How to Choose Your Method of Smoking Weed
Compare joints, pipes, bongs, and vaporizers, then pick a method that fits your dose, tolerance, group size, and lung comfort.
Smoking cannabis means inhaling smoke from burned cannabis flower. Beginners need four items: cannabis flower, a grinder, a pipe or rolling papers, and a lighter. Start with one puff. Wait 15 minutes. Check effects before taking more.
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Supplies
- Cannabis flower: 0.5 gram is enough for several sessions.
- Grinder: breaks flower into small pieces.
- Pipe or rolling papers: a pipe is easier for beginners.
- Lighter: a standard lighter works.
Steps
1. Grind the flower
Put a small bud in the grinder. Turn the grinder 3 to 4 times. The flower should look like coarse sand. Remove stems and seeds.
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2. Pack a pipe or roll a joint
For a pipe: fill the bowl with ground flower. Press down with a finger. Leave space for air. For a joint: place ground flower on a paper. Roll the paper into a cylinder. Seal the edge with saliva or water.
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3. Light and inhale
Hold the lighter to the flower. Pull air through the pipe or joint. The flower will burn. Inhale the smoke into your mouth, then into your lungs. Hold for 1 to 2 seconds. Exhale. One puff is enough for a first try.
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4. Wait and check effects
Effects start in 5 to 10 minutes. Full effects arrive in 15 to 30 minutes. Signs: relaxation, altered senses, dry mouth, red eyes. If you feel nothing after 15 minutes, take one more puff. Do not take many puffs at once.
Doses for beginners
One puff of flower with 15% THC delivers about 1 to 3 mg of THC. A beginner dose is 1 to 2.5 mg. Wait 15 minutes between puffs. High THC flower (20% or more) can cause anxiety. Start with a low THC strain.
Risks
Smoking cannabis can cause coughing, throat irritation, and chest congestion. Short-term risks: impaired memory, impaired coordination, anxiety, and rapid heart rate. Long-term risks: bronchitis and cannabis use disorder. Do not drive after use. Do not use if pregnant or if you have heart disease.
Legal rules
Cannabis laws vary by state. In the US, 24 states and the District of Columbia allow recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older. Other states allow medical cannabis only. Check your state law before you buy or smoke.
What to avoid
- Do not smoke on an empty stomach if you are new.
- Do not mix with alcohol or other drugs.
- Do not use a bong or gravity bong for a first try. These deliver large amounts of smoke.
- Do not hold smoke in your lungs for more than 2 seconds. It does not increase effects.