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Pieces, Pipes, Wraps, and Joints:
Your Guide to Smoking Devices
You’ve picked out your strain, bought the bud, and you’re ready to have a relaxing evening with your new purchase… But wait, how are you going to smoke it? If you’re new to the cannabis scene, you might be a little overwhelmed with all the options available to you. Lucky for you we’ll show you the ins and outs of smoking devices so you get exactly the experience you’re looking for.
Joint – The method most commonly associated with marijuana, the joint is simply ground up cannabis wrapped in a rolling paper. This tried and true method is great for sharing at parties or relaxing outside since all you need is your lighter and a good pair of lungs. This is one of the easiest and least involved methods. However, it is one of the least efficient ways to consume cannabis, as much of the active ingredients (THC, CBD, Terpenes) escape while the joint is burning. If you don’t know how to roll your own joints, there are countless pre-rolled joints available.
Spliff – The joint’s close cousin. The spliff is almost the same as a joint but instead of pure ground cannabis in the rolling paper, a spliff contains a mixture of tobacco and cannabis. In addition to the nicotine buzz and the associated health risks, a spliff has almost all the same benefits and drawbacks as a joint. It’s interesting to note that spliffs burn at higher temperatures than joints, so with the combination of the tobacco and the temperature it may feel harsher on your throat and lungs. Spliffs are not usually available for purchase, so if you want to smoke them you better know how to roll.
Blunt – The joint’s bad-ass grandpa. Basically a marijuana cigar, a blunt is made of ground cannabis rolled into a tobacco leaf. For smoking purposes, blunts are essentially large, slow burning versions of joints, which makes them perfect for passing around at parties. In terms of efficiency and health risks, blunts are pretty much in line with joints. If you’re interested in smoking a blunt, but you don’t know how to roll one (it’s different than rolling a joint, we promise) you may want to learn how. Pre-rolled blunts are available, but they are much less common than joints.
Pipe – One of the most common, no hassle ways to smoke cannabis. Comprised of a bowl in which to burn the weed and a tube to inhale the smoke, pipes come in countless shapes, sizes, materials and styles. In terms of efficiency, pipes are more efficient than any sort of rolling paper or wrap, but not as efficient as water pipes. Perfect for when you’re on the go, most pipes have the benefit of being affordable and durable, though you can find more expensive and delicate glass pipes. If you’re looking for a good starting piece, you can’t go wrong with a pipe.
Water Pipe – Water pipes, which include all forms of bubblers, bongs and hookahs, come in many different styles, materials and variations, but they all operate on the same principle. Like the pipe, a bong has a bowl piece in which the cannabis is burnt and a tube connected to it. While with a pipe you inhale directly from that tube, in a water pipe the tube (which in a water pipe is called the down-stem) points down and is submerged in a small reservoir of water contained within the water pipe. When you inhale from the mouthpiece of your water pipe, the smoke from your marijuana travels through the down stem where it is then cooled and filtered by the water before bubbling up through it and into your lungs. Though vaporizing and edibles are more efficient, water pipes are the most efficient method of smoking cannabis. Out of all the methods we have listed, water pipes vary the most when it comes to price, quality and durability.
Now that you know your smoking options, you can find the method that suits your needs. If you have any questions about any of the terms we’ve used, check out our other blog posts or ask one of our knowledgeable Budtenders. Happy smoking!
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