Calling all herbal smokers, tobacco smokers, cannabis smokers, mushroom smokers (we don't advise smoking mushrooms, but people do it!), smokers of ANYTHING at all:
Mullein is your new best friend and should be blended into EVERYTHING you smoke!
Mullein is THE essential herb for smokers. It's in all of our smoking blends because anytime you smoke anything there should be mullein in it!
Here we outline and explain why smokers of all plants should also smoke mullein:
The Benefits of Smoking Mullein
1. Balances Your Respiratory System
Combusting plant matter and then inhaling that smoke is heating and drying to your respiratory system, whereas mullein is a cooling herb that helps drive moisture to the lungs. This means mullein helps to keep your body in a state of balance while smoking, which is great because it's when we're out of balance that we begin to feel discomfort.
2. Keeps Your Juices Flowing
If you're a cannabis smoker, you've probably experienced cottonmouth before. In addition to the hot and dry nature of smoke itself, cannabis is an extremely drying herb because THC sends signals to our endocannabinoid receptors to limit saliva production. Because of this, stoners should especially be adding mullein to their flower since it helps keep your juices flowing.
3. Aids Your Breathing
Smoking mullein helps to relax your airways, making it easier for you to breathe more slowly and deeply. This relaxes nervous tension as well. Take a moment to feel how you're breathing right now by putting one hand on your chest and the other hand on your stomach. Are your breaths short and high in your chest, or low and deep in your stomach? If you're breathing in your chest, mullein can help move your breath downwards.
4. Makes Your Smoke Smoother
Flavor-wise, you honestly probably won't even be able to tell that mullein is in your smoke. This makes it especially easy to add to any blend since it won't disrupt whatever terpene profile you got going on. The only difference you'll feel is added smoothness. Your lungs will thank you.
How to Harvest Mullein for Smoking
While all parts of the plant can be considered medicinal, mullein leaves are what you want to smoke.
Scientifically known as Verbascum thapsus, mullein is a plant with soft, fuzzy leaves that can grow up to 6 feet tall, shooting up tall stalks of yellow flowers. Chances are you've seen it growing along railroad tracks and other disturbed, urban areas.
If you want to harvest leaves fresh from a mullein plant that you KNOW is growing in clean soil and is away from polluted roads, check out our post on how to dry fresh herbs for smoking for the step-by-step process with photos.
You want to be sure to harvest leaves from a first-year mullein. Mullein is a biennial, meaning it has a two year life cycle. You know if mullein is in its first year of growth if it does NOT have a tall flower stalk and its leaves have slightly rounded tips.
This is a first year mullein - what you want to harvest for smoking: 
Below is a second-year mullein - what you do NOT want to harvest for smoking (notice the leaves have more pointed tips than the first-year mullein plant):
If you want to purchase mullein leaf to smoke, make sure it's organic and that you pick out any hard, stem bits first but be sure to save the stems for tea. Other than adding mullein to your smoking blends, mullein is an herb smokers should work with in tincture or tea as well for the benefits outlined above. It'll be especially moisturizing in tea, making it a great accompaniment to your smoke sessions.
Interested in taking a deeper dive into why mullein is such a great herb for smokers? You can read more in our zine, Puff Into The Present Moment, where we get a bit more technical.
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For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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