Green tea cigarette: is it safe?

A tea cigarette made from green tea leaves. It has no nicotine. Yet is its consumption safe? Click here and learn more at Eat Innovation.

Billy 55, a new company, has developed a tea cigarette, made with green tea leaves. The creator, Ranko Tutulugdzija, claims to have many cases of patients who would like to quit smoking in a natural way. So he developed this product which is consumed for decades in Vietnam.

The idea is that the smoker has the same feeling of smoking, but without the presence of nicotine. This would lessen the guilt and would increase the motivation to stop the addiction. He also advises to combine the product to acupuncture sessions with mustard seeds.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) of the United States gave no opinion on the product. Experts say there are no studies proving the effectiveness of the method. And more: on smoking with nicotine the body releases dopamine, which is the chemical released by the brain and plays a number of roles, including pleasure and reward. Without nicotine, the abstinence crisis is the same. The simple act of smoking whatever substance, is in itself, harmful to the health of the lungs. It implies the absorption of polluted air with carbon monoxide. Therefore, it is recommended to deal with the lack of cigarette with chewing gum, cinnamon sticks or other than smoke-free device.

In the United States the cigarette of green tea is being marketed almost with medicinal status. In Portugal the government tries to stop the fake traffic. Yes, fake traffic exists. Bay leaves and other herbs pressed and sold as if they were hashish. Instead of criminalising the sale of spice posing as drug-pressed, Portuguese are losing the opportunity to open a competition to the cigarette of green tea!

If you still want to try it, buy it here: BILLY 55 Green Tea Herbal Cigarettes, 4 pack Sampler -Non Tobacco – Non Nicotine Cigarette Alternatives – (All 4 packs of Regular flavor)

References: Time, Jornal de Notícias, Doce Erva, Dermatologia.net