Looking for Herbal Smoking Blends in Taiwan?

N̂g Tâilé

5 min readMay 22, 2022

You’re in the right place.

Chhunjit Herbs offers a variety of handcrafted herbal blends made for smoking.

These herbal smoking blends are free of nicotine, and can be rolled as cigs, smoked in a pipe, or made into tea.

Keep reading to learn more about herbal smoking and where to buy blends in Taiwan.

What are herbal smoking blends?

Herbal smoking blends are any blend of herbs designed for smoking.

They’re usually free of nicotine and tobacco, making them non-addictive, and a great alternative to tobacco cigarettes.

What makes an herbal blend smokable?

Two things: Taste and texture.

A smooth, delicious smoke usually contains different types of herbs.

Herbs such as lavender or mint offer wonderful properties and distinct flavors, making them great for smoking. However, because of their strong active ingredients, smoking them on their own can be very harsh.

This is why good herbal blends usually contain base herbs, such as mullein, marshmallow, or coltsfoot. These herbs have a lower oil content, produce a light smoke, and are usually fluffy in texture. This makes them excellent as a base for carrying other herbs, and when blended well together, this combination can create a smooth, fragrant, and enjoyable smoke.

Next is texture.

Most herbs contain hard stems and large leaves. Without prior processing, these herbs are difficult to roll and smoke. Either you will have stems poking out of the paper, or you will have uneven burning from the large leaves.

A proper blend crafter will carefully shift through these herbs, pick out any hard stems, chop everything to an even texture, then thoroughly mix the different herbs to create the blend. The result is a fine mix of various herbs at a consistency perfect for rolling.

There is a balance to be struck here. If the herbs are chopped too finely, it can result in a dense blend that is hard to burn and inhale, as air cannot pass through the cigarette smoothly.

So… quite a bit goes into making these herbal blends! Not only do you need a proper recipe, significant work is also needed to properly cut and sift the herbs to make a good smoking blend.

Why smoke herbs?

Why do we smoke? Who was the first person to burn an herb and inhale the smoke directly through their mouth? These are ancient mysteries that can be researched and pondered on for decades.

The ritual of smoking goes far beyond a nicotine addiction.

For shamans, holy tobacco is not usually inhaled into the lungs, but drawn into the mouth and blown into the air, to cleanse some space or person. The smoke settles down, and can be felt all around the area — grounding us into the present moment.

There is a social aspect to smoking. The ceremony of smoking a peace pipe is well known. There’s something about being in the same cloud of smoke that bonds people together. It makes us feel like we are part of the same thing. We belong.

The act of lighting someone’s cigarette feels oddly intimate. The moment of stillness, the fire between you—it’s sacred.

But smoking can also be a lone act. In native traditions, it is thought that smoking is a way of communing with loved ones who have passed. We stop and smoke when we need a moment of silence, to clear our minds and gather our senses. We sometimes find ourselves lost in thought, carried away by the smoke, thinking of our past or future.

Nicotine is not necessary for any of these rituals.

Besides, factory processed tobacco contain many additives. Most smokers will admit that the smell is not pleasant. On the other hand, herbal smokes give off a fragrant smell, much like natural incense. If your constitution agrees with it, they can even be smoked indoors.

How do I smoke herbal blends?

There are two main ways: Rolling a cigarette, or smoking from a pipe.

A cigarette has three parts: the herb, the paper, and the tip.

The paper holds everything together. Most papers come with a strip of gum on one side that is activated by water. That’s why people lick the paper to finish the roll.

The tip filters the smoke, and keeps the herb from getting into your mouth every time you take a drag.

You can purchase every part of a cigarette separately, and put it together on your own. For some, this is tedious work. For others, the process can be calming and meditative.

With some practice, you can roll by hand.

If you wish, you can also use a cigarette roller, a small mechanical device that keeps the herbs and tip in place, so you can insert the paper and roll easily.

With pipes, you’ll want to get a pipe cleaner as well. The cheapest pipes for beginners are corn cob pipes, so you can check those out. Smoking out of a pipe is more straight forward. Fill the pipe, light it, and puff slowly.