Smoking the cannabis flower is a standard way of consuming weed and deriving maximum therapeutic value from the cannabinoids and terpenes it contains. The thing is that weed gives away these beneficial compounds once it’s lit up; that’s why smoking has always been regarded as the most efficient way of cannabis use for various medical purposes.
Those who opt for the classical means of using weed can choose among bongs, pipes, and joints. These are the forms of smoking that have been around for decades, even amid the harshest years of weed’s illegality. So, they are dear to many smokers’ hearts and deliver the authentic experience they seek. Besides, due to the rapid development of technology in the cannabis market, many innovative techniques have emerged to make the smoking experience smoother, smoke-free, or odorless. We’ll walk you through the hash smoking alternatives in this article, and you can find more valuable information on this topic on Askgrowers.com.
What Is Hash?
For the sake of clarity, we cover the methods of smoking regular weed and hash in one go. Still, you should know that hash is a set of trichomes containing a super high combination of cannabinoids and trichomes separated from the weed bud. Thus, has burns much longer than a flower, and you should remember that peculiarity when planning your smoking session.
Using a Pipe
Most experts suggest using a pipe to complete beginners, as it’s convenient and mess-free, allowing you to measure the dose precisely. The market is full of good-looking pipes made of various materials, so you’ll find your ideal match quickly. A pro tip is to opt for a wide-mouthed pipe, as it allows a better smoker experience. The user instructions are as follows:
- Crash the weed buds into smaller pieces (those who use bubble hash will benefit from using a steel screen to ensure that all hash remains inside the pipe).
- Soften your hash by warming it up with a lighter. This technique is called priming; once you see that the texture changes, you can add the softer hash to the pipe stocked with weed already.
Weed and hash go well together and enhance the impact of one another. Thus, you will never go wrong when adding this twist to your smoking session.
Using a Bong
Many users like bongs because of the ability to get smoother smoke and a softer smoking sensation due to the addition of water and ice into the bong’s container. The process of preparing hash will look largely the same as with a pipe. You only need to warm up the hash and soften it with the help of a lighter, sprinkling the bits of hash onto your weed once it’s ready for consumption. After adding water and ice, you should light up the bowl and inhale the smoke, enjoying the therapeutic effect of your chosen strain.
A Joint
Using a joint is the good old classics of consuming weed. Thus, the art you should master to smoke hash in a joint is about properly mixing weed and hash to achieve an optimal ratio. The standard practice is to lay out the rolling paper on a horizontal surface and spread the crushed weed flower on it. After there’s an even layer of buds, you should put hash on top of it and then start rolling the paper, leaving some space for the filter. The joint is ready!
A Hookah
Though hookahs are not the most effective means for smoking hash, they are party-friendly devices that allow hassle-free joint weed smoking as a company. Thus, you may sacrifice the loss of some essential weed smoke to share the fun of weed consumption with your friends.
To enjoy a hash hookah, you will need a bit more preparation and a greater variety of supplies:
- Hash
- Dried weed buds
- A hookah
- Tin foil and charcoal specifically meant for hookah smoking.
Once you collect all those elements in one place and get ready, it’s time to roll the hash into small balls and mix them with the crushed cannabis flower. Fill the hookah bowl with this mix and add water to the base of your hookah appliance. After that, you will need to heat up the charcoal and put it on top of the tin foil to heat up the internal components. It’s vital to keep the temperature and intensity of inhaling under control to avoid burning all weed in one go and then smoking bitter ashes.
The Vaping Method
Vaping is a relatively recent innovation in the smoking world, and it has been quickly embraced by users of all ages. The vaping devices are very discreet and user-friendly; many of them also conceal the characteristic weed smell and allow for a conspicuous smoking session. Besides, users like vaping pens because they don’t need to smoke an entire cigarette or bong and avoid the lengthy preparation process. Everything they need to take a relaxing shot or two is to press a button and wait for the container’s liquid to heat up.
You may use a regular vaping device to smoke a hash concentrate without a problem. The only thing to remember is that hash evaporates at a higher temperature, around 4000F, so you will need to check whether your vaping gadget can ensure such a temperature.
Dabbing
Dabbing is also a convenient and efficient way of hash consumption. Dabs have similar constructions to bongs, though with a couple of peculiarities. Thus, all you need to do to enjoy your dose of hash is:
- Pour water into the dab rig so that it takes ¾ of the available volume.
- Heat up the bottom of the nail with a torch and wait for it to charge the color into red or orange.
- Wait 3-5 seconds and put some hash onto the nail (the amount shouldn’t be too large). Cover the nail with a carb cap afterward.
- You can inhale the hash vapors by lifting the carb cap and breathing the smoke in.
Look for Your Ideal Hash Consumption Method
As you might see, there are tons of consumption alternatives you can easily try out and choose the ones to your liking. Experiment with the weed use modalities and see which works the best for you; there is no universal standard about what works and what doesn’t, what’s healthier and safer, and what is risky. All methods we’ve discussed here are efficient and safe for your health (provided that you’re fine with the very act of smoking). So, it’s a matter of your personal preference and individual esthetics to determine the most optimal way of getting your daily dose of anxiety or pain relief.
Tia Moskalenko, a full-time blogger at AskGrowers, has prepared this article for all weed fans to share her insightful tips and educational materials on safe and responsible weed use. Tia’s articles aim to bridge the gaps between novice users and cannabis brands, guaranteeing that users indulge in cannabis use with minimal health risks.