People have been using pipes to smoke since Ancient Egypt, around 2000 B.C. Hippocrates prescribed smoking herbs to females to treat their menstrual cycle symptoms, too.
If you just started smoking cannabis or you want to switch up your method, you might be wondering how to smoke weed from a pipe. There are many steps to the process, from choosing the right pipe to grinding your flower.
Keep reading for a guide that tells you all about smoking weed from a pipe!
There Are Different Types of Pipes
Pipes for tobacco and pipes for weed are generally interchangeable. Most tobacco pipes are made from wood and weed pipes from glass, but both are made out of other materials as well.
Some pipes have a “carb,” and some don’t. The carb is a small hole on the side of the pipe that allows for the clearing of smoke after taking a hit. You can use both carb and carb-less pipes to smoke weed.
Also know as bowls, spoons, one-hitters, and chillums, a weed pipe can come in all different shapes and sizes.
Generally speaking, there are 3 components:
- The mouthpiece
- The bowl
- The carb
The bowl is where you put your ground weed, the mouthpiece is where you inhale, and the carb is what you use to clear the pipe of any residual smoke.
How to Choose Your Pipe
Some cannabis smokers want a pipe for smoking, and they don’t care what it looks like, as long as it serves the basic function. Other smokers love choosing between the colors and designs you’ll find amongst a collection of glass pipes.
Choose a pipe that resonates with you, so you don’t tire of using it. Likewise, ask yourself how much you plan on smoking. Also, will you be smoking alone or with others?
How much you’ll be using your pipe and how long you want it to last come into play when choosing the right pipe as well. Remember, too, that you’ll most likely be using a lighter to light the weed as you take a pull through your pipe. If you don’t like flame too close to your face, it’s a good idea to get a longer pipe.
If you’re just looking for an inconspicuous one-hitter, then something smaller will suffice.
How to Use a Pipe
Using a pipe is about more than just smoking out of it, which we’ll get to in a little bit. You must grind the weed properly and also care for your pipe if you want to get the most out of it.
Grinding the Flower
Start with a nug of dried flower, break it up a bit, and then put it in your grinder. Twist a few times until the flower resembles loose leaf tea with rounder nugs.
The idea is that you want air to be able to pass through once the flower is packed into the bowl of your pipe. If you don’t have a grinder, you can break it up with your fingers or put your bud in a shot glass and cut it with scissors.
Packing the Bowl
Grab a pinch of your ground flower, and then pack it into the area of your pipe that looks like a bowl. Make sure the flower is secure so that it won’t fall out easily or blow out with a breeze.
However, don’t pack it in too tight, or air won’t be able to pass through, which makes smoking extremely difficult.
Lighting the Bowl
If your pipe has a carb, place your thumb over the hole as you hold the pipe. Light the weed that you’ve packed in the bowl and inhale in at the same time. When you’re done inhaling, release your thumb to clear the pipe chamber of any smoke.
If your pipe doesn’t have a carb, you’ll still light your cannabis and smoke the same way, just without the extra step of clearing smoke from the pipe.
When you light the weed, only keep the flame on for enough time to light the flower as you pull. The longer you keep the flame on, the more you’ll burn and waste the flower. A lot of the time, it’ll stay burning for enough time to pass to someone else so that the next person doesn’t have to light the flower again.
Storing and Cleaning Your Pipe
Remember that if your pipe is made of glass, it could easily break if dropped. Store it in a container that’ll protect it. Pipes tend to give off a smell, too, so if you’re worried about odor, get a smell-proof container.
Pipes harbor bacteria, which is why the more you clean yours, the better. You can soak it in isopropyl alcohol and leave it in a bag or container. If there’s leftover resin inside the pipe, add some salt and shake it around. You can also use q-tips to help get to those hard-to-reach places.
Some people clean their pipes by boiling them in water, but the smell will surely stink up your home. Using isopropyl alcohol is both fast and effective and without an odor.
Tips for Smoking From a Pipe
The more you smoke, the more you’ll learn about how to smoke a pipe and discover which tips work for you and which don’t.
For example, some smokers prefer to use a screen in their bowl, whereas others don’t. Take a look at the hole at the bottom of the bowl in your pipe. If it’s on the bigger side, it’s a good idea to use a screen before adding the flower so that you don’t pull any burning hot chunks through when you’re taking a hit.
Screens help prevent your bowl from getting dirty, too.
If you’re smoking with a group and you get offered “greens,” that means you’re being offered the first hit. Do everyone else a favor, and don’t put the lighter flame smack in the center of the flower. Try to light one side and do so quickly, so there’s plenty of green left for whoever smokes next.
Knowing How to Smoke Weed from a Pipe Is Exciting
Knowing how to smoke weed from a pipe is exciting, especially once you master the whole process. Finding a pipe you love, taking care of it, and figuring out how to inhale and get a perfect hit is an art form in itself.
Buying a pipe is exciting, too! Take the time to choose one that you love and suits your smoking needs, and it can last for years.
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