St. John's Wort, Plant Meditation Club, 6/1/26

Q: What are Brown Bear Herbs’ herbal cigarettes?

Brown Bear Herbs herbal cigarettes are tobacco-free and nicotine-free smoking blends made from organic or wild-crafted herbs such as mullein, lobelia, lavender, and other botanicals. They are crafted to provide a smoking alternative with herbs that address the underlying reasons you smoke. They contain NO addictive ingredients. When you use them you can smoke herbs that are likely to be more supportive (based on historical use of the plants) while at the same time breaking your addiction. When you break your addiction, you can quit smoking altogether or use our products to smoke when stress or social situations arise. Our herbal cigarettes are a risk-reduction method of quitting tobacco and nicotine products. They are also enjoyed by people who need to stop marijuana use for work or other restrictions.

Q: How are your herbal cigarettes different from traditional cigarettes?

Unlike tobacco cigarettes, Brown Bear Herbs products include no tobacco and no nicotine (also NO CBD, NO THC, and NO marijuana). They use natural herbs to create a smokeable blend that may satisfy the psychological and behavioral aspects of smoking, such as the hand-to-mouth ritual and using herbs that have been historically used for physical anxiety symptoms (Take It Easy), feeling overwhelmed (Gentle & Protective), focus and anxiety (Clear Mind), as well as social confidence (Sexy Smokes).

Q: What other products do you offer besides herbal cigarettes?

We also offer loose herbal smoking blends, roll-your-own herbs, pipes for herbs, teas, tinctures, gem, animal, and flower essences, other wellness products, and herbal consultations to support various goals, including emotional wellness, spiritual balance, and lifestyle transitions.

Q: Can herbal cigarettes help me quit smoking tobacco?

Many customers report that using our blends helped them to quit tobacco. The specific blends include herbs historically used to address different aspects of why people smoke (social anxiety, focus, physical addiction). Smoking the herbal cigarettes replaces the ritual of smoking tobacco while avoiding nicotine, and therefore breaking the addiction. It is also possible to use the roll your own herbal smoking blends as tea. Brown Bear Herbs is a small company and we have not gone through the FDA approval processes. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Q: What herbs are used in your products?

Blends include organic or wildcrafted herbs such as mullein, raspberry leaf, lobelia, damiana, and mugwort these are selected based on traditional use as smoking herbs, herbs for dealing with addiction, and herbs for stress support. Suppliers are based in primarily Oregon, and herbs are sourced organically or wildcrafted (and tested).

Q: Why smoke mullein? Why is it in all your blends? Is mullein a filler?

Great question! My herbal smoking blends are formulated to be as easy as they can on your lungs. Mullein is an herb that was traditionally smoked for lung health in multiple cultures. I find that adding mullein to any smoking blend makes it more comfortable on your lungs. It is not a filler, it is an amazing herb with a great track record. You can watch my video for more information https://brownbearherbs.com/blogs/videos-and-blogs/mullein-quitting-tobacco

Q: How do you smoke Brown Bear Herbs' herbal cigarettes? Do I inhale?

Smoke Brown Bear Herbs' herbal cigarettes like you would a normal tobacco cigarette. Many currently available herbal smoking blends are pretty harsh and are not intended to be inhaled--rather they are smoked like a cigar. Ours should be as gentle or more gentle compared to regular tobacco cigarettes and more gentle than marijuana. Do NOT hold the smoke in like you would marijuana. This style of smoking is very hard on your lungs and part of the reason why marijuana tests as worse for your lungs per inhalation than tobacco(!).

Q: Are herbal cigarettes safe to smoke?

Herbal cigarettes are dangerous to your health. They produce tar and carbon monoxide. While our products contain no tobacco or nicotine, nor marijuana or any of its derivatives, inhaling smoke of any kind carries health risks. This is also true for cooking at the barbecue, sitting by the fire, etc. Brown Bear Herbs' herbal cigarettes are a risk reduction method of quitting tobacco, and can be a supportive choice for reducing or eliminating marijuana from your lifestyle. I don't encourage any habitual smoking, but am happy to offer a less risky smoking option when you need to (like stage or movie smoking) or want to quit.

Q: What are good options for smoking for film and acting productions?

