Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced weed smoker, knowing all the rules and different ways to smoke weed is essential if you want to enjoy your pot sessions fully. Learning how to smoke or consume weed is not as hard as you may think, but it’s important to understand that there are many things to smoke weed out of, and each one is different.
The worst-case scenario is that you won’t get high if you don’t smoke your stuff properly. Moreover, you’ll most likely be able to legally enjoy recreational marijuana in Canada by the summer of 2018, so you might be interested in all the best ways to smoke weed. In this article, you’re going to find all the basic methods of consuming marijuana so that you can get the most of your herbal experience.
Indica or Sativa?
There are two main types of marijuana strains: sativa and indica. Although many hybrids and sub-strands are available on the market, the most important thing is to know the difference between sativa and indica.
Sativas usually have lower amounts of THC – the main active compound of cannabis – but these strains are richer in CBD, the other major cannabinoid. Because of such levels of these compounds, sativas tend to increase energy and give a more creative vibe while reducing anxiety and stress.
Indicas have higher amounts of THC, but they also tend to have lower levels of CBD, which means they tend to give a calming state of mind while boosting your appetite.
As mentioned before, there are also hybrid strains, and these have many characteristics associated with both indicas and sativas, but they vary in terms of their effects.
How to Inhale Weed Properly
Before you learn all the different ways to smoke weed, it’s important to find out how to inhale pot properly. It may be tricky for those who never smoked before to bring the smoke deep into the lungs, as many first-timers tend to hold the smoke in their mouth.
To inhale properly, there is only one thing you need to do: take a deep and slow breath. You should feel how the smoke travels down straight into your lungs. If you don’t feel anything similar to that, there is a chance you’re not inhaling properly. It’s recommended to “push” the smoke with a little bit of fresh air, so the second you stop breathing in the smoke, try to bring in some air at the end of taking this deep breath. After that, it will be a lot easier to inhale.
There is a myth spread by many stoners that you should hold in the smoke for a short period of time, but you should know this particular technique comes with hardly any benefits. On the contrary, inhaling deeply should give you everything you need, as all the active compounds in marijuana get into our system within the first seconds after breathing in the smoke.
One of the most common mistakes among newbies is swallowing the smoke, which may be the reason for vomiting or upset stomach. So keep these tips in mind and try not to swallow the smoke into your stomach.
How to Reduce Burning Throat and Coughing
If you’re a rookie marijuana enthusiast, chances are you’re going to cough when you smoke for the first time. Many novices are afraid of their first time with a real hit, as they are not prepared for the feeling of marijuana smoke getting into their lungs. Therefore, it’s important to learn how to reduce these symptoms to get used to it and fully enjoy smoking weed. Fortunately, there are plenty of tricks you can do to deal with burning throat and coughing. First of all, it’s best to start with as small hits as possible; even if it sounds too obvious, it’s critical for taming the smoke. Don’t challenge yourself to take bigger hits – you must gain experience and learn how to inhale weed properly before you start competing on the volume of smoke exhaled during one smoking session. Keep in mind that the more experienced you are, the more swollen hits you can stand without a cough.
If you’re about to smoke weed for the first time, consider using a tool that requires water for filtration. However, bong may be too intense for a newbie, so it’s best to choose a bubbler, which is basically a small pipe that you fill with water. Why is water so important when it comes to smoking pot? First, the smoke is really warm or hot; thus, there are chances you’ll burn your throat. Second, water cools the smoke, but it also helps filter the unwanted substances in it.
Last but not least, don’t try to smoke again while you’re already dealing with a sore throat – you don’t want things to get worse. Instead, take a glass of cold water and relax for a while before you take the next hit.
Different Ways to Smoke Weed
After choosing your type of marijuana strain, it’s time to select the right tool for the job. When it comes to finding the best way to smoke weed, it’s important to know the differences between them to find the one that will be perfect for you.
How to Smoke a Joint
This is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you’re wondering “how to smoke pot,” This method is considered the easiest way to smoke weed. It’s a perfect choice for novices, because it’s simple and cheap, which means you won’t have to spend a lot of money on a tool. However, if you’re looking for an effective and convenient method to smoke marijuana, you should learn how to smoke weed in a joint. All you need to enjoy your weed is some rolling papers, tips, a grinder, and of course, weed. But the question is: how to roll a joint?
