White Willow – Smoking Willow Bark – Risks – Effects – Using Red Willow – Getting High – Conclusion
What Is White Willow Bark
Willow bark is what is growing around the willow tree. It has for a very long time been cultivated both for the medicinal uses it contains but also the beauty of the tree. It’s generally referred to as a relatively hardy tree, making it easy to keep around.
The practice of using willow bark for smoking has been around for quite some time, although the scale of doing this is still quite small. The willow family has several prominent different varieties, all with their own unique flavor and characteristics when used for smoking.
The most popular variety being the white willow. But there are also black, crack and purple willow trees out there, not grown at the same scale however. The wide use for willow bark for medicinal uses is because the bark contains something called salicin, which is a chemical. This has similar properties and effects to aspirin. It gives relief when you have either pain or a fever.
Smoking Willow Bark And The Benefits
Smoking the willow bark is meant to activate these chemicals, such as salicin. The willow bark needs to be broken down into smaller pieces so you can roll the cigarette filled properly.
Some of the benefits of smoking willow bark will be back pain relief, osteoarthritis, fever, flu and even muscle pains. Using the willow bark in the way of smoking is not the most common, but it does get the job done.
Some of the more specialty things the willow bark can help with is lower back pain. You will see a greater effect the large amount you are taking. But the effect might not be as immediate as you would have hoped. It can sometimes take up to a week even.
We should also mention that whenever you are igniting something and inhaling smoke, you are also inhaling carbon monoxide. That is what is increasing the risk for cancer. Small particles in the smoke will get stuck in your lungs and eventually cause respiratory issues.
The Risks Of Willow Bark
There are risks that come with inhaling willow bark when either smoking it or making tea from it. The bark contains salicin, which basically is aspirin. So we strongly recommend that you talk to a professional before using this.
There is a risk the willow bark can interact negatively with other medicines if you are taking some. But it can also risk setting your body up in a bad state if you are going in for an operation or something similar.
Effects Of Willow Bark Smoking
Apart from helping with back pain and in general pain relief, smoking willow bark can also help with other things. The willow bark, be that from the white or red variety, has long been made into teas. This tea has then been used to help with headaches and migraines.
If you have a cough or fever then willow bark tea can be a great option. But since herbal cigarettes are becoming more and more popular these days then including some willow bark in there might be a good idea.
It has even been reported that smoking or making tea from willow bark has helped with nausea. It can help relieve some of the uncomfortable feeling. But a really interesting thing which the bark can help with is for eye and ear infections. A home remedy is to chew some of the bark in order to speed up the recovery process, note that there hasn’t been any concrete research proving this theory.
Smoking And Using Red Willow Bark
Using red willow bark or white willow bark all comes down to the same thing more or less. You will need the bark and then start to pick it down into smaller pieces. You will then roll this dried bark into a roll, preferable with other dried herbs or plants.
Smoking and only using the bark will help you with pain relief, but getting some of the benefits that smoking other plants has is also very good. Like sage for instance, smoking this plant will help with getting rid of anxiety and calming your nerves.
Will Smoking Willow Bark Get You High
You will not be getting high from smoking willow bark. Unfortunately perhaps, but the bark does not contain any psychoactive properties which gets activated when igniting it.
But it does have a similar effect to aspirin, which in high doses can have a very numbing effect on the body. But in the case of smoking willow bark, you are not very likely to get to the necessary amount to start getting that feeling.
Conclusion And Summary
The conclusion for smoking willow bark should be that it certainly has some really beneficial properties that can be helpful. It has often been reported that smoking or making tea from willow bark. This can help with pain relief.
The willow bark actually contains a chemical that’s called salicin. This has a similar effect to aspirin. So if you are ever getting a headache or a fever, then finding some willow bark and making some tea or rolling a cigarette might be the perfect remedy.
But as with smoking anything then you are introducing carbon monoxide into your body. This is something which can greatly increase the risk of getting cancer. But the small particles in the smoke will scratch and harm your lungs and eventually cause respiratory issues.
Additional Information
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