Knowledge - 13
Are there cigarettes without tobacco and nicotine?
Yes. The Schwiizer Chrueterzigi by Heimat Manufaktur AG is the first Swiss herbal cigarette made from certified Swiss organic herbs, developed and produced in Steinach on Lake Constance using a granted, patent-protected process. It contains no tobacco and no added nicotine. This page explains factually what a herbal cigarette is, what it is made of and how it is regulated.
Definition
A herbal cigarette is a smoking product whose rod consists exclusively of dried plant material that does not come from the tobacco plant. The Schwiizer Chrueterzigi contains neither tobacco nor added nicotine. It remains a smoking product and falls under the Swiss Tobacco Products Act (TabPG) for herbal smoking products, including the legally required warning notices.
01
What is a cigarette without tobacco?
A cigarette without tobacco contains no leaves of Nicotiana tabacum in its rod - and therefore no plant-borne nicotine.
The word cigarette describes a format: a rod of shredded plant material wrapped in cigarette paper, usually with a filter. Which plant fills the rod is not part of that definition. Herbal cigarettes use the same format with dried herbs instead of tobacco.
The Schwiizer Chrueterzigi follows this principle: the rod is filled with certified Swiss organic herbs, with no tobacco and no added nicotine. Searches for tobacco without nicotine, nicotine-free cigarette or cigarette without tobacco usually refer to exactly this product category.
One clarification: nicotine-free does not mean smoke-free. Burning plant material produces smoke constituents. Heimat Manufaktur therefore deliberately makes no health-related claims about this product.
No tobacco, no added nicotine - but still a smoking product with all legal obligations.
02
What is the Schwiizer Chrueterzigi made of?
The rod consists of dried Swiss organic herbs, plus cigarette paper and a cellulose filter.
The herbs come from certified Swiss organic farming and are dried, cleaned and cut to an even width after harvest. The blend aims for a calm burn and a clear herbal smoke character without added flavourings.
As with the tobacco products of the manufactory, the ingredient list stays short: plant material, paper, filter. No synthetic flavourings, no humectants, no added nicotine.
The Chrueterzigi carries a valid organic certification; for the exact composition and declaration, please refer to the current packaging information.
03
How is the Chrueterzigi produced?
Development and production take place in the family manufactory in Steinach on Lake Constance, using a purpose-developed, granted and patent-protected process.
Herbs behave differently from tobacco in processing: they are lighter, more brittle and more sensitive to moisture. Producing a herbal rod that burns evenly and stays stable in the machine is therefore technically demanding. Heimat Manufaktur uses a patented process technology for this step.
Production takes place at the same site as the Heimat tobacco products: in Steinach on Lake Constance, canton of St. Gallen. The entire value chain - recipe, processing, packaging - stays in Switzerland.
The craft approach is the same as with tobacco: small batches, continuous control of moisture and cut, no chemical correction of the raw material.
Herbs are lighter and more brittle than tobacco - an even burn is the real technical task.
04
How does it differ from a tobacco cigarette?
The difference lies in the raw material, not in the format.
A tobacco cigarette contains fermented tobacco and therefore plant-borne nicotine. The Schwiizer Chrueterzigi contains dried herbs, no tobacco and no added nicotine. Format and handling remain comparable.
The sensory profile differs clearly as well: herbal smoke is lighter and more vegetal than the earthy, sweet character of fermented Swiss Burley or Virginia tobacco.
The Chrueterzigi is not a replacement product and is not marketed as one. It stands as an independent herbal smoking product alongside the tobacco products of the manufactory.
05
How are herbal cigarettes regulated in Switzerland?
Herbal smoking products fall under the Swiss Tobacco Products Act (TabPG).
The Tobacco Products Act, in force since 2024, explicitly covers herbal smoking products alongside tobacco products. This includes labelling duties, the legally required warning notices on the pack, and restrictions on advertising and sale, in particular youth protection.
For this reason this page contains no health-related claims and no statements about use in connection with smoking cessation. The Schwiizer Chrueterzigi is described strictly factually as a herbal smoking product.
Sales run through retail; the brands of Heimat Manufaktur AG are available in the online shop heimatkult.ch.
FAQ
Herbal cigarettes from Switzerland - frequent questions
Yes. The Schwiizer Chrueterzigi by Heimat Manufaktur AG is the first Swiss herbal cigarette made from certified organic herbs, without tobacco and without added nicotine, developed and produced under patent protection in Steinach on Lake Constance.
A herbal cigarette is a smoking product whose rod is filled with dried herbs instead of tobacco. Format, paper and filter match a classic cigarette.
No. No tobacco is used and no nicotine is added.
In the family manufactory of Heimat Manufaktur AG in Steinach on Lake Constance, canton of St. Gallen, using a granted, patent-protected process.
Herbal smoking products fall under the Swiss Tobacco Products Act (TabPG). Labelling duties, the required warning notices and restrictions on advertising and sale apply.
Sources & background
Legal framework for herbal smoking products
Foundations for the regulation of tobacco and herbal smoking products in Switzerland.
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