Legal herbs...an idiot's guide (hopefully)

[stickstones]

We've got some new companies taking the legal herbs seriously (not just using them as a cover up) and it has really got me wanting to try it out. But I know nothing and have some questions/concerns given my ignorance.

I get the dried herbs...they work like mj but you have different vaporization temps. But what about these oils and concentrates? Can I just buy a bottle of mint oil and vape it, or do I have to get stuff made just for vaping? I saw a mister in the store the other day using cheap oils, but that was just to make the room smell nice. I am clueless about base tinctures like glycerin, etc, and don't know if anything out there could be dangerous for this application.

I know we have some good threads for people who know what they are doing...I am hoping this thread can spell out some of the basics from you experts. Thanks!

 

[satyrday]

We've got some new companies taking the legal herbs seriously (not just using them as a cover up) and it has really got me wanting to try it out. But I know nothing and have some questions/concerns given my ignorance.

I get the dried herbs...they work like mj but you have different vaporization temps. But what about these oils and concentrates? Can I just buy a bottle of mint oil and vape it, or do I have to get stuff made just for vaping? I saw a mister in the store the other day using cheap oils, but that was just to make the room smell nice. I am clueless about base tinctures like glycerin, etc, and don't know if anything out there could be dangerous for this application.

I know we have some good threads for people who know what they are doing...I am hoping this thread can spell out some of the basics from you experts. Thanks!

A lot of oils used for aromatherapy are mixed with jojoba oil, which makes them very difficult to vape. You can boil them and get a little vapor, but it's minimal. I suspect that's true for a lot of non-adulterated oils too. Glycerin tinctures can be vaped with the right equipment, and in fact many e-cigarette juices have glycerin as a base.

 

[Enchantre]

I would be very, very, very careful with essential oils... you can develop a serious allergy FAST, as they are way beyond the natural strength.

That said, you can put a drop (as in, ONE) of a pure essential oil, in a vegetable glycerin base (about a tablespoon, at least), and vape that. If you choose a strong flavor, like one of the mint family, you will seriously taste that. Gentler herbs like lavender, chamomile, or st john's wort, won't overwhelm you, but you will know you've had them.

My preference is just making tea with herbs... I've vaped a bit of herbal tea to try it, but it's not my favorite.

 

[Tweek]

If you are ok with drinking a horrible tasting tea, you can try for Kratom. A cup of strong tea can seriously mellow you out...just don't overdo it.

 

[stickstones]

what about vaping dry herbs, then. are you guys vaping lavender, mint and the like?

 

[satyrday]

If you are ok with drinking a horrible tasting tea, you can try for Kratom. A cup of strong tea can seriously mellow you out...just don't overdo it.

I love the taste! (and the effect, but I've been there and back with the like and have largely gotten it out of my system)

 

[Tweek]

what about vaping dry herbs, then. are you guys vaping lavender, mint and the like?

I sometimes add mint to my herb and it's enjoyable. Another thing I have experimented with in the past, is burning frankincense resin...I find it very relaxing, especially in conjunction with a vaping session.

I love the taste! (and the effect, but I've been there and back with the like and have largely gotten it out of my system)

Bleh!

 

[satyrday]

what about vaping dry herbs, then. are you guys vaping lavender, mint and the like?

I once lived in a city and a country where I was not connected. I tried about every legal substitute for the Real McCoy imaginable, plus a lot of other airy fairy herbs and spices. Mainly they just gave me a headache. I had found a shop that specialized in such herbal alternatives and eventually after becoming a known customer they clued me into their special treats behind the counter (stuff definitely not legal there or here). That was when I broadened my horizons beyond the old familiar herb ... although through them I eventually had access to that too via their highly active yet innocent looking 'Hemp Seed Oil'.

 

[z9]

Are you seeking flavor, effect, both? I'd stick to vaping herbs as opposed to vaping essential oils.

