Wondering if there are any advantages of smoking hemp vs tobacco? As a matter of fact, there are tons! Learn all about the differences and advantages of smoking hemp versus tobacco in our in-depth guide.
Take a trip through the documented history of smoking and you may be surprised to find that people have been smoking in some way or fashion since around 5,000 BC. Mayan priests, shamanistic ritual leaders, ancient Babylonians, and Greek historians were all smoking something.
From the Assyrians lacing incense with cannabis resin to cure “poison of the limbs” to native priests seeking connection to higher entities with tobacco (and possibly hallucinogens), smoking has a colorful past for sure. But, over the many years since mankind discovered that inhaling the smoke of certain plants could be pleasurable, smoking has grown to be not just common, but socially acceptable in most parts of the world.
Hemp and tobacco have both been used as smokable plants for similar spans of time. Nevertheless, hemp dropped out for a while under unfair regulatory circumstances and its natural plant genus (Cannabis Sativa). Thankfully, those days of hemp hanging out in the shadows and being pegged as something bad are the past. Thus, the smoking hemp vs tobacco debate is naturally on the rise, and interested parties no doubt have questions.
At TIMBR Organics, obviously, we’re gonna be on Team Hemp, but in order to provide a thorough, unbiased discussion on this important subject, we’ve pulled together a fair, science-backed, and in-depth comparison of two popular smokable plants.
Let’s dive right in.
Hemp vs Tobacco: The Differences Compared
Tobacco is from the Nicotiana species of plants and actually part of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. The plant is considered to be native to several continents across the planet, including parts of the Americas, Australia, and Africa. Throughout history, tobacco has been a well-known trade product due to its natural nicotine content. Nicotine is actually a potent stimulant alkaloid, which can be desirable but also makes tobacco highly addictive.
Hemp is from the Cannabis Sativa species of plants and part of the Cannabaceae family. According to documented history, hemp is native to the central Asian parts of the world, but some species may have grown natively in other parts of the world as well. Throughout history, hemp has been used for a litany of purposes, including as an industrial product because the fibers of the plant can be so strong. However, hemp is also well-documented for its potential therapeutic properties.
Advantages of Smoking Hemp vs Tobacco
Both hemp and tobacco can offer enjoyable effects when smoked. Tobacco can deliver a slight pleasurable feeling mostly due to the nicotine which can be explained as a slight stimulant. Hemp is known to induce a calm, more focused state overall due to the cannabinoids. However, when you delve deeper into the advantages of smoking hemp instead of tobacco, things get far more intriguing.
Hemp is Rich in Cannabinoids and Terpenes
You see, tobacco is limited to merely the delivery of nicotine and a few noteworthy terpenes. Hemp, on the other hand, is an incredibly diverse plant. The cannabinoids in hemp are not stimulants; they are phytocannabinoids much like something the human body produces on its own: endocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids in hemp interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is a series of receptors that play a role in things like sleep, metabolism, and immune system response.
Phytocannabinoids like CBD (cannabidiol) and CBG (cannabigerol) are often considered therapeutic by nature, and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the only psychoactive compound in hemp. But the fractional amounts are so low in hemp that undesirable “high” feelings are not an issue. Cannabinoids have been determined to yield a number of potential benefits because of how they affect the body. For example, CBD has been shown to offer:
- Anxiolytic properties to potentially help with anxiety or stress or sleep
- Antioxidant properties to potentially support muscle recovery
- Anti-inflammatory properties to help ease pain
- Neuroprotective properties to support the brain
- Antibacterial properties to benefit the skin
In addition to cannabinoids, hemp is also packed with a diverse variety of terpenes like myrcene, humulene, and caryophyllene, each offering a unique array of therapeutic properties. Combined with multiple cannabinoids, full spectrum hemp products can offer an enhanced effect known as the entourage effect.
Hemp Does Not Contain Nicotine
Nicotine is labeled as a psychoactive component. The alkaloid affects the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain. But, even more alarming, nicotine is considered to be one of the most addictive agents on the planet. When you smoke cigarettes that contain nicotine, the alkaloid affects the brain’s reward system in a way that causes you to crave more. As soon as the effects of the nicotine wear away, you will find yourself reaching for another tobacco cigarette because your mind and body crave it.
