The traditional cigarettes with tobacco and nicotine have dominated for decades, but in recent years many consumers are turning to herbal mixtures as an alternative. Herbal blends, such as Heald Herbal Blends, consist of selected herbs enriched with natural terpenes, without any tobacco or nicotine. Let's take a closer look at how these two products compare in terms of health, user experience, environmental impact and chemical composition.

Herbal blends like Heald's “Chill” (pictured) combine organic and wild herbs with natural terpenes, offering an aromatic, nicotine-free smoking experience. The dried flowers and leaves yield a rich aroma, being a natural alternative to cigarettes.

Tobacco Effects on Health

Conventional cigarettes are known to seriously harm health. Their tobacco contains over 7,000 chemicals, of which at least 250 are toxic and 70 are proven carcinogens. Nicotine, their main active ingredient, causes intense dependence – increases dopamine levels leading to a “rewarding” feeling, which makes smoking particularly difficult to quit. In addition, burning tobacco produces tar, carbon monoxide, and other toxic agents that contribute to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, COPD, and a host of other health problems.

On the other hand, the herbal mixtures do not contain tobacco or nicotine. This means that they do not cause physical dependence associated with nicotine and do not carry the specific toxic compounds of tobacco. In fact, some herbs traditionally used in such mixtures – such as lobelia (Lobelia, also known as “Indian Tobacco”) or passionflower – contain alkaloids, which they mimic the action of nicotine filling the nicotinic receptors and thus reducing the strong desire to smoke.

This can "trick" the body into reducing withdrawal symptoms, but without creating a new addiction. Indeed, Heald's blends contain herbs and terpenes in their blends that block nicotine receptors, helping to quit smoking more painlessly. In the next article, we will precisely analyze the steps to stop smoking with detailed instructions.

In addition, many of the herbs used have beneficial properties. For example, herbs such as chamomile, lavender, valerian and hops are known for relaxing and their anxiolytic effects, while others such as rosemary, mint or sage may have stimulants and decongestant actions. Studies show that herbs have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, also helping to reduce anxiety and stress. This means that a herbal mixture can provide positive wellness effects beyond the enjoyment of smoking.

However, it should be noted that no form of smoke is completely harmless. Burning any plant matter – even if it doesn't contain tobacco or chemicals – produces tar and carbon monoxide, which when inhaled damage the lungs. In other words, the fact that a herbal cigarette does not contain nicotine does not mean that we can smoke it fearlessly without any danger. Smoking and generally burning any material irritates the respiratory system and is harmful to health.

The big difference in herbal mixtures is that the 7000 highly addictive toxic chemicals of industrial tobacco and cigarettes are absent and therefore the overall burden may be less. 

In any case, herbal mixtures can be one intermediate step for someone who wants to quit smoking, or replace it with something that is non-addictive and chemically infused, offering the sensation of smoke without nicotine and with a milder effect on the body.

Smoking is harmful, but once one chooses to smoke, the question is this… "Would one rather be exposed to and inhaling burning chemical waste and poisons, or natural, chemical-free burning twigs and leaves?"

Heald always chooses nature!

Experience of Use and Tasting Pleasure

The experience of smoking a traditional cigarette differs significantly from that of an herbal blend. Cigarettes offer the familiar taste of smoke and the immediate "hit" of nicotine, which many smokers describe as stimulating and relaxing at the same time. Nicotine overstimulates the central nervous system, while the thousands of chemicals and poisons depress the body and induce sedation. 

The taste of conventional cigarettes is relatively monotonous (tobacco/tobacco blend with traces of additional flavors if any) and the odor of smoke tends to be intense and unpleasant for those around. Additionally, cigarette smoking often leaves a bitter aftertaste and strong odor on clothes and hands, something many would like to avoid.

In contrast, herbal mixtures offer a completely different taste and smell experience. Thanks to terpenes and herbs, they come in a multitude of scents and flavors, from fruity and sweet notes up to earthy or cool. For example, the Heald Herbal Blends range includes four distinct flavors with their own “character”: Super Lemon offers sensation energy and euphoria, Raspberry & Lime (Focus) enhances the concentration, Tart Strawberry & Blueberry (Chill) leads to relaxation, while Sweet Mango (Dream) evokes deep relaxation and promotes sleepiness by helping to maintain deep sleep so you wake up refreshed. Each mix yields one different scent during combustion – e.g. lemon citrus, fresh mint or sweet fruity berry – making the experience more multi-dimensional and delightful for smell and taste.

