One of Plain Jane’s most popular products are hemp cigarettes (aka hemp rolls, aka CBD cigarettes). You might wonder, “What is the point of hemp cigarettes? What do hemp cigarettes do?” The answers to that question depends a lot on who is asking it. Pure hemp cigarettes have garnered interest from tobacco smokers looking to quit or cut back as well as non-smokers who are looking for a way to enjoy hemp. So if you are wondering, “What are hemp cigarettes?” We have all of the answers you are looking for.
Hemp and marijuana are both members of the species Cannabis sativa. However, unlike marijuana, hemp does not get you high and is not classified and “indica” or “sativa.” Hemp may share ancestry with marijuana strains that have those classifications, but it is “its own thing.” The factor that legally delineates hemp from marijuana is its less than 0.3% delta-9-THC content. This was established quite recently in the 2018 Farm Bill. So smoking hemp vs marijuana can be both very similar and very different.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hemp Cigarettes
Like with any new product, people have many questions about hemp, CBD, and marijuana. There is a large amount of conflicting information and claims around cannabis products, so we hope to relieve some misconceptions about hemp cigarettes.
What are Hemp Cigarettes? And What is in Hemp Cigarettes?
Pure hemp cigarettes are rolled in rice paper and have a filter like a cigarette. Plain Jane's pure hemp cigarettes do not contain any tobacco or nicotine. Just hemp cigarettes. Some hemp cigarette smokers do get a similar taste or experience from hemp cigarettes. The experience will vary from person to person.
What do Hemp Cigarettes Taste Like? And What do Hemp Cigarettes Smell Like?
To most, full flavor hemp cigarettes will taste more grassy like hemp and smell much like marijuana. There are low-odor hemp cigarettes available. Water can be used to remove the hemp plant terpenes that impart much of the “weed smell.” New products like menthol hemp cigarettes are also becoming popular items for those who want less of the hemp flavor.
What are the Effects of Smoking Hemp Cigarettes?
Pure hemp cigarette benefits and effects are the same as those associated with hemp flower. Some people use hemp cigarettes for pain, anxiety, and health reasons, but they are not legally intended for uses of a medical nature. This common misconception is largely rooted in the regulatory environment around hemp.
While people have some wonderful personal experiences with hemp cigarettes, hemp companies cannot sell products for those explicit purposes or make medical claims about their specific products. That is to say, there are supposed CBD and hemp benefits that have yet to be supported with evidence vs observations.
In a way, this is good, because everyone will have different personal experiences with hemp cigarettes and CBD products in general. While some may feel calmed by one product, another strain or product could be energizing. Likewise, sensory perceptions vary from person to person. The wonderful (albeit difficult to explain) effect of hemp cigarettes are a 100% personal experience.
Hemp Cigarette Reviews: What Are CBD Cigarettes Good For?
Reading product reviews can help give customers some insights. However, you must remember that these are individual experiences and observations and not medical claims that have been FDA or scientifically evaluated for health, safety, or effectiveness.
You can see by these two Trust Pilot Verified Reviews of Plain Jane Low-Odor Hemp Cigarettes how personal tastes and experiences can lead to very different opinions:
I must say these hemp rolls have seriously changed my world. They do not get you high at all (I would know). They give you a very relaxing feel for about an hour. I am using these to fight those nasty harsh cravings of nicotine and I must say it works perfect to seriously ease those urges. They feel amazing and I have been recommending them to everyone that smokes or vapes.
Quitting Nicotine!
Posted by Nick Misero on Mar 1st 2020
Smells very similar to cigarettes and leaves that smell on clothes. I really [didn’t] think it would smell so [rough]. The taste was pretty [decent].
Not for me
Posted by Jesus Barajas on Dec 9th 2019; [spelling corrected]
How Often Should You Smoke Hemp Cigarettes?
How many pure hemp cigarettes per day a person smokes is entirely up to them. But it is good to consider how much CBD are in CBD hemp cigarettes. Smoking CBD can have side effects, so like with any new product, it is often recommended to start low and slow.
That is, start with a low amount of smokable CBD and slowly increase. If side effects or undesirable effects are noticed, or course use should be reduced or discontinued. It is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before using CBD and hemp products to make sure they feel it is safe for you and won’t present drug interactions.
Where Can I Buy Hemp Cigarettes?
