Everything you need to know about Kanna

With a recreational renaissance taking over the globe, more and more ancient herbal traditions are gaining popularity. One of the big new (old!) names is Cannabis. There are many misconceptions about this South African plant… Let's go over what you can learn about this amazing plant and how to use it properly!

What is Kanna?

Kanna, from Sceletium Tortuosum, is a succulent plant that is popular among the indigenous cultures of South Africa. It is usually dried in a special way, after which it can be chewed, smoked, vaporized, or snuffed.

Indigenous hunter-gatherer tribes primarily used this plant as an herb taken after combat, allowing warriors to better cope with depression, stress, fatigue, and anxiety following a violent battle.

What are the effects of Kanna?

The effects of Kanna are sometimes presented in a misleading way. It is therefore important that you know exactly what Kanna can do. There are two levels of effects. The first level is based on regular use, the second level on higher and more intoxicating doses.

Kanna, when used in moderate amounts, can potentially:

• Lift your mood
• Reduce anxiety
• Reduce span
• Minimize muscle tension
• Suppress appetite

Kanna usage in more excessive amounts can potentially:

• To cause euphoria
• Stimulate body and mind (later followed by sedation)
• Increase self-confidence
• Stimulating social behavior
• Increase sexual arousal
• Increase sensory sensitivity

As you can see in the list of effects, Kanna falls under euphorically stimulating substances. It is comparable to cocaine and/or MDMA, but much milder.

That being said, even though Kanna cannot be used as a hallucinogen on its own, and there are many more potent psychedelic herbs that are better suited for this purpose… there are reports of mild visions and meditative states being achieved when Kanna is mixed with cannabis Sativa, alcohol, or other substances.

When users decide to chew Kanna (or use it in another way) after smoking cannabis, it is known to enhance the effect. It is very important to note that Kanna is known to reduce the effects of tobacco, and may even suppress nicotine cravings. Therefore, we will discuss an interesting way to use Kanna in your joints later in this article!

How do you use Kanna?

There are many different ways to use Kanna, and for your convenience, we provide a brief introduction to how this beautiful herb can be used today.

Chew canna - this is the original way to use Kanna and it has been used by tribes for hundreds of years. When chewing, Kanna tends to function as a mild anesthetic for the mouth. Even though it was the easiest method, it is not very common nowadays, as not everyone likes the taste of Kanna. Furthermore, not everyone finds it ideal to be seen chewing on strange powders. Therefore, some contemporary users mix it with chewing gum, making it easier to chew Kanna disguised. 50-200mg should produce subtle effects, for stronger effects, chew 200-400 mg.

Take it under your tongue Sublingual use of Kanna is similar to chewing it. Some users simply place Kanna under their tongue. This way, the active ingredients are directly distributed through your bloodstream, bypassing the stomach and liver metabolic route. Simply place the desired amount of herb/extract in your mouth and hold it under your tongue. Just like with chewing Kanna, 50-150mg can produce subtle effects, 200-400mg will have mild effects, and you can increase the dose to 500-1000mg for a stronger experience.

Sniff Kanna – If you choose this method, make sure to use a fine powder extract and not just simple Kanna herbs. This method provides one of the fastest noticeable effects, but may not be suitable for everyone. If you don't mind and have experience with using different substances as snuff, you will likely enjoy the instant rush this herb can give you. This method is most commonly used by recreational Kanna users. Of course, as with all snuff substances, bleeding and/or nasal congestion may occur, which is why it is important to only snort Kanna after it has been ground into a fine powder. Start with 50 mg and learn how your body reacts to 100-150 mg. For strong effects, you can consider a dose of around 250 mg. This dose can be increased to 500 mg for super strong effects.

Drinking Kanna tea – Some people choose to drink Kanna tea, especially when trying to reduce their alcohol consumption. Most users describe Kanna tea as a “dirtier version of green tea,” so it's important to make the taste more palatable if you need to consume larger quantities of this stimulating liquid. It's important to note here that Kanna tea is one of the most diluted ways to use this herb, meaning you'll get the least effects when consuming Kanna in tea form. A single cup should contain 200-500mg for a basic drink, and consider 1-2g infusions for a more potent Kanna tea. We are aware that in some cases, you might feel dizzy if a quantity of 1g or more enters your stomach. We will discuss how to make the perfect Kanna tea later in this article!

Rook Kanna Mixing Kanna with tobacco, cannabis, and/or similar herbs and then smoking it is another way to use it. Be aware that Kanna alters the effects of the most common things we smoke (cannabis and tobacco), so start slowly and learn how the taste, effects, and overall experience feel to you before increasing and/or changing the amount of these ingredients. In the next paragraph, we will cover this topic more broadly!

Can weapons – even though it is potentially the least harmful way to consume this herb, make sure you have the right herb if you plan to experiment with vaping Kanna. Opt for dried herbs and not an extract (extracts are fine powders more commonly used as a snorter and can cause a mess in your vaporizer). Set your device to ~180-190 °C and get to know the effects with 25-50 mg before increasing the dosage. Expect the effects to be noticeable 4-5 minutes after vaping, depending on the dosage. Effects can be short-lived, so don't forget to bring some extra Kanna if you want the effects to last longer.

Caution! The dosages provided here represent raw Kanna herb consumption. If you plan to consume Kanna extracts (10x, 20x, 40x), the dosage should be reduced by the factor of the extract's potency. Therefore, if you want mild effects and would consider snorting 100mg of Kanna, this means you would only need 10mg of 10x Kanna Extract, 5mg of 20x Kanna Extract, or just 2.5mg of the strongest (but most popular) 40x Kanna Extract.

Smoking weed with cannabis or CBD?

