Stoners have argued and debated about the best way to smoke weed for decades. Each method has its pros and cons:
Bongs are great for big giant lungbusting hits, although contrary to popular myth, the water doesn’t really filter any toxins, although it does cool the smoke, making it easier to take huge gits. Bongs can also be messy (freshly spilled bong water is the worst) and a pain in the keester to keep clean.
Joints (my personal favorite) are a tad wasteful, although they are easy to use (They are especially easy to eat if you are in a place where marijuana is still illegal) and they taste great! Some folks complain about the taste of the paper, but there are plenty of upscale rolling paper brands that burn clean and are virtually ash-free. Also, if you drop a joint on the sidewalk, it probably won’t shatter into a million pieces. Everyone should now how to roll a decent joint, even if they don’t smoke. Knowing how to roll a joint is a life skill, like knowing how to change a tire or how to poach an egg.
Pipes are probably the most convenient way to smoke marijuana. A good hit from a clean pipe is my preferred method for fancy-pants weed tasting. My friend Michael Backes, author of Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana recommends a good hit from a clean glass pipe. As the most efficient way to smoke cannabis. He also says that you don’t have to hold your breath. One good inhale and exhale should give you exactly what you need.
Blunts are stinky and crazy effective. The nicotine from the cigar wrapper and the THC from the cannabis combine to give an intense high. Blunts aren’t for everyone, and be careful that you don;t develop a nicotine addiction to go along with your cannabis habit.
Vaporizers are cool, I guess. Maybe people claim that a good vape gives the best flavor, but I feel like the high from a vaporized cannabis is not the same as the high from incinerating the whole flower. However, for people with sensitive lungs and throats, vapes are the way to go.
There’s really no wrong way to smoke cannabis. Find one that works for you and stick with it.
Ngaio Bealum is a writer, comedian, cannabis activist, and a decent juggler. You can catch him on the road and MCing the International Cannabis Business Conference. Follow him on the social medias. @ngaio420