Hemp, on the other hand, does not contain nicotine. Even more notably, hemp is not known to be addictive at all. Some research has even been done to determine if cannabinoids like CBD could be an effective way to help people dealing with withdrawal effects from using other substances, including nicotine. You could smoke a hemp cigarette, enjoy the effects, and go on with your life without experiencing withdrawal if you don’t smoke again.
Hemp Offers an Alternative to Tobacco
While smoking any substance is adherently harmful to the body, smoking hemp offers smokers an alternative to traditional cigarettes that helps users avoid the harmful health effects of tobacco and nicotine.
The Dangers of Smoking Tobacco/Nicotine
Smoking tobacco has been linked to so many health concerns. The World Health Organization once claimed that smoking tobacco is the leading cause of preventable disease and death. One of the biggest problems with smoking tobacco is the nicotine is so addictive, smokers simply always crave more. What may start as a few tobacco cigarettes a day to enjoy the desirable effects can quickly lead to smoking a pack, two packs, or more of cigarettes every day. And it can be exceptionally difficult to stop smoking once you are addicted to the nicotine. Unfortunately, tobacco smoke is said to contain over 7,000 chemicals, many of which are added during the growing process. These chemicals are one of the biggest reasons smoking tobacco is so readily recognized as a cause of lung cancer.
So, is smoking hemp bad? Smoking, in general, can bring along some risks to the respiratory system. However, smoking hemp pales in comparison to smoking tobacco in several ways. In one particular review of research focused on smoking cannabis and tobacco, scientists noted that the cannabinoids in hemp have been shown to counteract many types of cancerous cells. It was further stated that nicotine seems to heighten the carcinogenic effects of tobacco smoke. Yet, certain cannabinoids in hemp seem to offer some levels of protection against what little carcinogens created when cannabis is burned.
The Many Enjoyable Ways to Smoke Hemp
Part of the allure of smoking has always been all the diverse ways a person can smoke a plant. Hemp can be smoked in a number of ways, much like tobacco. And, each smoking method has its own perks.
Hemp Flower
Hemp flower is simply cured hemp that you can either roll into a joint, drop in a pipe, or otherwise burn in order to inhale the cannabinoids. Dried hemp delivers that familiar cannabis-smoking experience, which can be desirable for some experienced smokers. A lot of people like the freedom that hemp flower offers; you can really play around with methodology and even create your own custom smoking blends. For example, you could pick up a few strains of TIMBR Organics Hemp Flower and mix and match some cuts of each to build a unique experience.
Hemp Pre-Rolls or Hemp Joints
Hemp pre-rolls are essentially already rolled joints or blunts filled with a healthy amount of hemp flower. Pre-rolls are convenient; they’re ready to go straight from the container. And, the larger size gives you enough smokable hemp to pass around or just hit periodically over the course of a few days. While the sizes of hemp pre-rolls can vary depending on the supplier, standard pre-rolls like our Hemp Pre-Rolls will contain about 1 gram of hemp.
Hemp Cigarettes
If you’re ready to drop tobacco cigarettes and take advantage of CBD vs nicotine, hemp cigarettes can be a really welcome sight. Just like tobacco cigs, hemp smokes are narrow, filtered cigarettes that usually come in packs. At TIMBR Organics, our Hemp Cigarettes contain 20 smokes per pack and are available in two options: CBD cigarettes and CBG cigarettes.
You don’t always know how much nicotine you get with a tobacco cigarette, but our hemp cigarettes give you zero nicotine and 50mg or more of cannabinoids per smoke.
What to Consider When Shopping for Smokeable Hemp Products
An appreciable hemp-smoking experience has everything to do with the quality of the product you pick. The new legality of hemp has really breathed life into the market, so many new companies are stepping up with new products. However, not every smokable hemp you find is going to yield a prime experience. Plus, when it comes to cannabis vs tobacco plants, cannabis plants like hemp can be a bit more diverse with a lot of factors affecting overall quality. To make sure you get the highest quality, look for certain attributes as you shop.
