I just read all thats been going on in this thread.I dont like the taste either, it taste like cotton balls to me.I think it was acolon_5, who'm earlier said to mix it w/ an herb, and he couldnt be more right.Swim used to put a layer of ashes just over the screen of his bubbler pipe and then another layer of ashes over the spice to protect from any contact w/ direct flame.Swim recently used the same technique w/ parsley.Swim and his friends could hardly taste any spice (could only smell it in the air).Also that particular batch of spice, swim went to legnthy efforts to make sure it was white and clean from any other oils or substances which tend to make the smoking a lttle more harsh.swim would atleast try ang get the spice as clean as possible (if it isnt already) and try it w/ parsley w/ a bubbler pipe.If swiy is using a straight bowl it gonna hit much harder.I would try the other steps before the anal method,which might be a better method for swiy.Asians used to stick opium and let it dissolve in there bumb (i guess they were tired of the old pain in the ass  :lol stupid joke.swiy is on an ssri aswell,right?