Flower, as well as bud or nug, refers to the smokable part of the cannabis plant, especially after it’s been dried and cured. Though there are newer cannabis consumption methods, smoking flower continues to be a popular choice for its versatility, detailed below.
In this guide, we’ll cover how to smoke weed and some frequently asked questions related to smoking flower.
How to smoke cannabis flower
Smoking weed is the most common way to consume cannabis. Effects kick in almost instantaneously and can last anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the dose and person. Most weed smokers consume cannabis flower using one or more of the following methods:
- Joint: the joint, sometimes called a cannabis cigarette, consists of ground flower rolled in smokable rolling paper.
- Blunt: similar to joints, blunts involve rolling ground flower in a blunt wrap or emptied cigar.
- Pipe: one of the most common stoner tools, the pipe allows weed smokers to smoke on the go without additional materials beyond their flower, pipe, and lighter or match.
- Bong: the bong, or water pipe, allows cannabis consumers to filter weed smoke through water.
How to smoke a joint
Joints are the most common method of smoking weed. The only tools you need to roll a joint are rolling papers, a paper filter, and flower. A grinder, while helpful, is optional. Rolling papers are inexpensive and available in most convenience stores. Once you’ve rolled the joint, just light the non-filter end, inhale through the filter, and enjoy.
Most common rolling papers are made from wood pulp material, but there are a variety of different rolling papers specifically tailored for stoners, including longer-sized papers, hemp-based papers, and even packages that provide the joint roller with extra paper to make filters.
While less common, a blunt is the same basic idea as a joint, only bigger. A blunt is an emptied-out cigar wrapper that’s been filled with flower and resealed. Like a joint, the benefit of rolling a blunt is that all you need is the blunt wrap (or tobacco leaves) and ground flower (again, the grinder is optional). Once you’ve rolled the blunt, light one end and puff from the other end.
Most convenience stores sell cigars, allowing blunt making to be possible virtually anywhere. The only potential downside to a blunt is that you’re also consuming the tobacco in the cigar wrap, though that’s precisely the point for fans.
How to smoke weed with a pipe
Possibly the easiest, most straightforward way to smoke weed is through the use of a pipe. Small, compact, and easy to use, pipes are handheld devices used to smoke flower. To use a pipe, simply break apart your flower, fill the bowl with the flower, touch a flame to the flower while drawing air gently through the mouthpiece, and inhale the smoke. Ideal for traveling or discreet use, pipes are practical and reliable tools for cannabis smokers.
How to dose cannabis flower
Cannabis strains vary widely in potency, cannabinoid content, and terpene content — all of which can affect your cannabis experience. Flower potency is measured by the total concentration of cannabinoids—chemical compounds that act on our endocannabinoid system to stimulate psychoactive and physical effects—and is expressed in a percentage. For example, the label on a jar of OG Kush flower might read 18% THC, which indicates there are 180 milligrams (mg) of THC per gram of flower.
Remember, smoking weed results in a very different high than eating edibles. Smoking a full-gram joint with 180 mg of THC will get the average person high for a few hours, whereas eating a 180-mg edible can result in side effects like paranoia, panic attacks, and an increased heart rate for six hours or more.
Luckily, lab-tested products purchased from licensed, legal dispensaries come with certificates of analysis that make the dosing process accurate and easy. Look for the THC percentage on a package of cannabis flower to determine how much of an effect you can expect to get from one puff of a joint or bong rip.
- 10% THC or less: flower in this range is considered mild
- 10% – 20% THC: strong for beginners and often just right for casual consumers
- 20% THC and above: some of the strongest weed you’ll find
Bottom line: make note of the THC percentage before you consume, take one puff, and wait 15 minutes before consuming more to get a sense of how that potency affects you.
