Over the years that cannabis has been legal, companies and consumers have either elaborated on traditional consumption methods, think prototypical pot brownie to THC-infused gummy, or come up with ever more technologically-driven and innovative ways, like nano CBD or dabbing.
However, there is something to be said for keeping it simple with classic consumption methods and gathering with a group of friends to share a joint or a pipe.
While that seems pretty straightforward, there are some tacit rules that make the experience better for everyone in the group. If you’re new to cannabis consumption, these insider rites can seem a little daunting, but we’ve got your back. Here at PotGuide, we’ve already given you the step-by-step on how to smoke a joint. Now let’s dig in on how to smoke a marijuana pipe.
Why use a pipe to smoke weed?
Using a pipe is one of the most efficient and economical ways to consume cannabis. It only takes a small amount — much less than preparing a joint — and can be just as effective. This makes a pipe a great option for when you don’t want to smoke much, or you don’t have the time to sit and leisurely roll and smoke a joint. This also makes it a sound option when your supply is running a little low.
It also makes pipes a perfect method for people who tend to smoke alone. All you need is enough weed for a small bowl, and after a couple tokes in your favorite chair, you should be all set.
With a pipe you smoke the marijuana directly, without any additives like rolling paper. This allows you to really taste the flower, and can make a pipe the ideal method for trying out a new weed strain that you’re really excited about, especially one that you heard has a great flavor profile. That said, keep in mind that you may also get a hint of some of the residue of past bowls as well as ash from the bowl.
Using a Marijuana Pipe
Cannabis consumers of today have an array of pipe options to choose from, like one-hitters, chillums, bubblers, and even foldable or stealth pipes. But to keep it simple, we’ll focus on a tried and true classic, the spoon pipe. For an optimal pipe smoking experience, you will need a few tools: a grinder, a spoon pipe, and a lighter, all of which can be found in a local smoke or head shop. Some optional pieces to consider include hemp wick and a screen (more on that later).
Break Up Your Weed
This can be done by using your fingers, but the best way to ensure an even flow of air and consistent burn is to use a grinder. Place some flower in the grinder and grind it loosely, so it’s broken down evenly but is not too fine. If you don’t have a grinder, there are some hacks out there to MacGyver one, but a grinder is a good investment regardless of consumption method.
Pack the Bowl
Place the ground-up weed in the pipe bowl, lightly at the bottom and more densely at the top to allow for an even smoke. To keep from inhaling bits of cannabis, you can utilize a screen, especially useful if the bowl is on the bigger side.
Do Tobacco Pipes Work for Weed?
Yes, absolutely. But what’s different about smoking in a pipe? You can’t clear every hit and the bowl will probably pack a lot more. That is why the carb included in weed pipes is necessary, it was invented because of this issue. If you let the weed smoke sit in the chamber of a pipe for too long, by then it is past its best and doesn’t taste good, besides the smoke left in the chamber after a hit is wasted as well.
When designing a marijuana pipe, the general mission is to develop a mechanism for one to use their weed in a practical manner without the smoke loss that is typical in tobacco pipes. Weed does not burn like tobacco for a variety of reasons, one of which is usually not desired by stoners. It isn’t an impossibility, though. You will get a self-sustaining ember that will continue for several hits, if not the whole bowl, once you pack a tight bowl and light it well.
How to Pack a Tobacco Pipe with Weed
First, for instance, you can find that the bowl on some pipes may be too big to use as efficiently as you like. You will also need to clean it more often, as you probably don’t have a screen that matches the bigger bowl. Screens can help prevent burning pieces of cannabis from being inhaled, but if you don’t have a pack of pipe screens that big, here are some handy tricks to consider: a piece of wire or a paperclip can be twisted into shape, also a screen from a faucet head will do.
After grinding your weed, make sure it’s evenly broken down but not too finely ground. Now, place the product on a flat surface. What you will try to do is to pack at the bottom of the bowl a quantity that allows for free airflow since the tobacco pipe already doesn’t have a carb; and the weed at the top has to be packed firmly enough to stay lit. To achieve this, the “three-layer” method is perfect to complete the task.
Sprinkle the chamber with some weed until it piles up over the top. Press the tobacco down to around the halfway point before it’s compressed. Repeat this step two more times and pack down the tobacco until it’s just below the chamber’s rim.
Can You Smoke Weed Out of a Wooden Tobacco Pipe?
There are divided opinions about using a wooden tobacco pipe to smoke weed. Wood is porous, and it will absorb the flavor of the weed, so for the great majority it is definitely worth the extra cost to separate the two. Usually, the tobacco pipe is crafted with a semi-porous material ideal for the absorption of the oils created by tobacco, but the weed pit contains resin, which hunks up the pipe and destroys the taste of any tobacco you smoke after.
Other people would prefer to blaze their cannabis through a traditional tobacco pipe because it spices up the sensory experience. The woody undertones of the heated pipe will also add a pleasant touch to your strain’s overall aroma profile.
Again the importance of washing your pipe and not using it for smoking tobacco needs to be emphasized. Otherwise, with the leftover tobacco or ashes, you can ruin the whole taste. A wooden pipe can be a nice alternative to how you usually smoke your stuff as long as you are not careless with its maintenance. In addition, if you’re just thinking about using the tobacco pipe for marijuana once, you better not do it.