To protect the health of actors and other people working on film or theater productions, tobacco and marijuana are not allowed indoors and often in production in general. Clear Mind is the top choice for prop cigarettes. It is a light smoking blend, making it easier on actors' bodies and those getting the secondhand smoke. The herbs in it are formulated to help creatives do their work. Clear Mind has been used as a smoke producer in major productions (like Oppenheimer movie) to stand in for cigarette, marijuana, crack smoke, and more! I love making prop cigarettes to spec for movies. If you have a project that needs a certain look, or lots of loose material, please reach out.

Q: Are your products regulated or approved for smoking cessation?

Herbal cigarettes are not regulated as medical products nor approved by government agencies for smoking cessation. They are offered as supportive alternatives, not treatments.

By Lily Michaud in Jun 12, 2026

On Monday, 6/1/26, we meditated with a tincture of fresh St. John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum.

Initial Impressions

Taste is floral, oily, astringent, slightly fruity acidic, a little numbing (1).

Meditations

•I notice my lower back, ingrown hairs, finger tips.

•My nerve on my left jaw that has been bothering me. "We're going to call this problem 'long term stress'." The herb supports me by helping me relax my jaw like a happy horse. It brings red root comes to mind (for ruminating thoughts). When I think about other's emotional concerns--the plant redirects me--"that's not on your shoulders".

•"Light coming through the leaves (spread it all over you)."

•This felt a bit cooling. I saw purple, like berries being squished between fingers at a family beach.

Hypericum perforatum, blood red, by Holger Casselmann. This image shows of one test to determin the identity of St. John's Wort. Squishing the flowers yields dark red oil, the color of blood. When fresh St. John's Wort is added to alcohol or oil, it will turn the liquid the same color.

•I feel pressure pulsating in sinuses. I got so relaxed I could have drifted off.

•Thinking of endings and new beginnings (x2).

Summary and Traditional Use

Hypericum refers to the historical practice of hanging the plant above icons or spirtual images to ward off evil spirits. Perforatum refers to the tiny oil glands in the leaves. When held up to the light the leaves appears to be perforated with tiny pin pricks of light shining through. ("spread it (the oil) over you") This and the red oil color are important tests for determining you have St. John's wort. This herb should be processed fresh, the oil is the active component and it evaporates significantly when dried. The herb is invasive across temperate regions. Taken in excess it causes sun sensitivity. When cows graze on St. John's wort it can cause third degree burns. Wildcraft it freely from areas that are clear (free of pesticides, heavy metals, etc). Do not plant or spread this herb.

Nerve Pain: St. John's Wort is considered a specific for sciatica in homeopathy. I use it in my reliably successful Back Support tincture. It is helpful for nerve inflammation in general, particularly nerve-rich areas like the spine, skin (eg radiation burns) and fingertips (ie reducing pain and healing in a crushing injury on fingertips- use oil or tincture of fresh herb).

Mental health: This herb is particularly helpful for depression and anxiety related to long-term health issues, or other long term sufferings. Due to its ability to make us more sensitive to the sun, it is also helpful for SAD (seasonal affective disorder). It is important to remember the medicinal properties are in the fresh (not dried) oil, so tea is not helpful. It was historically used for insomnia; I would try that within the context of long-term illness or SAD, adding skullcap would likely be very supportive for sleep.

Respiratory: Sinuses came up--this herb is used for phlegm (tea), cough, bronchitis, asthma, bleeding from lungs, and whooping cough (per M Wood Earthwise Herbal: Old World). This feels like it would heal tiny bleeds due to irritation.

This herb has many other uses: it is supportive to the digestive tract as a stomach acid neutralizer and for gastroenteritis. I have used it along with yarrow for severe lower left quadrant pain after eating physically irritating foods (eg popcorn), sciatica, sensitivity to others' physical pain, and painful uterine cramps with great success. This felt like inflammation in the lower jiao was impacting It is used for stress conditions impacting the bladder as well as pus or blood in urine from the urinary tract.

Skin: Ingrown hairs, skin tags, ulcers, burns.

Energy Body: This herb is used for strengthening the 3rd chakra and healing holes in the energy field (which can cause over awareness of others' emotions and experiences). I recommend and use this often for healing the energy field. It is a reliable aid. This herb is also said to facilitate talking to fairies. Enjoy!

Invitation

What are your experiences with St. John's Wort? Have you used it as a tincture, oil, or flower essence? Let me know if the comments below.

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St. John's Wort, Plant Meditation Club, 6/1/26

Initial Impressions

Meditations

Summary and Traditional Use

Invitation

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