Chamomile is great! It tastes really good and has a nice mellow, relaxing effect. Most herbs synergize well with other herbs. Admittedly I don't have much experience with them but I have tried a few, my most noteable experiences were from chamomile and blue lotus; both of which taste great.

Most essential oils have a disclaimer that warns against inhalation of their oil. I wouldn't want to inhale vapor from an essential oil that I didn't make, but that's just me. I don't trust others to make a safe extract for my consumption. If you're just going for flavor then look at nicotine free e juice. I've considered trying clove oil glad I didn't as I'm sure it'd put me on my ass and from things I've read its rather unhealthy. You know what its like if you've smoked a clove cigarette.

 

[stickstones]

i'm looking for effect...eucalyptus for colds, etc.

can I vape mint leaves from a tea bag?

we've got companies coming in like davinci and vaporblunt that are starting to sell herbal remedies in a tincture. are their tinctures different than oils off the shelf? are they using a special glycerin type medium so we can vape it, and if so, can that be gotten elsewhere?

 

[z9]

Yes you can vape herbs in tea bags.

The disclaimers that I've seen might just be to cover said company's ass. I've seen the herbal blends sold by various companies but haven't seen the tinctures. The LSV website has a lot of herbal blends and individual herbs for a good price, I would probably start there.

USP vegetable glycerin is safe for vaporizing, but there's no way to know if that is what the producer used, unless its stated. Other types of glycerin aren't as pure, they're fine for the typical method of ingestion, but not for vaporizing. I wouldn't worry as much if I ordered a tincture from a reputable company that makes vapes since they know what their clientele does with herbs.

 

[stickstones]

thanks z9. so I should stay away from the essential oils that get used in diffusers? or can I use those in a tincture with glycerin, etc?

 

[HillaryClinton]

This is very interesting to me since I have a cabinet full of all kind of teas...wondering how they would taste through a vaporizer now...anyone know any good sites that say whats safe and whats not possibly? Probably gonna throw some mint tea in it for sure, that sounds refreshing honestly.

 

[Enchantre]

I would be surprised if any herb that's safe for tea wouldn't also be safe to vape... though, some can be a bit much in large amounts. I'd, at least, stick to a small amount (1 teabag worth) at a time, and see what happens.

 

[HillaryClinton]

So do I just wet the tea to stick it together? Since the Vapolution I am getting only does chunks? Will try this when I get it.

 

[stickstones]

don't wet anything you want to vape. you might be able to roll some leaves up into a pellet. or, if you are going to mix it in the bowl with mj, you could start with a small mj pellet, followed by some mint, then another small mj pellet.

 

[HillaryClinton]

I see, lets say I just want to use just tea leafs, can I throw it in a zip lock baggy with an orange peel(adds moisture without exactly wetting things, thats if I cant roll them totally dry). Thanks, might have mad a mistake there....

I will probably just experiment a bit, sounds like it could become a fun hobby, if I get good results I will for sure make a thread about different teas and such if anyones interested.

 

[stickstones]

yeah...your pioneering the legal herb use with the VAP2!

 

[visionaries]

Small warning: I work with pounds of essential oils every day, as part of my job. Be extremely careful with trying to vaporize them...there is definitely benefit to some herbs and I could see how vaping them would be beneficial to your health, but essential oils are incredibly powerful extracts and some of could even kill you if you were to drink them..
It definitely makes more sense to use the full herbs and not an oil extract..

Peppermint leaf vaporized sounds great! Peppermint tea is a go-to anytime I am sick, nauseous or have an upset stomach.
Holy Basil would probably be an incredible herb to vaporize, as it is very relaxing and calming. (just found a thread on here by another member who mentioned vaping it
Lemon balm would be awesome too..these are all great medicinal herbs.

I haven't researched much on vaporizing other herbs, so I am going to start looking into it for myself..I bet putting a medicinal herb in a vaporizer would be excellent.