Because Kanna can amplify or alter the effects of different cannabinoids, some experienced cannabis enthusiasts choose to mix Kanna with their joints for special occasions. Always ensure you use less cannabis and less Kanna than you are accustomed to when first experimenting with mixing these herbs. Start slowly and adjust the dosages next time based on your experiences!

Because Kanna is a natural SRI (Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor), it will affect your brain functions by increasing the amount of serotonin available to stimulate your nerves. Sceletium Tortuosum is not as strong as prescription antidepressants that fall into the same category, so it can be considered relatively safe when not combined with other SRIs, MAOIs, or very potent stimulants/hallucinogens.

We must conclude that using Kanna as a supplement in your joints can be a new and interesting experience. Kanna is often combined with strong Sativas, as a combination of the two can lead to mild visions.

Kanna is also sometimes used to reduce anxiety in cannabis smokers who experience unpleasant feelings of anxiety after smoking weed. For the most interesting experience, try mixing your CBD-rich cannabis with strong Sativa and Kanna. But we can't stress this enough: always start with the lowest possible dosages, and make sure you've tried each substance individually in much higher amounts before you 

How do you make Kanna tea?

Making a large batch of Kanna tea is certainly not rocket science, but first, you need to decide on the strength of the brew you are preparing. Consider 200-300 mg a subtle brew, 500 mg a moderately strong brew, and 800-1000 mg a strong brew... You can even make stronger teas than that, but this might come with the risk of feeling a bit nauseous or getting a mild headache. 

Take a saucepan or a small pot to brew your Kanna tea in. Add the desired amount of water, but don't forget that you'll be boiling the tea for ~15/20 minutes. So ~150% of the desired amount of water should be just right.

Heat the water slowly and add a little lemon juice as soon as it is warm. Not only will the lemon juice make the tea taste better, it can also make the Kanna tea more potent. 

When the water begins to boil, add the desired amount of Kanna herbs to the water and lower the temperature. Keep the temperature below boiling and let the water steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Remember to stir.

After boiling the Kanna herbs for 15-20 minutes, turn off the stove and pour the brew into a teapot or simply filter it with a sieve.

That's it! Now you can enjoy your Kanna tea. Be prepared to add some sweeteners, as not everyone can appreciate the taste. The best way to make the brew taste better is, of course, by adding some honey.

What is a Kanna extract?

Most products on the market are Kanna extracts. They are usually marked with 10x, 20x, and 40x, and the product name includes the word “extract.” These are isolates of the active compounds of Sceletium Tortuosum (Mesembrine, Tortuosamine, and Mesembrenone, among other alkaloids). Because the active compounds are highly concentrated, the extracts are extra potent. That is what the amount of X on the packaging represents. A 10x Kanna extract will be 10 times more potent than the actual Kanna herb. This means you need to use less actual mass of the substance to achieve the same effects, making these extracts easier to use recreationally without large quantities of dried herbs. For this reason, most users opt for the highest (40x) concentration of Kanna available, even if they are just trying it for the first time. Kanna is not a super potent plant, and dealing with more concentrated substances is not only easier but also allows users to better understand the benefits this beautiful plant can offer.

Possible side effects of Kanna?

Although side effects of Kanna are very rare, we will list some potential side effects:

• Headache
• More feelings of anxiety
• Irritation
• Mild nausea (not really vomiting)
• Insomnia (especially with late afternoon/evening use)
• Sedation (to counter this: take some more Kanna or just go to sleep)

It's important to note here that no serious consequences of using Kanna have been documented. In case of an overdose of Kanna, expect high blood pressure, palpitations, anxiety, headaches, and nausea. All of these effects will disappear fairly quickly if there are no pre-existing health conditions.

Finally, Sceletium Tortuosum is a Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SRI), which means you cannot combine Kanna with other SRIs or MAOIs. Therefore, never use Kanna in combination with prescription antidepressants (Prozac, Seroxat, Cipramil, Fevarin, etc.), and herbal SRIs/MAOIs such as Yohimbe, Syrian Rue (Peganum Harmala), Banisteriopsis Caapi, and especially: Passionflower (Passiflora Incarnata).

Despite various reports of Kanna's potential comedown properties, we do not recommend using it in combination with or as a follow-up to strong stimulants such as MDMA (ecstasy), cocaine, various amphetamines, and similar powerful psychoactive substances, as it carries very serious health risks.

History of Kanna?

Since Kanna has been used by hunter-gatherer tribes for centuries, there are various forms of use by different indigenous tribes throughout South Africa. Based on our current insights, it is safe to assume that most of these uses were aimed at gaining more focus and energy, while reducing anxiety and stress.

Kanna is related to various hunting traditions, war-related situations, and most tribes believed that this cocaine-like plant awakens your animal spirit. As Kanna can have euphoric properties, it was also used during depressive times filled with anxiety and worry (after battles).

After the Dutch arrived in South Africa and discovered the Sceletium Tortuosum plant, Kanna was first documented in 1662 by Jan van Riebeeck.

Our view on Kanna

Although Kanna is often referred to as “herbal coke” or “cocaine-like herb”... Kanna is a good stimulant and mood enhancer suitable for beginners who want subtler effects. Kanna can be a great way to intensify some experiences, whether or not mixed with other substances.

Even though Kanna is considered very safe when used alone, it is important that you always research combinations thoroughly before mixing the substance with other substances. Even then, it is very important to start with very low amounts of whatever you are taking, as the alkaloids found in Kanna will affect your serotonin neurotransmitters and also have other consequences for your nervous system.

Since Kanna is a purely natural stimulant and mood enhancer, it is important to experiment with it multiple times at various dosages and combinations (provided those combinations are not dangerous!) before deciding what Kanna can personally offer you.

Chew responsibly! ? Buy the highest quality Kanna? Find it in our online shop and order now!