From pipes and joints to blunts and bongs, smoking is the most widely used way people consume cannabis.
While it can be an enjoyable and therapeutic activity, it’s important to understand that, just like cigarettes, cannabis smoke is laced with irritating substances and tar linked to respiratory ailments.
If you’re new to the cannabis world, you might find yourself having a hard time navigating the alternatives and interested in the pros and cons of every method. This is what you should know.
1. Joints
They’re made from the packing of cannabis into a roll of paper “typically made of hemp, rice, or paper,” says Stacia Woodcock, PharmD Clinical Cannabis Pharmacist. She is also the Dispensary Manager at Curaleaf. There is also the option to make use of a filter, to avoid burning your fingers while smoking.
Smoke and roll a cigarette:
- Then, break it down using the herb grinder, or your fingers. Get rid of any seeds or stems.
- If you’d like to create filters, cut a small piece of thin cardboard (you must be able to insert it into the paper you roll it on) in a fold “accordion-style” into a tip.
- When you are holding the roll lengthwise “hot dog style,” fill it with the crushed weed. You can place the filter at either end.
- Pinch the filled paper between your fingers, and then roll it into the shape of a cone or tube.
- Light the end of the joint and inhale from the filter.
Be aware that the majority of commercially available rolling papers -especially those that are labeled fast-burning, bleached, or flavored — contain harmful pollutants and chemicals, which can harm your lungs. Therefore, choosing to purchase rolling papers that are unbleached and flavorless, as well as unrefined, can reduce the risk of being exposed. If you’re concerned about exposure to chemicals, think about using a smoking method that is paper-free such as a bong or pipe.
2. Blunts
Blunts are typically larger and last longer than a joint However, they’re manufactured in a similar way. However, they are made of blunt or cigar wrap as opposed to rolling paper.
Blunt wraps are composed of tobacco leaves, meaning they are a source of nicotine. According to a study in 2010 and study, the nicotine content in blunts caused a greater build-up of carbon monoxide, a toxic chemical, in study subjects’ blood, leading to the occurrence of side effects like nausea, dizziness, and headaches.
3. Pipe
Pipes also referred to as bowls or spoons are among the most straightforward methods of smoking.
Pipes consist of an unfilled bowl and the “stem,” and a mouthpiece through which you inhale. Some pipes also have a carb hole — one small hole in the bowl that you cover and cover with your fingers when you inhale to clean the pipe smoke.
4. Bong
Bongs, also known as water pipes, are smoke devices that use water to cool and purify smoke. Because the smoke is cooled by water, users are able to take more hits and create more smoke than when using joints, blunts, or bowls.
The bong is made up of one bowl and a cylinder piece of glass known as a “downstem.” If you strike the bong, smoke is released through the downstem before being filtered through water before traveling into the bong’s neck until the mouthpiece.
While many people believe that bongs are the best smoking method, “they may not be all that effective at reducing toxins,” says Nicolas Schlienz, Ph.D., Research Director of the Cannabis Education organization Realm of Caring.