Herbal cigarettes are an alternative to traditional tobacco products, as they contain no tobacco or nicotine, but do contain harmful chemicals such as tar and carbon monoxide. Some of them have a distinctive flavor, but not all brands are equally safe. Experts assert that herbal cigarettes are not a healthy alternative to tobacco smoking, as they also contain harmful components.
According to the National Cancer Institute in the USA, herbal cigarettes consist of a mixture of flowers, herbs, and other natural ingredients. For instance, flavors of vanilla, honey, or rose, regardless of their appeal, also carry risks. Certain types of these alternative cigarettes, such as cigarettes with clove aroma or with honey, as well as kaljan, pose health risks.
Dr. Ellen Rome from the Cleveland Clinic warns about the risks associated with the use of kaljan, asserting that it is not a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes. A session of kaljan smoking over an hour can mean inhaling 100-200 times more smoke than from smoking one cigarette.
Cigarettes with honey, according to the National Cancer Institute in the USA, are made from the leaves of the Asian tobacco plant or unprocessed tobacco leaf. They contain less tobacco but more nicotine, specifically 3-5 times more than in regular cigarettes. Alternative products with honey aroma, such as fruity or chocolate, do not require special filtration.
It is worth noting that critics, representing which include cloves mixed tobacco and clove oil, also contain substances capable of causing cancer and addiction. Kaljan, in turn, is not a form of cigarette but a device for smoking, which has been used for centuries. It is heated with coals, and even if plant components are used instead of tobacco, kaljan still carries risks of harmful substances that can cause cardiac arrest.
