Smoking catnip – does that really work? Have you always wondered what this mysterious herb catnip is all about? Catnip is famously known for getting cats excited. They cannot get enough of it and roll around in it, purring.
Could catnip trigger a similar effect in humans? Can you smoke catnip? What is catnip, and why would anyone smoke it? Here you will find everything you need to know about catnip and its herbal character.
Is Smoking Catnip Legal? What You Should Watch For
Is smoking catnip legal? Yes. Unlike cannabis, the plant contains no hallucinogens. However, you should make sure you are smoking the right plant. Catnip is called Nepeta cataria.
In pet shops, you can sometimes buy so-called “catnip” – but you should not roll that into your cigarette. It may contain many additives and other plant parts that are not suitable for humans.
Nepeta cataria is not an illegal plant. Accordingly, there are also no scientific studies that could provide a limit value for catnip dosage. There is also no reliable information about possible long-term effects of smoking catnip.
For that reason, no precise statements can be made about side effects from catnip. So is smoking catnip dangerous? That has not been clarified beyond doubt. It is legal in any case.
Is smoking catnip addictive? If you smoke catnip for the first time, you probably will not feel very much. It is often described as having a calming, mood-lifting character, although that does not necessarily last long. It is therefore not known, and not likely, that catnip is addictive.
Side effects from smoking catnip are not known. If you are unlucky, you may feel a little nauseous after use. Developing a catnip addiction is considered unlikely. Is smoking catnip healthy? Not really. Any smoke you draw into your lungs is unhealthy for the body.
Catnip also blooms beautifully in your own garden
Which Part of Catnip Can You Smoke, and What Is the Best Way?
How do you smoke catnip properly? Is there even anything you can do wrong? Smoking dried catnip is definitely the best idea. People have smoked catnip for many centuries. Both the leaves and flowers are used and dried as a tobacco substitute.
Herbal blends with catnip are becoming more and more popular. Especially if you want to move away from cigarettes and are looking for a way to separate your ritual from nicotine, smokable herbal blends can be one option. You can also brew the leaves and flowers of catnip as tea. Catnip oil is also traditionally associated with soothing properties.
Traditional associations around catnip:
- relaxing
- euphoric
- comforting
- cramp-relieving
- traditionally used in heart-related folk remedies
- may increase libido
- traditionally used for colds because of its antibacterial effect
- may ease nervousness
- traditionally used for toothache
- supports digestion
- traditionally used to reduce fever
No experience smoking catnip yet? There is no special catnip-smoking manual. You can simply buy the plant’s seeds from a specialist retailer and plant them. With its blue-violet color, it also looks good as a perennial in your own garden.
Catnip grows quickly and is relatively easy to care for. You can then dry the leaves and flowers and brew them as tea, process them into oil, or smoke them.
Smoke Catnip Pure or Mix It?
Smoking catnip pure is possible, but it is often used as one herb among several in herbal blends. By the way, you can also eat catnip. The leaves taste slightly sweet, similar to real mint. Some people like using them in salads, for example.
You can buy dried catnip for smoking in many herb shops and definitely online too, for example through Amazon. As mentioned, make sure you are smoking pure catnip and not the mixture intended for cats. That often contains additional ingredients.
You can also buy herbal blends used as a tobacco substitute that contain catnip. At Real Leaf you can purchase herbal blends of all kinds. Buying catnip for smoking is absolutely possible. Growing catnip yourself is also a good option.
Both the leaves and flowers of catnip can be dried and smoked
Why Do Cats Like Catnip So Much?
If so many qualities are associated with catnip, what exactly does it do to cats? Anyone who has a cat knows that simply smelling the plant is often enough to make the cat seem euphoric.
Cats like rubbing themselves in dried catnip and licking toys that contain it. In fact, the plant’s aromatic compounds are what especially help nervous cats calm down.
Nepeta cataria contains the active compounds nepetalactone and actinidine. The former is a pheromone actually produced by the plant to keep insects away. Actinidine, on the other hand, serves to deter birds and arthropods. For this reason, catnip is also popular in home gardens: it simply keeps pests away.
By the way, not every cat reacts to catnip. In fact, some cats remain completely unimpressed. Unfortunately, no one knows exactly why.
Most cats, however, respond with a sense of wellbeing. No wonder many people are curious about the plant for themselves.
Cats love catnip
You Can Smoke These Plants Too
Smokable herbal blends usually contain selected herbs, each with its own special profile. You can read our top 15 herbs as tobacco substitutes here. They include, for example:
- Damiana
- Green tea
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- Marshmallow
Damiana is traditionally associated with aphrodisiac qualities, while chamomile and lavender are associated with relaxation and sleep. Many herbs also work as a tobacco substitute in a joint. If you enjoy the taste of smoking herbal blends, it can fit naturally into a tobacco-free switch. Step by step, nicotine-containing tobacco can leave the ritual.
If you want to know more about moving away from tobacco cigarettes, simply read our tips on the subject.