Step 1: Choose your papers and tips
Start by picking your rolling papers. There are rice, cellulose, flax, hemp rolling papers and more, but the most important thing is to choose the thinner ones, as these will smoke evenly. Papers come in various sizes, but the two most popular are king-size or 1¼ rolling papers – they’re perfect for a solo smoking session. However, if you plan to share your joint with some friends, it’s best to choose king-size papers. Tips are made of semi-thick cardboard that you should roll into a base of a joint; most of the time, it will form the shape of the cylinder. Moreover, you’ll be able to roll a stable joint and prevent your stuff from getting into your mouth while smoking.
Step 2: Grinding
Now is the time to grind your weed. Simply put, break it down into small pieces. You can use a grinder or break your pot down by hand or with a pair of scissors. However, it’s best to invest in a grinder to break your pot down in a while.
Step 3: Roll the joint
Grab a filter tip and a rolling paper, placing the tip at one end of the paper before you fill the whole thing with ground weed. Now, spread your stuff across the rolling paper and delicately roll your joint up and down, holding the whole thing with your thumbs on each end. The ground marijuana should take on a cylindrical shape as you continue to roll the stuff as tight as possible. At the very end, top the joint with more marijuana or twist it before lighting up.
Step 4: Smoke your joint
You may think that making a joint is the trickiest part, but truth to be said, lighting it may be a true pain in the neck for a newbie. It’s important to light the joint evenly to avoid an uneven burn, also known as a “canoe.” Once you light your joint, you can puff it. Inhale the smoke but remember to breathe in some fresh air between one puff and another to balance while smoking.
How to Smoke a Blunt
Smoking a blunt and smoking a joint is pretty much the same thing, but if you can start with a joint first, it’s all the better. There are few main differences between both of these methods of smoking weed. First of all, a joint is smaller, while a blunt is perfect if you want to enjoy your weed with a group of people. On top of that, to roll a blunt, you need to add some tobacco to it, which makes it harsher on the throat while smoking. As for the steps to rolling a blunt, these are the same as for rolling a joint, so you can feel free to do it the same way – with a slight difference in the volume of your ‘artwork.’
How to Smoke Weed From a Pipe
If you’re looking for a way to smoke weed that will be perfect for a few hits shared with friends, consider smoking the herb out of a bowl, also known as a pipe. However, if you want to take just one hit, choosing a glass bowl is the best way to smoke weed. Glass pipes come in a wide range of colours and shapes, but the most common type is a spoon. So let’s follow these two easy steps to learn how to smoke weed from a glass bowl properly:
Step 1: Grind your weed and fill the bowl
First of all, you should use a grinder or break down your buds with your fingers to get smaller pot pieces. If you grind your weed properly, it will gain volume, and it will be a lot easier to keep it lit. Plus, your pot will burn more evenly. Be careful not to grind your stuff into a powder, as it may fall through the hole in your bowl. Once the material is ground, it’s time to fill the glass pipe with your stuff. Keep in mind not to overpack your bowl, as it will be harder to smoke it. It’s best to pack another one if you feel like having some crazy cravings.
Step 2: Smoke and repeat
Once you have your pipe packed, it’s time to light it up. Place your finger over the small hole in your pipe (people call it a carb) and spark it. Now, you should take off the thumb from the pipe to bring in the air before you inhale the white smoke. When the weed stays light on its own, you can breathe in and inhale. Repeat this step until you run out of weed in your glass bowl. Don’t forget to dump the ash out before you fill your pipe with more marijuana. Keep in mind that packing your bowl more loosely will allow you to get a more even burn.
Many stoners worry about the butane released while using a lighter, but for smoking, a bowl, lighters are best.
But how to light weed without a lighter? It’s best to keep a hemp wick, the safest and ecological solution if you don’t want to inhale butane. To avoid clogging your glass pipe, it’s important to clean it regularly by dipping the tool in boiling water, alcohol or other cleaning product.
How to Smoke Weed in a Bong
In terms of smoking weed, there is no THE best option, as it all depends on your level of experience, but smoking pot out of a bong is one of the most terrific ways to enjoy this beautiful plant. However, it may be a bit too intense for beginners, so it’s best to consider other methods if you’re about to smoke weed for the first time. Although bongs may look complicated with all the perks and additional tools available, smoking weed out of them isn’t that difficult. In fact, the method is similar to smoking a glass pipe, but to use a bong, you need to fill it with some water. Here is how to smoke weed in a regular glass bong:
Step 1: Fill the bong with water
Water will turn the smoke into a beautiful, milky cloud. Pour it through the mouthpiece of your bong, and remember to fill every chamber with water if your tool has more than one. It’s crucial to pour enough water to make it bubbling while smoking weed.