Edit: So Looking more into Holy Basil, an herb I am highly interested in, I found this:
"David Winston, herbalist

In my clinical practice I use holy basil to enhance cerebral circulation and memory. It is used in ayurvedic medicine to relieve “mental fog” caused by chronic cannabis smoking. It can be combined with other cerebral stimulants such as rosemary, bacopa, and ginkgo to help people with menopausal cloudy thinking, poor memory, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to speed up recovery from head trauma."
link: http://www.holy-basil.com/6865.html

I have taken it as capsule form before and now I definitely want to try vaporizing it soon. Can't wait to hear some input from other people on this

 

[Davinci_vaporizer]

Please do not try to vape straight essential oils like the ones found in the isle at whole foods, it is very dangerous. These herbs really need to be synthesized down and have a glycerol base added to them in order to be vapeable.

I have a full sheet of dry herbs and symptoms that it cures, I'll see if I can find it for you guys. Teas are fine to vape as long as they do not have any additives.

Another company that offers these oils, oddly enough is Atmos...never tried any of theirs, but they look interesting nonetheless.

 

[Mr. Gweilo 420]

I once lived in a city and a country where I was not connected. I tried about every legal substitute for the Real McCoy imaginable, plus a lot of other airy fairy herbs and spices. Mainly they just gave me a headache. I had found a shop that specialized in such herbal alternatives and eventually after becoming a known customer they clued me into their special treats behind the counter (stuff definitely not legal there or here). That was when I broadened my horizons beyond the old familiar herb ... although through them I eventually had access to that too via their highly active yet innocent looking 'Hemp Seed Oil'.

Hey Satyrday - nice post and very interesting. I was wondering if there was any chance you could elaborate on the hemp seed oil you mentioned. I'm keenly searching for something that may slip between the cracks in terms of legality

 

[satyrday]

Hey Satyrday - nice post and very interesting. I was wondering if there was any chance you could elaborate on the hemp seed oil you mentioned. I'm keenly searching for something that may slip between the cracks in terms of legality

Hemp seed oil is very common in health food stores, but (almost) never psychoactive. However, the oil in this shop was kept behind the counter and not available to every customer. It was highly psychoactive. I used to pour it on bread and eat it. A delicious treat!

Even if I gave you the name of the shop, which I wouldn't do in an open forum and not that you're asking anyway, I'm sure they wouldn't ship the good stuff and may not even have it anymore (this was a few years ago). However, you never know what you might come across yourself locally! Maybe some of the good stuff in a back alley shop you discover (although this shop was on a fairly major street, very much the "Haight St" of this city).

 

[Mr. Gweilo 420]

Wow!! How is that for a quick answer. Thanks Satyrday.

Yes that is kind of what I thought you were talking about. Obviously there is a very big difference when comparing regular off the shelf Hemp Oil to the kind most of us would want.

I do love the idea of finding some other legal herbs to vape though. Sometimes I find I want to vape more but not neccessarily get higher. Thanks again man

 

[Pcpvapors]

Aromed has a whole list of herbs and temperatures for each. I've been using chamomile daily, and sage when I'm feeling plugged up. I have also used green tea which is nice but must be dosed in consideration because of the caffeine, it's weird to be energetic but feel like a wet noodle because of all the muscle relaxant compounds. Now I've been reading some interesting reports that salvia nemorosa may work as a CBD replacement, HOWEVER I cannot say for certain as I have not tried it. Some reports are conflicting on the plant however the main method of ingestion seemed to be chewing the plant. It was noted that the resin glands are similar to cannabis so vaporization would really be the way to go for an accurate effect. I have tried lemon balm and its relaxing, I've tried valerian root with no effect. I will be trying nemorosa once it's time for harvest (one of those you have to grow to get). There's supposedly a strain of skullcap that grows outwest that has been described to be like very high quality buds.

 

[stickstones]

pcp...are you vaping oils or the leaves? And where do you get them?

DV, thanks. that was the most important thing I was trying to determine...are the oils on the shelf usable to us.