This week on ISMOKE, we are looking at why we British have a propensity to mix our cannabis with tobacco, where we acquired this antiquated practice and what you can do to reduce the associated harms of mixing your cannabis with tobacco and hopefully ultimately quit altogether.

It isn’t easy to trace the genesis of our affair of combining the two substances.

Read: You should stop mixing tobacco with your cannabis immediately.

The most commonly held belief is that it arises from the fact that most of the cannabis that was available in the UK in preceding decades had been in the form of hashå, most commonly “soap bar”, which when consumed in a Spliff would require another combustible medium to burn and smoke. As tobacco was already a popular and widely available drug in the UK, their marriage seems somewhat inevitable in hindsight.

As the years have passed, the technology and expertise required to grow cannabis indoors have become more widely available. Thus, the popularity of the floral form of cannabis became far more ubiquitous over the coming years, eventually eclipsing the hash trade altogether! It seems to be a continuation of this archaic practice that has led us as a culture to continue the consumption of this cocktail of smokable materials long after the actual need to combine them has ceased.

These days, you will hear many reasons and attempted justifications from tobacco users as to why they continue this detrimental routine;

“I consume less”, “It lasts longer”, “I save money by putting less in.” These things are simply not true (and trust us, it’s the nicotine addiction talking!): if you combine the two drugs, the nicotine in the tobacco will constantly induce cravings to consume more. You’ll find yourself desiring another joint while still stoned from the last one, leading to increased consumption and cost.

“It tastes better.” Again, this isn’t true, as the brain alters the taste to interpret it as pleasurable because you are getting your nicotine fix after all. Once you’ve quit smoking, the taste of tobacco, as does the smell, becomes foul.

“It burns better.” As discussed above, this is a throwback, as grown, dried and cured cannabis burns smoothly when rolled well. If you still have inconsistent burning issues, you can always purchase some slow-burning skins. Also, another tip for a pure joint: try and roll with a minimum of 0.4-0.5g evenly ground plant material to ensure a crisp, even burn. If you want to use less than this, you can use a Green Spiral or smoke through a bong.

There have been many articles written as of late discussing harm reduction around cannabis consumption in the UK from all kinds of media opponents, the Daily Mail, The Telegraph and even the Sun, evidence that the tides are turning and that soon a great flood of knowledge will wash away the myths and lies spread in ignorance.

A great example is this article recently featured in the Daily Mail written by York University lecturer Ian Hamilton. In the article, Mr Hamilton advises that if young people wish to negate the detrimental effects of smoking cannabis, they should immediately stop adding the highly habit-forming and known carcinogen, Tobacco, to their Joints.

This and other articles serve to highlight the fact that a significant number of the perceived harms associated with Cannabis consumption are actually from the archaic practice of mixing it with such a destructive substance as tobacco.

The harms of tobacco are finally being openly discussed after several decades of bribery, misinformation and clever marketing, which led to millions suffering from dependence issues and having killed tens of millions of its users, while cannabis has never killed a single consumer.

Unfortunately, some of the old “Reefer Madness” propaganda still permeates today, and it will likely take many more years to reach the same point of public awareness of what cannabis is and how it affects its consumers.

To most of the mainstream media and the novice among us, both substances are equally as detrimental to the body; equating the effects of cannabis with that of tobacco is incredibly misleading and harmful to the individual and society.

Not all smoke is created equal, and cannabis smoke has been shown time and time again to do no or negligible damage to the lungs compared to tobacco smoke, which is a known carcinogen and is linked to many respiratory illnesses; here are two of the most common and deadly.

In lung Cancer more people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. Tobacco smoke is the number one risk factor for developing lung cancer and is responsible for over 85% of lung cancer deaths! Source. Contrast this with the growing research that cannabis causes apotheosis in cancer cells.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an obstructive lung disease that makes breathing incredibly hard. It causes severe long-term disability and early death.

Tobacco is linked to 80% of these diagnoses, as cannabis has been known for decades as a Bronchodilator.

Read: Medical Cannabis for Asthma – ISMOKE Magazine

You can further reduce any potential lung risk by utilising alternative consumption means. Using methods such as vaporising, ingesting caps or tinctures, suppositories, balms and edibles, all allow for the maximisation of the benefits of cannabis while avoiding potential irritation that the respiratory system could experience from poorly grown or flushed cannabis. The most effective harm reduction here is to grow your own, as it allows you control over potency and to avoid any chemicals that may otherwise have been used in the cultivation process.

We’ve also previously discussed the misconception about Cannabis consumption and psychosis here on ISMOKE. A growing body of evidence supports the hypothesis that tobacco being mixed in joints increases the individual’s risk of psychosis. I won’t go any further into this myth here, only to say smoking pure dramatically reduces your risk of psychosis.

Do not forget that blunts are tobacco. They’re the tobacco plant leaves and contain the highly habit-forming drug Nicotine.

Many alternatives are now being produced to reduce cannabis consumers’ exposure to tobacco, replacing the classic blunt skin with Sugarcane, Palm, Banana and other leaves.

There are also a growing number of tobacco alternative mixes and blends, including combinations of many herbs such as marshmallow leaf, mint, hemp, Damiana, Papaya, hazelnut, Eucalyptus, Sage, etc.

I understand nicotine dependence is a horrible affliction, having been a user for over a decade, but there are now many ways to quit.

The NHS, which spends £5 Billion a year treating smoking-related illnesses, offers Nicotine maintenance tools such as patches, gums, oral sprays but these only seek to perpetuate your dependence on the drug instead of fighting to stop its consumption as well as the growing number of shops opening up selling nicotine vape “juices” in brightly coloured bottles and fruity flavours not unlike the “Alco-pop” craze of the early part of this century which saw alcoholic beverage companies creating drinks effectively advertised at teenagers.

There is growing evidence that Cannabidiol (CBD) can help deal with the cravings and difficulties surrounding quitting tobacco (Read more here) and a great deal of anecdotal evidence that THC is also helpful in treating Nicotine dependence and broader drug bonding issues.

There is also a somewhat controversial method that I and others have been utilising to cease smoking. Taking Psychedelics to quit smoking is a growing practice with an increasing body of supporting evidence around the world. Psychedelics are going to change the face of drug-dependent practices.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150615-could-psychedelic-drugs-make-smokers-quit.

So, ultimately, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer to why we as a culture tend to consume our cannabis in joints mixed with tobacco. However, we are learning more every day about the detrimental effects of smoking and that, ultimately, the best way to reduce the harms of cannabis consumption is by consuming it pure.

Simpa
@SimpaDCCC (Twitter)
DC