Cannabis Courtesy: 10 Good Manners All Stoners Should Have

Cannabis culture has always distinguished itself from all others with an attitude of peace & love. Stoners for the most part are high! Hungry, happy people.

Good manners are priceless and with this short indispensible guide to cannabis etiquette even a brutish novice can be converted into a sophisticated session regular.

At the very least applying some cannabis courtesy will help you avoid an awkward social faux pas. Decide for yourself, 99% of stoners that ignore this advice smoke up on their “Toblerone”.

1. BRING A STASH, DON’T SHOW UP TO THE SESSION EMPTY-HANDED

It’s impolite to show up to a dinner party without the customary gift of a bottle of wine for the host, even if it's plonk that you picked up at the petrol station on the ride over, it’s the thought that counts.

A similar unwritten rule of cannabis society is to share one’s stash amongst friends or at the very least cover the munchies if you cannot contribute some weed or hash to the session.

Simple inexpensive gestures go a long way. Generally stoners are cool with sharing joints and bong hits, especially if it’s some dank home grown marijuana that the grower wants a second opinion on. If you cannot return the favour in kind and if it’s between close friends, well, the session is on you next time.

However if you are a newbie to the stoner circle and getting high off the group's stash, then covering the cost of a couple of boxes of cookies is a nice way to say thank you when the munchies kick in and sure to guarantee a return invitation. €5 spent on munchies is a small price to pay to get baked with good company.

2. GOOD CLEAN FUN

Personal hygiene is important for any social occasion. If you’re going to be passing joints and/or sharing pipes and bongs with a group, pay attention to some basic hygiene practices.

If you’re sick with a cold, flu or otherwise contagious, don’t spread it to the group. Smoke from your own joints or keep your pipe to yourself or rest back home.

Never ever pass wet joints or blunts, keep your saliva to yourself. If you’re a sloppy smoker, either clean up your act or let your friends take the first hit before you drool all over it.

3. BY ALL MEANS ROLL A JOINT OR BETTER YET A BLUNT

Who doesn’t enjoy a well rolled fattie? Passing spliffs and blunts is common practice at smoke up’s. If you’re a novice, don’t fret ask one of the veteran stoners of the group for some rolling assistance.

It’s much better to get someone else to roll up if you have not yet mastered the art of joint rolling. Practice makes perfect, in the meantime newbie’s don’t roll up an airbag and harsh the vibes of the session.

4. PROTOCOLS

The roller always smokes first, “pass the dutchie on the left hand side”, and don’t “Bogart” (hog) the joint. These are the inalienable protocols to be absolutely adhered to by all stoners now, then and until the end of time. Nobody really knows why, but there must be rules, these are ours.

Even the junkies in the movie “Drugstore Cowboy” had myths, rituals and superstitions. That one chick put a hat on the bed, she wound up buried in a shallow grave in the woods. We’re not saying that there’s terrible repercussions for passing a spliff to the right, but why tempt fate?

5. DO ONTO OTHERS ...

If you’re the host of the smoke-up, well, then break out the glassware and be sure to offer that first sweet “green” hit to the guests.

It’s not necessary to supply snacks and drinks, although catered sessions are our preference, a working phone line or half decent internet connection should be enough to sort out a delivery order when required later.

Some places to sit or cushions to lounge on should be arranged for the guests, plenty of ashtrays are essential, and with the right atmosphere the host can call it mission accomplished.

However if you are the guest attending the session, of course you will have your stash to contribute, then respect the space and all the other guests.

It’s not rocket science, don’t make a mess and be cool with everyone in attendance.

6. KNOW YOUR LIMITS

If you’re not a “Frank the Tank” style party animal then that’s cool, sessions are not cannabis smoking contests, it’s just a bunch of friends that like to get high together.

Whether you are a veteran smoker or new to cannabis, you cannot overdose but you can easily over do it, especially if you are dabbling with dabbing. Pace yourself and enjoy the ride.

7. NO ASH PLEASE

If the bud/hash in the bong/pipe has been thoroughly smoked and all that remains is a bowl filled with ash, please empty it in the ashtray before you pass it to the next unsuspecting stoner.

Likewise if the joint has been smoked virtually to within a drag of the roach then stab it out yourself. Passing stab-outs is rude and a tease all at once.

8. ELE: EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY

Smoking good dope with good friends can be the best of times. Don’t be a anybody’s buzz kill, cannabis affects everyone a little bit differently, so try to be considerate of others at the session.

Some people don’t partake at all, others want to smoke it all, and regardless of your personal preference, let others make up their own minds. Peer pressure is really only for loser teenagers, so act like a grown-up in the company of adults.

9. DON’T STEAL LIGHTERS

The lighter thief is the bane of every stoners existence, we cannot emphasise how uncool thieving lighters is. Unfortunately every stoner circle has it’s mysterious lighter bandit.

Perhaps a broader conspiracy is actually behind it, some stealthy band of butane addicted gnomes maybe, until proof is found everyone is a suspect. Don’t give us reason to suspect you too.

10. HAVE A BLAST

Most importantly of all, have fun. Tell jokes and laugh your ass off with your friends. Maybe just laugh your asses off at nothing in particular. Nothing in life is trivial and the little things enjoyed today can become the fondest memory in days far away when your old and grey.

Luke Sumpter

With a BSc (Hons) degree in Clinical Health Sciences and a passion for growing plants, Luke Sumpter has worked as a professional journalist and writer at the intersection of cannabis and science for the past 7 years.

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