Does mixing Cannabis with Tobacco Increase Addiction Risks?

Does mixing cannabis with tobacco increase addiction risks?

Ever wondered how people who don’t smoke cigarettes manage when it comes to smoking a joint or spliff?

Have people become addicted to smoking after their introduction to tobacco came through smoking joints?

How do people who have given up smoking cigarettes manage to kick the habit and still smoke a joint without starting to smoke again?

Is there a ‘healthier’ alternative, a nicotine-free option?

To begin with, let’s look at why cannabis and tobacco are such common bedfellows.

It has long been assumed that tobacco is such a good ‘partner’ for cannabis for several reasons.
First, it enables you to get a full, rewarding ‘smoke’ that you don’t get with hash alone.

Second, it helps to ‘dilute’ the strength of the toke, meaning that you can ease yourself into a high rather than have one hit you like a brick wall out of the blue.

Third, the combination of the two flavours tend to work well together, like strawberries and cream, ham and eggs, champagne and cavi… - well you get out drift.

The problem is that tobacco contains nicotine, which is a remarkably addictive drug, and hence why smokers find it incredibly hard to stop.

The next problem is that there is very little research into the relationship between cannabis and tobacco. There definitely isn’t any research into the number of people who became addicted to smoking cigarettes as a result of smoking joints.

There has been some research, though not conclusive, that reveals that a certain brain state can be achieved from smoking tobacco and cannabis concomitantly (that means together!)

What research has shown is that cannabis is a drug that has minimal addictive qualities, though that is still under investigation. There are cases of cannabis use disorder (CUD), but that may be connected not to any addictive qualities, but purely the levels of pleasure derived from smoking cannabis.

So, while there is little information around regarding the downside of smoking cannabis with tobacco, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t explore alternatives just to minimise any risk of addiction.

Tobacco substitutes have included Kanna, Damiana, Lavender, marshmallow leaves and roots, and some even use tea, though that can best be described as an acquired taste.

Obviously, You could always just stick to rolling hash on its own in a joint, sticking to cannabis resin smoked in a chillum pipe or through a bong, or going down the edibles route with hash brownies or cannabis cookies, but what do you think about mixing cannabis with tobacco?

Does it get you addicted to cigarettes? We’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter in the comment section below.