Step 2: Grind your pot and pack the bowl
This is an easy step – take a grinder or use your hands and break down your weed into smaller pieces, keeping in mind not to turn it into a powdery consistency. You don’t want your pot to sink in your bong. Fortunately, you can purchase a glass or metal screen that won’t allow your pot to fall through the bowl to prevent such situations. Once you have your bong filled with water and the pot is ground, it’s time to pack the bowl with your material. Take some ground buds between your fingers and fill the hole of the bowl with them.
Step 3: Light it up
Take a lighter or a hemp stick and spark your pot, keeping your mouth on the mouthpiece of your bong. Now start lighting the bowl while inhaling, but do it slowly to save the capacity of your lungs. Don’t stop inhaling until you see the white smoke filled your bong.
Step 4: Take the hit
Once you get enough white smoke, it’s time to take the first hit. Clear the bong while inhaling cannabis right after removing the bowl. It’s a matter of seconds for the smoke to disappear from the bowl. As you exhale, you should already feel the biggest high you’ve ever had, as smoking weed out of a bong gives a very intense experience, and it happens a lot sooner than after smoking a joint or pipe. Don’t forget to clean your bong thoroughly after using it, especially if you want to enjoy smooth hits every single time the magic lamp is at hand.
How to Smoke Weed With a Vaporizer
Vaporizing is probably the safest and healthiest way to consume weed. In fact, vaporizing is a far cry from smoking marijuana. The tool uses certain temperature levels to activate cannabinoids in weed, with no worries about consuming the harmful carcinogens; this way, you’re getting vapour to inhale, making it an ideal option for using cannabis indoors. If you’ve been wondering how to smoke weed without a lighter, vaporizing is your answer. THC Vape Pens are easy to use; when vaporizing marijuana, there is no smoke extracted from it, which is a less intense option than other ones. Keep in mind vaping won’t get you extremely high, but for many stoners and medical marijuana users, it is the best way to consume weed. Another option is to choose a desktop unit to use at home. It will be larger because of the heating chamber, a tube, and a mouthpiece connected to the whole device. To cut a long story short, vaping is a strong go-to if you’re looking for a way to consume marijuana concentrates and enjoy a clear-headed vibe without the risk of triggering anxiety.
The Effects of Smoking Weed
As you’re looking for the best way to smoke weed, you should also understand what effects to expect on your first date with the herb. Marijuana can have a wide range of effects. These may vary depending on the person because consuming pot – whether by smoking or vaping – is a mind-altering experience, so it depends on your approach and the type of strain you choose. Moreover, the more weed you smoke, the more stoned you are. Another thing to consider is if you are using cannabis for recreational or medical purposes; there are many proven medical uses of marijuana, the dosage will be different. Last but not least, it’s of paramount importance to understand that the type of “high” depends on the method of consumption, too.
A marijuana plant is packed with many organic compounds, but the most recognizable and thoroughly studied cannabinoids are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Both of these compounds contribute to the way marijuana will influence your body and mind.
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol is the key compound in the cannabis plant, and it provides a user with psychoactive effects. THC mimics anandamide, a natural neurotransmitter in the human brain, and it attaches to the cannabinoid receptors in our bodies. Simply put, THC makes you feel euphoric and relaxed because it blocks anandamide, changing the brain’s chemical balance at the same time. What are the effects? You may experience a dry mouth, red eyes, better appetite and increased heart rate. You should know that THC impacts our brain in the areas connected with coordination, cognitive processes, short-term memory, unconscious muscle movements and problem-solving. That being said, THC may reduce stress, pain, blood pressure and relieve nausea. Speaking of potential side-effects, it is possible to experience impairment in memory or anxiety (which is countered by CBD), but don’t be afraid – this effect is temporary.
CBD
This cannabinoid is a non-psychoactive ingredient of the marijuana plant. It enhances mood and makes your body relaxed, which makes this compound perfect for medical marijuana patients. Cannabidiol is renowned for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties,
let alone the tremendous numbers of other health conditions it can deal with.
How Much Weed Do I Need?
Cannabis interacts with our brains differently, and the actual effect is a very individual question, but if you’re about to smoke weed for the first time, it’s wise to take it really slow and steady. Consider starting with one or two puffs to see how it goes and how marijuana makes you feel. Wait at least 20 minutes before you decide to proceed. It all depends on your tolerance, the type of feeling you want to experience, and what you’re comfortable with. Keep in mind not to smoke too much at once. Instead, start really slow and regularly increase the amount of pot.
All those tips on smoking weed should get you through your first marijuana session and turn it into an amazing and enjoyable experience. The most important thing is to be safe and approach the subject with reason before you eventually become a master of the ritual of smoking marijuana.
Also Read: The Best Places to Smoke Weed