Many online retailers, smoke shops, vape shops, and cannabis dispensaries sell hemp cigarettes. It is best to purchase pure hemp cigarettes from reputable sellers that openly share their laboratory testing information and have transparent practices. You will not find this from Amazon hemp cigarette sellers. Amazon CBD products from Amazon hemp cigarette sellers often have mysterious origins and could contain dangerous elements like pesticides and heavy metals.
You will also want to shop around to make sure you do not pay too much. If you are wondering “How much are hemp cigarettes?” There is no set price. Depending on the brand they could cost anywhere from about ten dollars to twenty dollars per pack.
CBD cigarettes are not generally cheaper than tobacco cigarettes because they are not produced at the same level of mass production. That means that product quality is directly related to how good a farmer’s harvest, hemp strains, and drying techniques are. In many ways, hemp cigarette price and hemp flower price is much like weed prices.
Are Hemp Cigarettes Less Dangerous Than Tobacco?
Any smoking involved the potential intake of carcinogenic material. This is due to the fact that smoking involves combustion. At that heat, many compounds can become health dangers. Even vaping CBD and other materials at lower temperatures is not harm-free. Any sort of smoking can lead to airway irritation, coughing, and adverse effects. But to some people, the harm-reduction approach takes a priority.
Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Smoking and Tobacco Use: Health Effects. (2020 Feb). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Harm Reduction Perspectives and Smoking
That is to say, if vaping is even slightly less bad as smoking, there may be a benefit from that harm reduction. Likewise, some would say that smoking natural hemp cigarettes could expose them to fewer chemical dangers than cigarette tobacco contains.
Unlike a pack of cigarettes, you can actually download and view your hemp test results to see what is in them. You don’t always know what is in cigarette tobacco, but you can have a better understanding of what is in a pure hemp cigarette.
The term dangerous can really only be applied in a subjective sense. It is not known that hemp cigarettes are less dangerous than tobacco. However, the possibility that it is could be significant to those with the harm-reduction mentality. It can truly be hard to know if CBD cigarettes and hemp products are right for you without talking to a doctor or trying it for yourself.
Hemp Cigarettes and Quitting Smoking
Smoking has greatly declined over the years. Motivational campaigns, anti-tobacco campaigns, and the realization of its adverse health effect have helped move the cause to quit smoking and prevent people from starting. Over time, smoking has become less glamorized in the media and the cost of cigarettes has climbed. Smoking tobacco cigarettes has become an unattractive, unaffordable, and unhealthy habit for many.
How many? The CDC reports the following percentage of U.S. adults aged 18 years or older who were current cigarette smokers in 2018:
13.7% of all adults (34.2 million people): 15.6% of men, 12.0% of women
About 19 of every 100 people with mixed-race heritage (non-Hispanic) (19.1%)
Nearly 23 of every 100 non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives (22.6%)
Nearly 15 of every 100 non-Hispanic Blacks (14.6%)
About 15 of every 100 non-Hispanic Whites (15.0%)
Nearly 10 of every 100 Hispanics (9.8%)
About 7 of every 100 non-Hispanic Asians (7.1%)
Smoking & Tobacco Use: Fast Facts. (2019 Nov). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Are Pure Hemp Cigarettes Addictive Like Tobacco?
Tobacco cigarettes are highly addictive because of the compound nicotine. Many smokers want to quit, but this chemical dependence plus the physical habit make it extremely difficult. There are many types of products aimed at helping smokers quit. Many of these are FDA regulated smoking cessation devices and drugs.
Hemp cigarettes are not the same as those. They have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to be a smoking cessation device, drug, or therapy. They are an industrial hemp product. It does seem that some smokers have an interest in hemp cigarettes for similar motivations though. Ultimately, quitting smoking is very hard, and the long term effects of hemp are admittedly unknown.
If you are smoking just pure hemp cigarettes you still may face health harms, but how a person evaluates those harms cannot be controlled.
Smoking and Tobacco Statistics
In 2015, nearly 7 in 10 (68.0%) adult cigarette smokers wanted to stop smoking.
In 2018, more than half (55.1%) adult cigarette smokers had made a quit attempt in the past year.
More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking.
Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 7 million deaths per year. If the pattern of smoking all over the globe doesn’t change, more than 8 million people a year will die from diseases related to tobacco use by 2030.
Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including more than 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure. This is about one in five deaths annually, or 1,300 deaths every day.
