DIY alternatives?

[judcasper]

A couple of things. If I'm starting too many threads let me know. I tend to be a bit keen when new to a forum.
Also, let me stress I'm not fishing for 'legal highs' here. I did some youtubing on DIY tobacco alternatives and was quite surprised how little turned up - maybe there's a reason for that
Anyway among the usual herbal alternatives available online, I only found a couple who were making stuff themselves - usually from a blend of smokable herbs (or 'Erbs as you Americans say ). One guy collected blackberry leaves, let them dry, and then cooked them in a frying pan with some honey-infused water. The video cuts off just as he's about to drag on his concoction, but again maybe there's a reason for that too.
So, if the idea isn't utterly deplorable to you seasoned pipe smokers, do any of you know of any easy-to-make alternatives to tobacco?

 

[haparnold]

Probably not much use to you in the UK, but there's a plant colloquially known as Rabbit Tobacco here in the southern US, and I've heard of people drying the leaves and smoking them.

I think Embers has some experience with Kinnikinnick and other stuff, hopefully he'll chime in.

 

[artvandelay007]

Blasphemy!

 

[judcasper]

Thanks, Hap.

Blasphemy!

I know. I'm sorry. It's more born out of curiosity than something I would seriously consider.

 

[loneredtree]

Hap. Looks like what we call out here Flannel Mullen.

 

[hawky454]

Looks like what we called “Indian Toilet Paper”. Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with that phrase nor do I condone its use, this was back in the 80’s when I lived in Northern AZ. Today the proper term would be, “Native American Toilet Paper”. I probably still offended someone somewheres out theres.

 

[spartacus]

<br />

 

[spartacus]

[Looks like what we called “Indian Toilet Paper]
It' still called that in Northern AZ.

 

[macaroon]

Mullein is the most common alternative I've heard of. The leaves of raspberry, black raspberry (and their close relatives), mugwort, coltsfoot, and others have also been used. There are a decent number of results from searching "smokable herbs" on ye olde interwebs. I've not tried any of them myself, but I have a friend who likes to mix mullein, raspberry and maybe one other in with his *ahem* "wacky" tobaccy to smooth out the smoke a bit. So I'm guessing many of the popular smokable herbs are less harsh than tobacco, but the flavors may be milder or more neutral?

 

[chilllucky]

There are some links to articles and a discussion of this in the "what did Indians smoke" thread. Mullien comes up there, too.

 

[hawky454]

Spartacus, that’s nice to know that they still call it that, I thought that name would have been long gone by now.