Effects of Smoking Cannabis and Lavender
Marijuana and lavender have a lot in common. One of the things they share is same terpenes. Linalool is a terpene found in both cannabis and lavender, and is predominant in indica cannabis strains. The aromatic compound in question is found in over 200 other plant species. While some users take them separately, others combine cannabis and lavender together. Why is it so good? It facilitates relaxation and better sleep.
Lavender and cannabis share a terpene called linalool, which has proven antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Its application in this field is in the advanced research phase in several labs around the world. There is also linalool’s therapeutic capability to reduce cortisol levels, a famous stress hormone.
Smoking Cannabis and Lavender to Reduce Stress
There’s a new trend about marijuana and lavender as of recently, however. That is smoking! More and more people combine the two herbs together or use them separately while trying to find just the right dose for calming down against everyday stress. Besides that, some people use it as a sleep medicine.
Marijuana and lavender together have an enhanced relaxing effect. The smell and flavor is also stronger, thus, at the same time, it can feel like a nice aromatherapy session. Lavender is also easy to find and burns almost at the same speed as cannabis flower.
More similarities can be found in the drying and curing process. Lavender needs to dry after cutting a branch from the bush. The plant material should be put in a dark and dry place for about a week. Just like cannabis, when you break a stem and if you hear a ‘crackling’ sound, it’s good to use.
What Happens When You Smoke Lavender?
Smoking might not be your first idea on how to use lavender. You may wonder whether it’s healthy. Inhaling any kind of smoke, including lavender, is bad for the respiratory system and can cause coughing. But on the other hand, lavender users report the benefit of calmness. Vaporizing might be better than smoking it as a dry flower as in a rolled joint.
Aromatherapists commonly use lavender in inhalation therapy for headaches or neurological conditions. Herbalists use lavender oils for treating various disorders on the skin. Joint and muscle pain can also be treated with it by taking a healing bath. So, there are already numerous therapeutic applications and benefits of lavender that users can explore.
Linalool is currently also studied whether it can help treat anxiety and improve the body’s immune system. Other research on it tries to understand whether linalool might also benefit Alzheimer’s patients; it has been shown that the terpene reduces inflammation in the brain, which is attributed as one of the main reasons for cognitive deterioration.
Linalool is not the most frequently found terpene in marijuana varieties. But if, after reading this, you want to try strains rich in linalool, try Lavender Haze, Zkittlez, Granddady Purple, or Do-Si-Dos. Or, add just a little bit of dried lavender flower in your cannabis roll and enjoy the captivating terpenes even more!
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Stephen Andrews
