The Best Ways to Consume Marijuana

Written and Fact Checked by: S. Zulfiqar

Sometimes it seems as if there are limitless ways that you can consume marijuana. Some of these will be better than others, such as giving you an improved experience or taking full advantage of the full potency of the cannabis. Based on our experience and that of others in the marijuana community, the following are the best ways to consume marijuana. 

Smoking the Herb 

The most common way to consume marijuana is still smoking it in the traditional method. When you smoke cannabis, the cannabinoids enter your lungs, meaning they can go right into your bloodstream. From there, your brain will get to enjoy the THC within seconds or minutes. 

Caveats

Keep in mind that while smoking marijuana will let you enjoy the high and other effects the most quickly, it also causes the most damage to your lungs. Part of this is the fact that burning marijuana also burns plant materials, which can be bad for your lungs. 

Ways to Smoke Marijuana

For many people who enjoy the effects of marijuana, this potential lung irritation is worth it. 

As such, within the category of smoking marijuana, there are plenty of different ways or methods to consume it. 

Joints

Joints are among the most popular and well-known methods of smoking marijuana. They are what most people picture when they imagine someone smoking cannabis. Joints are typically rolled with rolling paper or cigarette paper. Some people will even put tobacco along with cannabis in the joints for a headier high. 

Blunts

Blunts are very similar to joints, but they are made with cigar papers. They also tend to be thicker, which means they can hold more of the cannabis. Blunts are popular, as well, with some feeling that blunts are more comfortable to hold because of their size. 

Bowls and Pipes

With a pipe or a bowl, you do not need to roll your cannabis at all, as you just place it in the appropriate spot and light it. However, some people prefer the smoothness of joints or blunts, as the paper used to roll them helps smooth the flavour out. 

When you use a bowl, you will typically have to light it before each hit. This contrasts with joints and blunts, which only need to be lit once before enjoying most if not the whole thing. The need to light the bowl before every hit is both good and bad. It makes it easy to save some for later, but it can also quickly become annoying. 

Bongs

Bongs come in a range of sizes and shapes, and some are pretty enough to be used as decoration. Gravity bongs are particularly popular; they force the smoke to enter a holding chamber where you can leisurely inhale it. Additionally, bongs let the smoke cool down a bit before it reaches your lungs, making it more comfortable to take a bigger hit. 

Bubblers

Bubblers are smaller versions of bongs. They can usually fit in a pocket and have the same benefits and functionality as bongs. 

Dabs

Dabs are another way of smoking marijuana, but they do not involve the dry herb. Instead, they use butane hash oil, which is a very potent cannabis extract. You use a rig to smoke a dab, and these typically use a blowtorch to light them. When you dab cannabis, you flash-vaporize it. As mentioned, dabs are also extremely potent, meaning you can get high with this method very quickly. 

One bonus of dabs is that you heat the butane hash oil at a high enough temperature that the vapour produced does not contain foreign plant material. This makes it easier on your lungs. 

Moon Rocks

Although not as common, you can also enjoy moon rocks, which combine kief, honey oil, and raw whole buds. To make a moon rock, dip a nug in honey oil, then roll this in kief. Let it dry, then break it into smaller pieces and smoke it. 

Thai Sticks

Thai sticks are another less popular method of consuming marijuana, although they were popular during the late 1960s to early 1970s. To make one, skewer the buds from seedless marijuana on a stick or stem. Roll this in THC oil, then wrap it in the leaves of the marijuana plant. Now, you can smoke it. 

Vaporizing

When you vaporize marijuana, you heat it up without burning it. This means that the organic plant material does not burn, eliminating that materials’ ability to hurt your lungs. However, keep in mind that we still do not have scientific proof that vaping is healthier than smoking; it is just assumed to be. 

You can find vaporizers in a range of sizes, from small vape pens to desktop vaporizers that are not designed to be portable. 

One of the nice things about vaporizing marijuana is that you can use the dry herb or a concentrated oil with THC. Using concentrated oils helps you achieve stronger effects and do so more quickly. 

Eating an Edible

Edibles are another very popular way to consume marijuana, and they are now available in seemingly limitless varieties. You can make edibles yourself or buy some that already made. 

Just remember that when you eat your cannabis, it will take longer for the effects to kick in, and they will last longer and be stronger. The average onset time is about 30 minutes, but it can be a few hours. The peak effects are usually at around two hours after consumption, but you may still feel the effects for six or more hours. 

Taking a THC Pill

If you just want the effects of cannabis but do not want to turn consuming it into a big to-do, you can also find pills that have THC. These tend to be concentrated, so pay close attention to the dosing to avoid consuming too much. 

Other Methods

If none of the above appeals to you, you can also find dissolve strips with THC and/or CBD that you place on or under your tongue and let dissolve. There are also THC sprays and tinctures, topicals infused with THC and CBD, patches, and massage oils. 

The wealth of options means that you should be able to find a way that you enjoy consuming marijuana. 

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