.
Furthermore, with a bit of creativity you can whip up your own herbal blends that will even affect your high in different ways. You can create new canna-herbal blends that will help stretch your weed but also reduce all the risks associated with nicotine.
While some of the herbs on this list is meant for vaping as opposed to smoking, you can experiment at home to make your own herbal blend that sends you to the moon and back.
Let’s get “herby!”
Kratom for some Psychedelic type vibes
While I wouldn’t abuse this first candidate, it’s definitely something worth exploring at one point. Kratom is often used as a supplement for pain killers and can be addictive if you use it in high quantities. However, most users don’t experience negative side effects and when used in moderation can alleviate a lot of pain.
What happens when you mix cannabis with Kratom? You get an almost narcotic feeling, where you’ll feel think heaviness overtake you. If you’re suffering from chronic pain however, this blend might exactly be what you’re looking for.
If you’re going to be vaping, you’re going to want to shoot for a temperature setting of 175ºC – 200ºC.
Lavender and Mint
Mix these two together at a ratio of 50% cannabis, 25% lavender and 25% mint for a smooth, relaxing smoke that taste nice. When smoking these three herbs together, you’ll find that the high is far more relaxing, less paranoia and more good times.
If it’s your first time smoking other herbs, add in only about 25% supplemental herbs.
Marihuanilla and Passion Flower
This one I’m quoting directly from Zamnesia;
A subtle blend of marihuanilla, passionflower, and cannabis is another mix that’s recently become popular. It has a smooth and sweet flavour but it doesn’t overwhelm the taste of the cannabis, and the high differs from using weed alone.
The high is described as higher energy and more lucid. It makes sense considering that passionflower is often used with other psychedelics to strengthen and prolong their effects. Some people choose to exclude the passionflower and use just the marihuanilla and cannabis mixture as a tobacco replacement.
The preferred temperature to vape passionflower is 150-160°C, and for marihuanilla it’s 150-175°C. – Source
Chamomile Tea (and other teas)
If you’re a European you should have plenty of access to a wide range of teas. Chamomile is a perfect herb to substitute tobacco. Not only is it cheap and easily locatable, it doesn’t contain any addictive substances which means you won’t be “hooked on chamomile”.
More importantly, it doesn’t have too much of an impact on the cannabis itself. It simply serves as a “bed” for you to lay your cannabis on, which will allow you to stretch your weed far.
Blue Lotus
If you’re looking to significantly increase your Euphoria, get your hands on some blue lotus. While the taste might be a little on the bitter side, the side effects is definitely worth it. This is something that you’d want to mix with your herb even if you don’t need to.
If you want to experience trippy, near psychedelic vibes while smoking plain old weed- adding some Blue Lotus is definitely one of the smarter things you can do.
Damiana
If you’re in the space for “doing shit”, this is the additive you want. Where Blue Lotus will make you trip harder, Damiana will give you energy. This is something that those with artistic talents should try at least once. It’s long been associated with stimulating creativity, and we know weed does the same!
The big problem with this herb is that it’s a bit on the “Peppery” side. Some people might not get used to the flavor or the intensity of the smoke. For that, trying something like Chamomile or another tea would work.
But isn’t smoking this stuff dangerous?
You don’t seem to have a problem with combusting herbs and inhaling the smoke when you’re smoking weed, these herbs I have listed have been smoked for thousands of years. The fact of the matter is that there are plenty of people who smoke herbs like cloves and don’t ever touch cannabis.
Ashwagandha
I didn’t know too much about this, but fortunately Herb.co had something on this particular plant;
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic root. An adaptogen is a medicinal herb that helps your body react to stress.This root has been used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and is growing in popularity in the West. Some studies have shown that Ashwagandha has anti-anxiety and antidepressant properties. The herb was pitted against anti-anxiety medication lorazepam (Ativan) and antidepressant imipramine (Tofranil) in an animal trial. The research found that Ashwagandha exhibited anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects that are comparable to both drugs. This lead the study authors to conclude that Ashwagandha has potential as a mood stabilizer. Traditionally, the herb has been used to fight fatigue, lack of energy, and difficulties with concentration. – Source
Become an Herb Mixologist!
Right now, we haven’t ever had the opportunity to smoke weed in a “bar setting”, but this will change over the coming years. The fact of the matter is that even if you don’t “need” to particularly mix any herb with cannabis, learning how to do it is probably a smart thing.
I can see sometime in the future people will be ordering special “blends” which could contain a mix of these herbs. Perhaps something like 60% cannabis, 10% Blue Lotus, 10% Damiana, and 20% Lavender could be called a “Lazy Jimmy” or something of the sorts.
You see where I’m going with this? There is a huge potential market for special herbal blends especially now that cannabis can be used as a “base herb”.
Are there any special blends that you are fond of? Why not let me know in the comments!
As cannabis legalization expands across the United States, conversations continue to evolve about how increased access affects public health. A growing body of research now suggests that cannabis dispensaries may have a broader impact on community behavior than previously understood. Beyond simply providing regulated access to cannabis products, these retailers may influence patterns of alcohol use, particularly among adults who live nearby. Recent findings shed light on how shifts in cannabis policy can influence drinking habits and potentially contribute to healthier lifestyle outcomes.
Adults who reside in close proximity to licensed cannabis dispensaries are less likely to engage in binge drinking, according to data published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Oregon State University researchers assessed the relationship between local retail cannabis access and adults’ use of marijuana and alcohol over eight years.
They reported that proximity to cannabis retailers was associated with increased cannabis use by adults, but not by minors. They also reported that cannabis access was inversely associated with heavy alcohol use by young adults (those ages 21 to 24 years old) and seniors (those ages 65 and older).