Smoking & Tobacco Use: Fast Facts. (2019 Nov). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hemp Cigarettes as a Natural Agricultural Product
A lot of consideration is given to the legality of hemp and CBD. Likewise, many moral perspectives exist. But somewhere between science and spirituality, there is a holistic perspective. It would be legally precarious to call cannabis or hemp a natural remedy or folk medicine. However, a significant number of people do hold this view.
For some individuals, natural/home remedies are a preferred choice. This could be for any number of reasons that a person prioritizes over regulatory certifications. Simply put, some choose to trust individuals, small companies, or their own feelings over government regulators or medical advisors.
While this is not legally advisable, it is important to respect personal autonomy. That is why hemp cigarette companies must take the position that what you do with hemp products is your own business and your own personal responsibility. Hemp companies like Plain Jane love hemp and do feel that hemp can help people. How they share that view is restricted though.
Natural Remedy vs Dietary Supplement
Certain terms for “natural remedies” are legally protected and require regulatory compliance measures. Natural remedies must be distinguished from dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are a product that is held to regulatory standards. Natural remedies can be completely unregulated. This can lead to risks and dangers because you aren't guaranteed a safe or effective product.
Most herbal medicines still need to be studied scientifically, although the experience obtained from their traditional use over the years should not be ignored. As there is not enough evidence produced by common scientific approaches to answer questions of safety and efficacy about most of the herbal medicines now in use, the rational use and further development of herbal medicines will be supported by further appropriate scientific studies of these products, and thus the development of criteria for such studies. In this regard, WHO has issued guidelines for the assessment of herbal medicines.
Ajazuddin, S. S. (2012). Legal regulations of complementary and alternative medicines in different countries. Pharmacognosy reviews, 6(12), 154.
To be clear, hemp and CBD have not been classified by the FDA (as anything), except in the case of the pharmaceutical Epidiolex. In this way, CBD and hemp are similar to unregulated natural home remedies. They are likewise, not legally considered “traditional medicine,” “complementary medicine,” or “alternative medicine.” Though similar features may be noticed.
Cannabis as a Natural Remedy
Cannabis itself has a long history of use as a remedy. The plant itself has changed over time, and what was considered to be hemp or marijuana in the past is very different from the plants today. These genetic and physical changes have results both naturally, and from intentional plant breeding. Ethan B. Russo explains:
Cannabis sativa L. is possibly one of the oldest plants cultivated by man, but has remained a source of controversy throughout its history. Whether pariah or panacea, this most versatile botanical has provided a mirror to medicine and has pointed the way in the last two decades toward a host of medical challenges from analgesia to weight loss through the discovery of its myriad biochemical attributes and the endocannabinoid system wherein many of its components operate.
Russo, E. B. (2007). History of cannabis and its preparations in saga, science, and sobriquet. Chemistry & biodiversity, 4(8), 1614-1648.
History of Medical Cannabis
Russo (2007) goes on to explain that in Egypt, cannabis has remained in active use ever since pharaonic times. Since ancient times, Egyptians have administered cannabis by mouth,rectum, vagina, bandaged to the skin, applied to the eyes, and by fumigation. There are even special hieroglyphs to represent cannabis in medical-related papyrus documents.
Likewise, Russo (2007) reveals that ancient languages like Sanskrit, Chinese, Greek, Sumerian, and Hebrew all have their own words for cannabis. It was used mainly for fiber production in China, where low-THC hemp varieties arose. In the Middle East and Southeastern Asia, higher THC cannabis varieties eventually became recognized for their medicinal potential. It took a long time (historically) for cannabis to come into Western Europe and the Americas. William O’Shaughnessy played a major role in popularizing cannabis from India after observing its local medicinal uses.
There are many wonderful accounts of historical uses of hemp and cannabis for medical benefits. However, these observations and historic records are difficult to corroborate with modern requirements placed on substances that are classified as medicines. And certainly, the ancients were not smoking hemp cigarettes in the way people do today.
Final Thoughts on Hemp Cigarettes and Smokable CBD
Pure hemp cigarettes and smokable CBD are a very new product that are attracting interest from smokers and non-smokers alike. There are many perspectives to be considered when it comes to hemp and smokable CBD, and we hope that we have painted all of these in the most honest and accurate way. Hemp cigarettes are not for everybody and their safety and effectiveness cannot be claimed or guaranteed. However, some people have found that hemp products are what they are looking for- whatever their personal reasons may be.
