Catnip is formulated into our Sleepy Collection of smokable herbs. A friend of mine read this on our ingredients list and said, “Catnip? That sounds kinda weird. I mean, isn't that for cats?” But catnip's not weird, and it can actually be a fun and cute way to include your feline friend in your smoking rituals. Let's get into it!
What is catnip?
Nepeta cataria is the species of plant commonly known as catnip, catmint, or catswort. In the mint family (Lamiaceae), it's related to well-known culinary herbs such as basil, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Naturalized and growing wild throughout most of North America, catnip is easy to grow in a garden or pot on the windowsill at home. You may have only seen catnip in its dried and cut form for your cats, but it’s actually a very pretty plant that can grow 2-3 feet tall. Its leaves are light green, fuzzy, semi heart-shaped, and contains whorls (radiating growth pattern that wraps around the stem) of white and/or purple flowers.
So how does catnip affect humans?
Catnip helps calm nervous tension, is nourishing to the nerves, and has a particular affinity for dissolving tension and tightness that rises upward from the stomach and builds in the chest. A pretty good indicator for knowing that catnip will help you is if your breaths feel short and high in the chest, rather than long and deep from the stomach. Personally, I like to work with catnip if I'm experiencing uncomfortable, rising gas from something I ate or am feeling nervous about an upcoming event. Catnip is also just great as an overall herb to reach for at nighttime. I especially like catnip as it helps me to remain still when I may normally be running around the house trying to get things done before bed.
And you can smoke it?
You sure can! For smoking, you'll want to make sure you're working with just-dried leaves, and you can just crumble or grind them into whatever else you're already smoking. Catnip is more of a supporting smokable herb rather than a base herb, so a good rule of thumb here is to start with catnip being roughly 25% of your smoke and seeing how that feels effects-wise and flavor-wise (catnip has a pleasant, light grassy flavor when smoked). From there, you can play around with crafting the ratios of the herbs in your blend to your personal liking.
If you have a cat, a fun way to include them in your smoking rituals is to keep a jar or bag of catnip in with your smoking stash. Whenever you go to smoke, your cat will be conditioned that this is now catnip time! Your cat is now a participant in your ritual, and you can enjoy that catnip high together.
Catnip – it’s not so weird after all! Try it in our Sleepy Collection.
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For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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