Do's & Don’ts Of Smoking Joints

Joints have been passed around for thousands of years, probably. Let’s check out the most essential dos and don'ts of joint smoking. If you’re planning to enter your next smoke circle, you need to absorb the following information to become a joint smoking sensei. Let’s begin!

PASS THE SPLIFF, THEN TELL YOUR STORY

So like, a cat was staring at me with great intensity, its gaze evoked a sense of purpose in me, it was a feeling rather than a thought, it was absolutely … Pass the J, man! This happens way too often. Somebody receives a perfectly engineered joint and decides to waste its lifespan by telling a never-ending story. One should first pass the joint, and afterward, tell the story. Tokers will focus on the narrative rather than the cannabinoids escaping into the abyss. Of course, this rule only applies when several parties in the smoke circle are involved in the endeavor. If you’re smoking your own J, and vultures around you never contribute with weed, you may, in this case, tell your story while holding your candle. Otherwise, puff it, puff it again, pass it, and tell your cat story.

NO SLIME, PLEASE

Seriously, don’t slime the roach, man. We’ve all been there, receiving a joint with great excitement, then taking a draw only to feel the slimy saliva from the toker previous. It’s a horrible experience and must be avoided at all costs. There’s a refined technique of not sliming the roach by toking the joint with the dry part of the lips. Never lick your lips before toking the J. Also, as a last resort to avoid sliming or being slimed, you can hold the joint in a “chillum” position. Insert the joint between the knuckles and toke from the side of the fist. This method is quite useful for avoiding any slimy unpleasantries.

BE A CHILLED SMOKER

Smoking joints in your everyday smoke circle is not a competition. Smoking weed is not about who can smoke the most, it’s about peace and love, enjoying the present with your mates and the universe. Encourage novice tokers in the circle to enjoy as little as they wish; don’t pressure them into blasting their brains with extreme amounts of THC. The binge-drinking culture has somehow left its footprint on the cannabis community, where many prefer to be as “hardcore” as possible. Roll that medium THC-level joint and light up. Of course, we don’t judge if one wishes to roll a joint and blast off into the limits of the universe, just respect that not everybody is ready for this voyage.

ROLL THAT PERFECT JOINT

Last but not least, roll that perfect J. Instant respect shall be obtained. Those inconsistently packed joints that suddenly stop burning, or completely disintegrate are highly undesirable. The weed should be evenly ground, and it’s best to use thin papers unless blunts are being rolled. The roach should be nicely rolled; it can also be crafted into a creative artwork, which will score you some extra J points. The packing should be tight, but not so tight that air can’t pass through. It takes a bit of practice to roll those perfect joints, but it’s definitely worthwhile if mad street cred is desired.

ROLLER’S RIGHTS

According to international ganja law, the one who rolls it, lights it. When the roller has finished the joint masterpiece, it’s the roller's right to initiate the smoke circle by lighting that J. There are a couple of exceptions to this law. First, if the roller decides to pass the rite of initiating the joint to another toker in the circle. Second, if it’s the birthday of a toker in the circle; or third, if a toker is getting married. In the case of two birthdays in the joint circle, the roller automatically reclaims the privilege of lighting the joint. One must respect the roller by not asking whether it’s OK to initiate that joint. That’s not cool.

YOUR TOKER FRIEND IS NOT AN ASHTRAY

Make sure to ash the joint before passing. When the ash spreads all over your friend's T-shirt, it will not turn them into a phoenix, it will turn you into an a**hole. When the tip of the joint is about to fall off, just ash it. However, don’t ash the cherry, because then the joint needs to be lit again, and some weed is wasted. Fatter joints can be ashed by gently scraping the burned sides from the burning cherry. So remember, always ash unless the next toker in line is a phoenix, in which case you should cool down on the weed.

LET THERE BE J’S!

We’ve just presented the six most important dos and don’ts for smoking joints. Remember to roll perfect joints, avoid the slime, don’t hog the joint, let the roller initiate, don't ash on your friends, and be cool. May your ganja circles flourish, and may the J’s be as magical as ever.

Steven Voser

Steven Voser is an independent cannabis journalist with over 6 years of experience writing about all things weed; how to grow it, how best to enjoy it, and the booming industry and murky legal landscape surrounding it.

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