# Quitting tobacco, safe herbs to smoke instead?



## doigle

Hi, My 3rd day into quitting. Intermittent crazies and depression and grief. I've come across a few posts saying people have smoked different legal herbs to help get over nicotine. I'm using nicotine lozenge, but still nuts. Read about lobelia and coltsfoot. Are these buyable in bulk at a health food store maybe? I don't want anything really like a drug, just something safe to smoke. Any helps, hints? And it must be something cheap and readily available. Or something I can just go out and pull out of my pasture would be cheapest. We live in South Central Wisconsin. Thanks, crazy person.


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## roadless

I substituted a straw. I looked goofy but I would inhale deeply through the straw and exhale like I was smoking.


It actually helped. I know of nothing safe to smoke or I would have done it too!
It really does get better its been a half a year or so for me.

Good Luck


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## culpeper

Don't smoke anything! If you must have something in your mouth, chew gum or suck on an all-day-sucker (boiled lolly).

Here are some herbs which will help to reduce the cravings and calm the nerves.

Drink a tea made of Lobelia, Valerian, Hops, Chamomile, Peppermint, or Scullcap to lessen the desire for nicotine and calm the nerves.

Eat a raw Carrot or an Apple whenever you crave a cigarette. Your cravings will gradually decrease in frequency and intensity. (Remember to chew slowly to allow that initial craving to pass. The intense craving lasts only about 5 minutes. If you get past that, you can then get past another 5 minutes.) 

Lick a little salt with the tip of the tongue when you feel the urge to smoke. Reputed to break the smoking habit within one month. 

Use essential oils of Grapefruit, Lavender, Marjoram or Nutmeg as aromatherapy to help cope with withdrawal symptoms.

Slippery Elm lozenges ease cravings, soothe sore throat, relieve coughing: Pour dark honey over powdered Slippery Elm bark and stir together to make a stiff paste. Roll out and cut into small squares. Roll the squares again in more Slippery Elm powder, then store in the fridge. A little grated Nutmeg or Cinnamon in the second rolling will improve the flavour. Suck on them as required.

Eat plenty of raw, shelled Sunflower seeds, especially when the craving hits.

Watercress leaves, eaten fresh or as a tea will help to dissolve nicotine when trying to quit smoking.

Chew a piece of Calamus root, or cook the root in some Apple juice and eat it when you are trying to give up smoking.

Drink a cup or two of a tea made with Bay leaves when you are trying to give up smoking to ease cravings.

Mix grated fresh Radish with 2 teaspoons of honey and drink it like juice to ease cravings for nicotine.

Around the home, use lots of lavender essential oil. Sprinkle it around, or burn it - it has marvellous relaxant properties. Stopping to smell the roses (or using rose essential oil) helps, too. 

Other hints:
Identify the times and places when you'd normally smoke, and avoid them! For instance, if you usually have a cigarette after a meal, don't - get stuck into the washing up immediately instead. Or if you smoke throughout a telephone call, while sitting down - don't. Instead, get up and move around during the call, or continually run your fingers through a bowl of potpourri. 

Take up a hobby that involves using the hands a lot - knitting, embroidery, scrap-booking, pottery. Keep your hands busy, and preferably dirty, so you CAN'T easily reach for a cigarette. Get some worry beads, even!

Acupuncture can help a lot. Or even acupressure. Whenever you feel the urge, pinch the bottom lobe of your ear for a minute or two between finger and thumb. It really does help. The left ear works best for some people, but try both. 

Remember, it isn't will-power you want. It's won't-power. Keep up the effort - and the very best of good luck with it.


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## roadless

Wow culpeper excellent suggestions!! 
And all I offered was a lousy straw!!!


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## doigle

Wow indeed, I took a nap and had a very bizarre dream. Bay leaves? Do I crush or anything or use whole leaves steeped in water? What is Calamus? And thanks for the a acupressure point. Was trying to remember what it was, but brain so foggy, I couldn't remember what it was I was trying to remember!! Somebody once told me to smoke strawberry leaves though, but don't remember much of that either. They had some medicinal property and helped when you quit smoking I think. Just wondering if anyone has tried smoking any legal free herbs and what they thought about it. Thanks for your help. Keep coming up with more fun suggestions, please. STill crazy here.


