Whether rolled into a cigarette or enjoyed in a pipe, herbal smoke blends are therapeutic and satisfying to create. There are a plethora of herbs that are safe to smoke ceremonially, to relieve anxiety, support the lungs, induce altered states and for nicotine replacement therapy. Much like herbal teas, smoke blends can be as simple or complex as you’d like.

The ratio and herbs selected for a blend is dependent upon personal preference and specific needs. A good rule of thumb when creating a blend is to work in parts:
-Base herbs (fluffy and binding)
-Supportive herbs (tonifying, sedative, soothing etc.)
-Flavoring & bulking herbs (fragrant, astringent, cooling, tobacco-like etc.)

As you blend the selected herbs together, gently crumble them to ensure even distribution and an ideal texture for rolling.

Base herbs: Fluffy and soft when crumbled, the following will provide a solid foundation for any blend. One or more of these should make up 50% of the blend:
-Mullein
-Mugwort
-Marshmallow leaf
-Raspberry leaf
-Damiana
Be sure to crumble these herbs very well and remove any stems as you prep the blend.

Supportive herbs: Added to calm the nervous system and soothe the lungs. One or more of these can make up 25-50% of the blend:

Nervous system support
-Skullcap
-Passionflower
-Mugwort
-Valerian root
-Hops
-Catnip
-Rose
-Damiana
-Lemon balm
-Blue lotus

Lung Support
-Horehound
-Lobelia
-Mullein
-Marshmallow leaf

Flavoring Herbs: One or more can be added to make up 25% of the blend.
-Peppermint
-Spearmint
-Garden Sage
-Lavender
-Angelica
-Rose
-Damiana
-Vanilla leaf
-Thyme
-Lemon balm
-Bee balm

Bulking herbs: Astringent and tonifying, the following can be helpful for those trying break habitual tobacco use. 1-2 of these can make up 10 – 20% of the blend
-Uva Ursi a.k.a. Kinnikinnick
-Raspberry leaf
-Blackberry leaf
-Willow bark
-Skullcap
-Lobelia
-Yarrow

I hope these ratios help you create your own herbal smoke blends! To learn how to roll your own herbal cigarettes, click here.