How to Smoke Weed

The history of smoking weed goes back to the ancient times. In fact, weed smoking pipes are the oldest form of consuming marijuana, with evidence being discovered in 2,500-year-old tombs in peaks of western China, Asia.

Today, more than 158 million people worldwide regularly smoke weed, making it the world’s most popular cannabis consumption method. Smoking is also arguably the simplest way to consume weed, as all you need is some flower, a pipe, and a lighter to smoke weed from a pipe.

But the process of smoking weed has evolved beyond the archetypal weed pipes. There are many different ways to smoke weed to enjoy its psychoactive properties. Here are all ways to smoke weed in popular culture:

Joints

Also referred to as doobs, joints are small, sophisticated, and portable. They are a fundamental part of cannabis culture and arguably the most common way to smoke weed. A joint typically consists of ground-up cannabis packed into a thin rolling paper that’s usually made from natural fibers extracted from flax, rice, or hemp.

Although most rolling papers are usually white, novelty papers come in different colors and flavors, such as cherry, grape, and chocolate. Papers also feature varying sizes from large, medium, and small. You can choose to add a crutch or a filter at the mouthpiece end of your joint to increase its stability and avoid burning your fingertips when smoking.

How to Roll and Smoke a Joint:

Joints (pre-rolls) are readily available in almost all dispensaries. But if you’re feeling a bit crafty, here’s how to roll a joint:

• Grind cannabis flower into smaller particles using a weed grinder or your fingers. Be sure to remove any seeds/stems.
• Buy pre-made crutches at any smoke shop or make one using a thick paper or cardboard. Cut out a rectangle-shaped strip of cardboard and fold it into an accordion style to make a filter/tip.
• Hold the rolling paper lengthwise and position the filter where you want the mouthpiece to be. Spread the small weed particles throughout the rolling paper without overstuffing.
• Using your thumb and index finger, pinch the rolling paper into a taco shape and evenly distribute the weed. Roll the paper into a tube or cylinder shape and lick the sticky side of the paper, then seal the joint.
• Light up one end of the joint and inhale through the mouthpiece end.

Blunts

Blunts are another iconic way to smoke weed. A blunt is simply cannabis rolled with a cigar or tobacco wrap. You can think of it as a cigar that has been hollowed out and filled with ground weed. Blunts are larger and last longer than your typical joint, giving you the most bang for your buck.

Blunts also provide an enhanced buzz and energy to your weed  ‘high’ since you’re smoking tobacco and weed simultaneously. Like joints, blunts are also available at the dispensary or grocery store, and they come in different flavors, including berry, mango, and grape.

Here’s how to roll and smoke a blunt:

• Break down your cannabis flower using a grinder and remove any seeds/stems
• You can buy flavored blunt wraps or use a blade to cut open a cigar lengthwise, empty the tobacco, and use the wrap.
• Dip your finger in some water and moisten the wrap before filling it evenly with the weed.
• Pinch the cigar warp using your thumb and index finger, roll it into a cylinder shape, and seal it.
• Light up your blunt and enjoy.

Bong

Also referred to as water pipes, bongs have quickly become one of the most popular ways to smoke weed. Bongs are filtration devices used for smoking weed. Although they are available in all sizes and shapes, all bongs do the same thing – they use water to filter and cool the smoke coming from the burning weed before you can inhale it into your lungs.

Unlike the harsh smoke that you inhale when smoking a joint or a blunt, bongs produce a smoother, cooler, and creamy toke. The water in the bong filters out any ash, tar, and other bad stuff in the smoke. Hence bongs are thought to be a healthier smoking method. Even so, it’s important to note that bongs may not effectively eliminate all toxins.

Here’s how to smoke from a bong:

• Pour clean water into the chamber and ensure the bottom of the downstem is submerged.
• Grind your weed and lightly pack the small bowl with the ground up weed.
• Put your mouth on the mouthpiece and use a lighter to light up the weed in the bowl. Meanwhile, you should inhale the resulting smoke into your lungs.
• Once the bong chamber is filled with smoke, remove the bowl from the downstem and inhale the smoother, cooler smoke.

Pipes

Other than being a classy way to smoke weed, pipes are limitlessly customizable. While you can buy a glass pipe at the smoke shop, you can also make banana, mango, apple, or even pineapple pipe at home. On top of that, pipes are incredibly easy to use.

Some pipes are very basic, consisting of a small bowl that holds weed and a mouthpiece from which you inhale. Others may have a small carb hole next to the bowl. You should cover and uncover this hole with your finger when smoking in order to clear the pipe of smoke.

Here’s how to smoke from a pipe

• Break down your flower using a grinder and loosely pack the bowl with the crushed weed. Pack the bowl about halfway – packing too much or too little weed will make it hard to take a hit.
• Light up the dry weed and inhale via the mouthpiece.
• If your pipe has a carb hole, cover it with your finger as you light the weed, allowing smoke to build up in the pipe. Remove your finger from the carb hole as you inhale to clear the pipe of smoke.

Dabbing

Dabbing involves inhaling vapors from cannabis concentrates and extracts. Concentrates contain very high levels of THC, producing a powerful mix of intense, hard-hitting effects and cerebral highs. Although dabbing is best left to seasoned cannabis users, using a bad rig is very straightforward;

• Apply a tiny amount of your cannabis concentrate directly onto the dab tool.
• Heat the nail using a blow torch until it becomes red, and wait bout 8-10 seconds before moving on to the next step.
• Touch the small amount of concentrate on the dab tool against the hot nail and slowly inhale the vapor through the mouthpiece.

Other Ways to Smoke Weed

One-Hitter

As the name suggests, a one-hitter is a small pipe that holds just that – one hit of weed. A one-hitter only offers one solid hit, making it ideal for those looking to take the edge off stress or anxiety.

Spliff

A spliff is similar to a joint in that it is made using a rolling paper and a crutch. However, unlike a joint, a spliff has tobacco and weed mixed together. Spliffs typically contain more tobacco than a joint; hence they offer an even more energetic buzz to your cannabis’ high.’

Bubbler

A bubbler is similar to a bong, only it’s more compact in size. It is a small water pipe featuring a water chamber, bowl, stem, and mouthpiece. Unlike the removable bowl in a bong, bubblers have a fixed bowl for holding cannabis.

Just like a bong, all you need to do is fill the chamber with water, lightly fill the bowl with dry weed, ignite the weed, and then inhale via the mouthpiece. The water filters and purifies the smoke before it hits your lung, making bubblers a safer way to smoke weed than pipes.

The Bottom Line

As seen above, there are many ways to smoke weed to enjoy its psychoactive and medicinal effects. However, each method discussed in this guide has its pros and cons, and your ideal method boils down to personal preference. If you’re a novice, just remember to start with a small amount and go slow to avoid overwhelming or undesirable effects.