This month, we are focused on people who are new to the weird world of weed. Since people have been smoking pot for at least 2,000 years, it’s become an art, with dozens of ways to imbibe.
While edibles, drinks, and tinctures are certainly options, this article is limited just to smoking, which still leaves us plenty to talk about. If you are a beginner and don’t know where to start, or if you don’t understand the vocab of your stoner friends, this article is for you.
Rolled Smokeables
This is a broad category, but the most common name for it is “joints.” You may also hear various other terms, but they all loosely refer to a form of cannabis rolled into a paper shell, ignited, and smoked. Some terms you may hear include: Joint, J, bone, doobie, blunt, spliff, twist, fatty, and countless other names. While these terms refer to essentially the same thing, a rolled and smoked form of cannabis, there are a few terms with specific meanings.
Generally, a “joint” refers to a cannabis cigarette rolled with thin, frequently white paper. This is what is stereotypically shown in media depictions of smoking weed.
A “blunt” refers to cannabis rolled in thicker, generally brown paper. Blunts are typically larger than joints and are often rolled with inexpensive cigarillo papers. These papers are often made of tobacco pulp, which can alter the sensation of smoking cannabis.
A “spliff” is a joint rolled with a mix of cannabis and tobacco. While the combination is generally unpopular in the U.S., smokers in other countries frequently prefer the mix.
Pipes
Similar to the rolled smokeable category, “pipe” can refer to a wide variety of methods. A basic pipe includes a “bowl” in which herb rests, a stem, and a mouthpiece through which smoke is inhaled. This category can include simple one hitters, glass pipes, and bubblers.
A one hitter is the simplest pipe known to man, essentially a metal tube slightly shorter than a cigarette that allows for a small amount of weed on one end and a mouthpiece on the other. These are a great option for anyone looking to remain discreet with their smoking, as they are frequently painted to resemble a tobacco cigarette.
Cannabis pipes come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, but generally, they are made of glass and include a bowl, a stem, and a mouthpiece. Many, if not most, weed pipes include a “carb” on the side of the bowl. This is a small opening that allows air to enter the stem. While igniting the bowl, the carb is covered to allow smoke into the stem. When the smoker is prepared to inhale, the carb is uncovered to allow cool air into the stem, which, in turn, allows the smoke to enter the smoker’s lungs for a cool, enjoyable hit.
Bubblers are a halfway step between pipes and bongs. Like pipes, they include a bowl, stem, and mouthpiece, but like bongs, they allow for water somewhere in the piece, which serves to filter, cool, and humidify the smoke before it enters the lungs. Unlike bongs, bubblers are one solid piece, which cannot be customized to the same extent.
Bongs
Bongs are one of the most diverse groups of smoking tools, as they can vary widely in size and shape. Bongs can be as small as inches or as large as several feet. They can be made of metal, glass, acrylic, plastic, or any range of other materials. They can also vary widely in price. A bong can be made at home with a recycled water bottle and a commercially sold stem for a few dollars, while the largest bongs can cost several hundred dollars.
Despite their variety in size and shape, the basic function of the bong is the same. Near the bottom of the bong is a removable bowl in which cannabis rests. This bowl includes a stem, which inserts into the main piece below. The stem leads to a reservoir of water inside the main piece, which like the bubbler, cools and filters the smoke. At the top of a bong is a mouthpiece.
The user will suck air from the mouthpiece while igniting the bowl, which allows the bong to fill with smoke. After the chamber has filled with smoke, the bowl is removed, and the user inhales deeply, allowing the smoky chamber to empty into the user’s lungs. The larger the bong, the more smoke it can hold in its chamber and the more smoke it can deliver into a user’s lungs at once.
The most common variant of the bong you might hear about is the “gravity bong,” which is a two-part contraption that does the work of filling the bong’s smoke chamber for you. A reservoir is filled with water, and a second piece is placed into the water. At the top of the second piece is a bowl filled with herb. The bowl is ignited, and the second piece is slowly raised out of the water, which causes the inside of the piece to fill with smoke. When the bowl is removed, the smoke is ready to be inhaled by the user.
We Can Help
The world of cannabis accessories is wide and wonderful, and RYOT can help you navigate it. Whether you are looking for a one hitter, an herb vape, stash boxes, or 4 piece herb grinders, we’ve got you covered. All of our products are designed by smokers and for smokers, so you know you’re getting the best experience every time.
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