On inhalation, the smoke of herbal mixtures usually has a softer "hit" on the throat compared to cigarette smoke, as it does not contain the harsh tars and additives that intensify irritation. Many users report that they can better taste the delicate flavors of the herbs, rather than the burning sensation left by cigarette smoke. 

Also, the absence of nicotine means that herbal smoking is not accompanied by its tachycardia and the light "weight" that nicotine brings - the effect is more serene and balanced. Instead of chasing the next nicotine “fix,” as tobacco with its chemicals and nicotine does, smoking can be enjoyed as a ritual of relaxation or concentration, depending on the blend.

Another advantage is the multidimensional use of herbal mixtures. While cigarettes have one and only use (smoking), many herbal blends can be used in a variety of ways. For example, they can be infused (tea) – thus offering the beneficial substances of the herbs without any smoking – or to be utilized in aromatherapy in special burners/evaporators, perfuming the space with their terpenes and essential oils. This flexibility enables the consumer to enjoy the benefits and aroma of herbs even if they do not wish to smoke, which is not the case with conventional cigarettes.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the social experience may also vary. Herbal blends do not have the stigmatized smell of cigarettes, so many find them more effective and acceptable in premises or groups where cigarette smoke will be causing bother. Instead of the "cigarette", they leave a subtle aroma of herbs or fruits. This can make the habit more socially friendly, but without losing the ritual of the twist or smoke break that many have associated with their daily lives.

Environmental Effects

Cigarette use has an important environmental impact which is often overlooked. First, every year billions of cigarette butts end up in the environment as waste. It is estimated that approx 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded annually worldwide – by far the most common litter collected on beaches, roads and public spaces. Most cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a type of plastic that is not easily biodegradable. In the environment, these filters can take up to 10 or more years to break down, releasing toxic substances into ecosystems in the meantime. Studies have shown that cigarette residue releases over 200 toxic chemicals into water and soil (including heavy metals and pesticide residues from tobacco farming), harming marine life and soil microfauna.

But beyond the garbage, the production of cigarettes is burdensome for the environment. Tobacco cultivation requires vast areas, contributing to deforestation to open up arable land, while making extensive use of pesticides and water. According to the World Health Organization, the tobacco industry causes widespread environmental degradation from the stage of land preparation for cultivation to the production, distribution and final consumption of the products. In addition, the process of drying tobacco leaves (curing) is often done by burning wood or coal, contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases. Each stage – from the farm to the ashtray – thus leaves its ecological footprint.

Herbal blends, on the other hand, are inherently more environmentally friendly in several places. Because they contain no filters of cellulose acetate the user usually twists them with vegetable raw papers and perhaps a small cardboard (jivana) as a mouthpiece, raw cellulose vegetable filters or activated carbon filters, the issue of plastic waste from filters is completely avoided. The rest of the twist (the herbal 'cigarette') when discarded, consists of paper and plant material, which biodegrades much faster than a cigarette filter – within a few months it can decompose without leaving any toxic residue. Also, many herbal products like Heald's blends are made from natural and wild herbs, which means they further reduce the burden on soil and water. Also their packaging is recyclable.

In addition, the shift to plant-based blends may have an indirect environmental benefit: the more smokers replace part of their cigarettes with plant-based products or quit smoking thanks to them, the overall demand for tobacco and consequently its production decreases.

Overall, from an environmental perspective, plant mixes are an environmentally conscious choice: reduce plastic and toxic waste and utilize renewable plant-based raw materials with a milder ecological footprint. It's another reason – beyond health – that many conscious consumers prefer them.

Chemical Composition and Ingredients

The chemical composition of cigarettes in relation to that of herbal mixtures shows great differences.

Cigarettes: The main ingredient is tobacco leaves, which contain nicotine (strongly addictive alkaloid) as well as naturally occurring toxic substances such as tobacco nitrosamines (TSNAs). When making cigarettes, tobacco companies add 7000 additional chemicals: for example, ammonia or compounds thereof in order to increase the absorption of nicotine by the body, sugar and molasses which when burned produce acetaldehyde (further enhancing addiction), as well as flavorings to enhance the flavor of the tobacco. As a result, when we light an industrial cigarette, a cocktail of chemicals is produced: in addition to nicotine itself, we inhale carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, benzene, arsenic, cadmium and a number of hydrocarbons such as benzo[a]pyrene – all products of the combustion of tobacco and additional chemicals. It is no accident that cigarette smoke is classified as category 1 carcinogen for man. The chemicals in tobacco work synergistically to damage cells and DNA, while nicotine perpetuates exposure to them through addiction.