“Consistent with substitution, … older adults and young adults showed access-related decreases in binge drinking,” the study’s authors reported.
They added: “Frequent or high-volume alcohol use causes myriad acute and lifelong health risks to drinkers and those around them. Therefore, a relative reduction in older and young adults’ high-risk drinking may be a net positive effect of shifting cannabis policies.”
The study’s conclusions are consistent with data published earlier this year, finding that many adults reduce their alcohol intake following the opening of state-licensed marijuana dispensaries.
These findings contribute to an increasingly nuanced picture of how cannabis dispensaries function within communities. Rather than promoting increased substance misuse, the presence of licensed cannabis retailers may encourage some adults to substitute cannabis for alcohol a shift that could potentially reduce the health risks associated with heavy drinking. While cannabis is not without its own considerations, regulated access may provide adults with an alternative that poses fewer long-term harms compared with chronic alcohol use.
As more states adopt regulated cannabis frameworks, researchers will continue exploring how these changes affect public health, safety, and substance use trends. For now, evidence suggests that cannabis dispensaries may play a surprising role in reducing harmful alcohol consumption among local adult populations. This research offers valuable insight for policymakers, health professionals, and communities navigating the evolving landscape of cannabis legalization.
New Mexico regulators fined a cannabis operator nearly $300,000 and revoked its license after the company allegedly created fake reports in the state’s traceability software.
The New Mexico Cannabis Control Division (CCD) accused marijuana manufacturer and retailer Golden Roots of 11 violations, according to Albuquerque Business First.
Golden Roots operates the The Cannabis Revolution Dispensary.
The majority of the violations are related to the Albuquerque company’s improper use of BioTrack, which has been New Mexico’s track-and-trace vendor since 2015.
The CCD alleges Golden Roots reported marijuana production only two months after it had received its vertically integrated license, according to Albuquerque Business First.
Because cannabis takes longer than two months to be cultivated, the CCD was suspicious of the report.
After inspecting the company’s premises, the CCD alleged Golden Roots reported cultivation, transportation and sales in BioTrack but wasn’t able to provide officers who inspected the site evidence that the operator was cultivating cannabis.
In April, the CCD revoked Golden Roots’ license and issued a $10,000 fine, according to the news outlet.
The company requested a hearing, which the regulator scheduled for Sept. 1.
At the hearing, the CCD testified that the company’s dried-cannabis weights in BioTrack were suspicious because they didn’t seem to accurately reflect how much weight marijuana loses as it dries.
Company employees also poorly accounted for why they were making adjustments in the system of up to 24 pounds of cannabis, making comments such as “bad” or “mistake” in the software, Albuquerque Business First reported.
Golden Roots was fined $298,972.05 – the amount regulators allege the company made selling products that weren’t properly accounted for in BioTrack.
The CCD has been cracking down on cannabis operators accused of selling products procured from out-of-state or not grown legally:
- Regulators alleged in August that Albuquerque dispensary Sawmill Sweet Leaf sold out-of-state products and didn’t have a license for extraction.
- Paradise Exotics Distro lost its license in July after regulators alleged the company sold products made in California.
Golden Roots was the first alleged rulebreaker in New Mexico to be asked to pay a large fine.
Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/new-mexico-cannabis-operator-fined-loses-license-for-alleged-biotrack-fraud/
Four marijuana companies, including a multistate operator, have filed a lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in which they allege the federal MJ prohibition under the Controlled Substances Act is no longer constitutional.
According to the complaint, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, retailer Canna Provisions, Treevit delivery service CEO Gyasi Sellers, cultivator Wiseacre Farm and MSO Verano Holdings Corp. are all harmed by “the federal government’s unconstitutional ban on cultivating, manufacturing, distributing, or possessing intrastate marijuana.”
Verano is headquartered in Chicago but has operations in Massachusetts; the other three operators are based in Massachusetts.
The lawsuit seeks a ruling that the “Controlled Substances Act is unconstitutional as applied to the intrastate cultivation, manufacture, possession, and distribution of marijuana pursuant to state law.”
The companies want the case to go before the U.S. Supreme Court.
They hired prominent law firm Boies Schiller Flexner to represent them.
The New York-based firm’s principal is David Boies, whose former clients include Microsoft, former presidential candidate Al Gore and Elizabeth Holmes’ disgraced startup Theranos.
Similar challenges to the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) have failed.
One such challenge led to a landmark Supreme Court decision in 2005.
In Gonzalez vs. Raich, the highest court in the United States ruled in a 6-3 decision that the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution gave Congress the power to outlaw marijuana federally, even though state laws allow the cultivation and sale of cannabis.
In the 18 years since that ruling, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult-use marijuana and the federal government has allowed a multibillion-dollar cannabis industry to thrive.
Since both Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice, currently headed by Garland, have declined to intervene in state-licensed marijuana markets, the key facts that led to the Supreme Court’s 2005 ruling “no longer apply,” Boies said in a statement Thursday.
“The Supreme Court has since made clear that the federal government lacks the authority to regulate purely intrastate commerce,” Boies said.
“Moreover, the facts on which those precedents are based are no longer true.”
Verano President Darren Weiss said in a statement the company is “prepared to bring this case all the way to the Supreme Court in order to align federal law with how Congress has acted for years.”
While the Biden administration’s push to reschedule marijuana would help solve marijuana operators’ federal tax woes, neither rescheduling nor modest Congressional reforms such as the SAFER Banking Act “solve the fundamental issue,” Weiss added.
“The application of the CSA to lawful state-run cannabis business is an unconstitutional overreach on state sovereignty that has led to decades of harm, failed businesses, lost jobs, and unsafe working conditions.”
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