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## culpeper

To make any herbal tea which uses leaves or flowers, all you do is put the leaves, fresh or dried, into a cup, pour on boiling water, allow to steep for 10 minutes or so, strain out the leaves, and drink. This is called an infusion. 

If you're using seeds or bark or roots, put the herb into a saucepan with a cup of water, and simmer the lot for 30 minutes or so. Strain out the herb, drink the resulting 'tea'. This is called a decoction.

Amounts aren't usually critical with herbal teas. But as a guide, use 1-3 teaspoons dried herb per cup of water. You can sweeten the tea with honey if desired. 

Certain herbs require special treatment (eg some need to be taken hot, some need to be taken cold) - so always check first if you aren't sure. 

Also check for recommended dosages, which can vary herb to herb. Broadly speaking, 1 cup of herbal tea per day is a daily dose for an adult.


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## marinemomtatt

And while giving all these suggestions a try DRINK lots of Nettle Leaf (Urtica Dioica) infusion which is a great nourisher and will help one rebuild the adrenals which have been effected by the addiction. (person experience talking) This infusion is 1 oz. herb to 1 qt boiling water, allow to steep covered for at least 4 hours.


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## suzfromWi

Don't look for replacements to smoking. It doesnt work. I was a badly addicted smoker for 40 some odd years and the thing that helped me was to remember these things every time I wanted a cig. They are not your friend! They are out to kill you! The cigarette companys are deliberately keeping you addicted so they can get rich. They dont care if you die! They dont even care if they addict the young and foolish. Once I got mad, the quitting was so much easier...I am going on 5 yrs quit and the freedom is amazing. I smell good. I breathe good. I have more energy. I have more money. The cost alone is disgusting....Get mad at the tobacco comanys and show them whose boss of their own life....


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## Rick

suzfromWi said:


> Don't look for replacements to smoking. It doesnt work. I was a badly addicted smoker for 40 some odd years and the thing that helped me was to remember these things every time I wanted a cig. They are not your friend! They are out to kill you! The cigarette companys are deliberately keeping you addicted so they can get rich. They dont care if you die! They dont even care if they addict the young and foolish. Once I got mad, the quitting was so much easier...I am going on 5 yrs quit and the freedom is amazing. I smell good. I breathe good. I have more energy. I have more money. The cost alone is disgusting....Get mad at the tobacco comanys and show them whose boss of their own life....


Congratulations Suz. Stay MAD.

In the end the "HOUSE" won against my mom, but she stayed "MAD" for 16 years, after smoking for 44.


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## godsgirl

The Indians used to smoke Raspberry leaves


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## Spinner

I ate tons of tootsie roll pops when I quit. I only stayed quit for a couple months and went right back to smoking again. I guess I need to stock up on tootsie roll pops and quit again. 

Great ideas above. Did anyone suggest peppermint candy? Peppermint is said to ease the craving. I've never tried it so can't say if it works or not.


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## doigle

Still here and not smoking. Thanks for all the great suggestions and encouragement! I did try smoking raspberry leaves. But I realize that when I do that and suck nicotine lozenges I'm really just making up a substitute cigarette. I'm still feeling quite lost and strange, but getting a bit better. I helped a friend moving out of an upstairs apartment and realized I could do it without keeling over and gasping for air!!! That was quite a boost. I just hope someday I can feel normal again.


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## doigle

Oh yeah, please tell me more about nettle tea. The regular stinging nettle? We definitely have that growing round here. Are the leaves too big now or can I harvest anytime?


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## legacy

Gobs and gobs. (I like celery, anyway.)

I also ate lots of raw, fresh vegetables, like carrots and cabbage, and lots of fruit -- whatever your like.

It helped a lot in satisfying my oral craving, kept my mouth busy eating rather than smoking, and the veggies and fruit help to flush your system of nicotine and provide vitamins that make you feel good.

Good luck! I know it's hard!

P.S. -- If you can, walk as much as possible and take deep breaths through your nose. It will help calm you and make you and make you feel physically good, too,


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