Many people wonder about the effects and safety of smoking tea, so before you do, it is important to understand the risks involved.
Is Smoking Tea Bad for You?
While people have been smoking different types of teas for thousands of years, it has recently come back into popularity, due to its legality and the ease of access. Smoking tea leaves do have a psychoactive effect in some cases and can make you feel high, partly because of the caffeine in tea, and partly because of the other active ingredients and nutrients in this globally popular substance. Smoking a tea can get you high, largely because of the combustion process, which produces carbon dioxide, depriving the brain of oxygen. While some people report an energized feeling from smoking tea, others say that it can cause grogginess and headaches, among other side effects. [1]
Smoking Tea Effects
The short-term side effects of smoking a tea can be pleasant, particularly for someone looking for a cheap and easy high, but there are more serious side effects. After the initial rush of pleasure from smoking tea, it can result in vomiting, headaches, and withdrawal symptoms, since your body will crave more of the chemicals in the tea.
Even smoking healthy varieties, such as green tea, still involves smoking carbon-based plants, which can cause a carcinogenic release in the body. In some cases, this can be countered by the antioxidants that you are also inhaling, but the long-term damage to your respiratory system is not worth the temporary, but potentially pleasurable effects. [2]