There are few pleasures in life that we get to partake in, and what sucks about many of them is they're bad for you, such as tobacco cigarettes. That's why, when I tried hemp cigarettes, I was instantly amazed at how smooth the smoke was and how little side effects there were the next day.
With a tobacco cigarette, between all the additives and the harsh smoke, I ended up quitting a few times just due to the poor health it was causing in me. I only started again because I enjoy smoking. But the hemp alternative opened a new door -- smoking a cigarette doesn't have to be so harmful!
Hemp Cigarettes' Secret Ingredient
The main ingredient that gives you a buzz in a hemp cigarette isn't nicotine, of course, it's something called a cannabinoid, of which there are over 60 in hemp. Hemp isn't marijuana, that is, it doesn't contain the high levels of THC that get you intoxicated. But cannabinoids, otherwise known as CBD, do still give you a buzz that is often said to be comparable to the strength of nicotine. But what's more is that there are no additives in hemp cigarettes, at least there shouldn't be, and the best ones are happy to tout that as a selling point.
What's more is that there are actually beneficial effects of CBD. Between easing pain, calming your nerves and promoting a general sense of well-being, it's crazy to me that tobacco was pushed so hard for so long when something so much better for society was right there all along.
Tobacco Bad, Hemp Good
In Mad Men, the first episode of the series features a sales pitch by the main protagonist, Donald Draper, to Lucky Strike, who was dealing with the blowback of bad press after scientific studies showed that tobacco cigarettes caused cancer. The pitch ultimately came down to telling consumers that Lucky Strike was "flavorful", while all other cigarettes were harmful. A great advertising ploy, but ultimately terrible for the American consumer.
The problem with this pitch is that I rarely feel that tobacco cigarettes are flavorful. To be honest, they barely have a taste, especially after smoking so much that your taste buds are destroyed. It's a lot different with hemp cigarettes. I can actually taste them when I smoke them, and they don't stink up the place because the smell of weed tends to dissipate a lot quicker than tobacco smoke. Plus, in the end, I don't have the same throat and lung side effects the next morning.
Your First Smokable Hemp
If you try a hemp cigarette even once, especially as a replacement for tobacco, I can pretty much guarantee you'll want to try them again. It's worth buying a pack to try them out for a week, especially since they are usually cheaper than regular cigarettes.
The brand I started smoking first is called Virginia Heritage Smokes, and they currently have three kinds. I've tried all three, but I'm mostly into their Chopper Smokes, which is wrapped in hemp paper. Virginia heritage hemp cigarettes are probably the best I've tried thus far and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a tobacco alternative!