Strain information
Steer clear of no-strain generic hemp. Just as it is when smoking cannabis, the specific strain can have everything to do with the overall experience. The best companies are going to give you clear and specific strain information. Knowing the strain, you know more about what you can expect from the experience and the flavor/aromatic profile. For example, if you opt for a Suver Haze Hemp Flower, you’ll experience a more robust flavor and a slight uptick in energy levels.
Hemp source and quality
Find out where the hemp is from, where it is grown, and how much attention is given to quality growing and harvesting. Plants in the cannabis family are notorious for yielding differently according to factors like sunlight, age at harvest, and more. Companies who know their delivering a high-quality product have no qualms about telling you where their hemp came from. By the way, TIMBR Organics smokable hemp is grown right here in the U.S. in states like Oregon and California, carefully cultivated at the peak of perfection, and always high-quality.
Third-party lab tests
Third-party lab tests are just as important (if not more important) with smokable hemp as any other hemp-based product. Lab tests tell you cannabinoid content, terpene content, and if contaminants are present. When tests are done by an unaffiliated third-party, you can rest assured that what is advertised is what you’re going to get.
At TIMBR Organics, all of our top-shelf hemp products are third-party lab-tested for potency and purity. Check out our latest lab reports here: https://timbrorganics.com/lab-reports/
THC content
Even though the laws state that marketable hemp can only contain 0.3 percent THC or less, you have to keep in mind that cannabis is legal in some states. Therefore, you could come across smokable hemp or smokable CBD that has more than 0.3 percent THC. Make sure that the supplier you are considering buying from is clearly indicating how much THC is in their hemp.
Cannabinoid content
Cannabinoid content is a big deal, even beyond looking for THC content. One of the first things to look for is CBD content. This information is oftentimes given on a product’s label, but you should definitely see the cannabinoid yield in lab reports. Keep in mind, some hemp strains can be higher in CBD than others, and some strains are specifically bred to contain higher levels of other cannabinoids, such as CBG or CBN.
A Smoke-Free Alternative: Hemp Vapes
If you prefer a smoke-free alternative to inhaling cannabinoids and terpenes, hemp vapes are something to consider.
Vapes are designed to heat the product to a specific temperature to release the vapors.
While you can find quite a few CBD vaping products, such as CBD vape oils to add to your own vaping device, a lot of people prefer disposable vape pens. Vape pens are prefilled with a precisely measured amount of hemp-based vaping oil, so there’s no mess or fuss and the pens are super portable.
For example, TIMBR Organics Hemp Disposable Vapes have a sleek, portable design, and yield about 150 puffs each.
If you’re looking to learn more about vaping CBD oil, check out this article: “A Beginner’s Guide to Vaping CBD Oil”
Smoking Hemp vs Tobacco: Discover the Difference, Feel the Difference
More and more people are rediscovering hemp smoking, many are enjoying the advantages, and some are even dropping their tobacco cigarettes in exchange for hemp.
If you are ready to try smoking hemp for yourself, take a look at our lineup of high-quality smokable hemp at TIMBR Organics.
We offer a wide selection of products like hemp cigarettes, hemp pre-rolls, and hemp flower in a variety of different strains including Special Sauce, Lifter, Sour Space Candy, Hawaiian Haze, and more. Or–if smoking isn’t necessarily your thing, and you’d rather opt to vape hemp instead–check out our line of top-rated hemp vapes (available in popular strains like Fire OG and Jack Herer).
No matter what type of hemp experience you’re looking for, you’ll find it here at TIMBR Organics–the leader in hemp vapes and smokable hemp products.
This article is not intended to serve as a substitute for advice or consultation from a certified doctor or health professional. Before trying CBD or hemp flower products, it is strongly advised to conduct your own research and consult with a licensed doctor. While the World Health Organization considers cannabidiol to be “generally well tolerated with a good safely profile,” more research is needed to properly evaluate the safety and efficacy of CBD for general use.
TIMBR Organics products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Thank you for checking out our latest guide! I know it was a long read, but we hope that it provided you with valuable insights and helped to answer any questions you might’ve had about smoking hemp vs smoking tobacco.
If there are any other questions about this subject, or perhaps any comments or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a message in the comments below and please be sure to share this article with anyone in need!
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