Herbal mixtures: In contrast, herbal tobacco blends consist of leaves, flowers and herbs that have been dried, without synthetic additives. For example, a blend like Heald Dream contains herbs such as mallow, damiana, tarragon (artemisia), lemon balm, chamomile, scullcap, valerian, blue lotus, hops, lavender and passion flower – all plants known for their calming/relaxing properties. Accordingly, the Focus and Uplift blends include herbs such as sage, rose, Gingko Biloba, St. John's wort (Hypericum), peppermint, etc. , which have more stimulating properties. These herbs contain only natural active substances – essential oils (terpenes), flavonoids, alkaloids, vitamins – which are traditionally used in herbal medicine. For example, lavender contains linalool (a calming terpene), chamomile contains apigenin (an anxiolytic flavonoid), valerian contains valerenic acid (a sedative), while damiana has mild euphoric and aphrodisiac properties.

Heald's herbal blends are additionally enriched with terpenes – that is, essential oils/flavoring substances of plant origin are selectively added to enhance the taste and effects. 

Thus, the final chemical composition of herbal mixtures consists exclusively of plant compounds (derivatives of essential oils, organic acids, tannins, etc.) and does not contain nicotine or other addictive substances. The important thing is that in herbal mixtures the specific toxins of tobacco are absent – e.g. there are no tobacco nitrosamines, polonium-210 (radioactive material) or heavy metals in significant amounts like in cigarette smoke. Of course, as we mentioned above, combustion of any plant also produces some undesirable substances (such as tar and carbon monoxide CO), but chemically speaking plant mixtures are very "cleaner" mixtures compared to industrial cigarettes.

In summary, in terms of composition, the cigarette is an industrial product with thousands of chemicals (many of them harmful) , while the herbal mixture is simpler, with 100% natural ingredients (herbs and terpenes).

This does not mean that smoking herbal mixtures is harmless, but it certainly means that we are introducing a lot into our bodies, fewer added chemicals in every use and definitely something that is not addictive.

Conclusion – A Natural Alternative

The comparison between cigarettes and herbal blends clearly shows that herbal blends offer significant benefits advantages: free the user from nicotine and the large volume of toxic substances in tobacco, provide a richer and more pleasant taste/aroma experience while offering the corresponding desired effect and not the usual effect of smoke that causes overstimulation of the central nervous system and physical depression from chemicals, as well as reducing the environmental footprint of the smoking habit. 

For smokers who are concerned about their health but find it difficult to quit, herbal blends can act as an alternative path: they offer the ritual and satisfaction of smoking, but without the nicotine addiction and with milder effects and they can also help to permanently stop the habit.

It is worth emphasizing that switching to herbal blends is not only a move for the benefit of your own well-being, but also fits into a wider context of responsibility towards the environment. By choosing products like Heald's Herbal Blends, you support practices that go hand in hand with sustainability (organic farming, zero plastic waste from filters, utilization of plant-based raw materials).

Finally, from a clean empirical view, herbal blends open up a new world of pleasure: you can experiment with different flavors and aromas, find which blend suits your mood such as relaxing in the evening, invigorating in the morning, or even mix them to create the ultimate effect for you.

So you can discover a more natural side of the smoking habit. Smoking is transformed from a harmful addiction to a controlled pleasure that you can adapt to your needs.

In an e-shop like Heald, our goal is not only to offer quality products, but also to honestly inform consumers. Scientific data supports the effort for a healthier lifestyle: by reducing or replacing cigarettes with herbal blends, you are taking a step towards a better health balance. 

So if you are looking for a way to improve your daily life and get rid of the harmful effects of cigarette addiction, it is worth trying Heald's herbal blends. With 100% natural composition, great taste and aroma, and options to suit every mood, are an alternative that can really make a difference and if you have the will, to help you get rid of tobacco for good or completely from the habit of smoking.

Disclaimer

Smoking any substance is harmful to health, mainly because of the toxic substances produced during combustion, such as carbon monoxide, tar, etc.