Top 10 Weed Smoker Mistakes

No question, smoking weed is awesome! It can help you destress after work, lift your mood when you’re feeling down, help you sleep and ease pain, and is just a whole lot of fun for so many reasons. Then again, good weed isn’t always easy to come by, and it isn’t cheap either. Although smoking weed isn’t exactly rocket science, a surprising number of folks—especially those still new to the herb—make plenty of subtle mistakes.

While these mistakes aren’t the end of the world, you’ll want to avoid any pitfalls to maximise your experience and save money in the process. The first thing you should know is that not all types of cannabis affect everyone the same. If you know how weed affects you, you can plan your high accordingly.

But there are other critical variables involved in smoking weed that you should be aware of, whether you’re a pot smoking novice or a seasoned old hand. Here are ten of the most commonly made weed smoker mistakes.

1. USING A POOR LIGHTER

Many cannabis smokers use regular lighters, but inhaling butane gas into your lungs as you’re lighting up your herb isn’t exactly healthy. And don’t think that using matches is the superior alternative, as inhaling burnt sulphur isn’t good for you either. What you want is a good, reliable lighter.

You can minimise your exposure to butane and other chemicals with a plasma lighter. A plasma lighter works without lighter fluid and doesn’t need any refills, which makes it not only healthier, but also more economical. Another good way to light your herb without gas or chemicals is with organic hemp wick. Hemp wick burns slow and at a low temperature, which helps to preserve the flavour of your weed.

View Novi Plasma Lighter

2. NOT KNOWING INDICA FROM SATIVA

A lot of newbie pot smokers think that weed is weed and that it all has about the same effect. On the contrary, this isn’t true at all. There are two main types of cannabis, indica and sativa, whose effects can be quite different. Indica is normally the type of weed that will relax you and may “lock you to your couch”, while sativa gives you a “head buzz” that’s more psychoactive and energetic. Because of that, indicas can be better for new cannabis smokers since they are less likely to induce paranoia or anxiety.

But many cannabis strains are not pure indicas or pure sativas. They are often hybrids that provide a mix of each effect. Know that it’s difficult to surmise how a particular strain will affect you until you actually try it. Aside from differences in the strains themselves, individuals also react to the same strain differently. The same type of weed could knock one person stoned silly while barely affecting another. Everyone’s body and tolerance level is different. The only way to know if a strain is right for you is to give it a try.

3. NOT CORNERING YOUR BOWL (AKA TORCHING THE BOWL)

Want to avoid being an ass in the smoke circle? Corner your bowl! “Cornering” means that you only light a small portion of the weed around the edges of the bowl. This way, there is always some fresh green left for the next person in your circle, and you don’t go wasting good-quality herb.

If you just go all out sparking the entire top of the bowl, you only leave ashes for everyone else, which makes you look like a rude neanderthal. But cornering can also be good if you smoke alone. It allows you to light up fresh bud every time, rather than scorching your entire bowl with the first hit.

4. NOT KNOWING HOW TO USE THE CARB HOLE

The carb hole is the little hole that most bowls and bongs have on the side. But lots of pot smokers don’t really know how to use the carb properly. As you light a hit, you plug the carb with your finger and inhale. When you’ve created a good amount of smoke for your hit, you take your finger off the hole and continue to inhale. This clears the remaining smoke from inside the bong without taking another puff. Wasn’t too complicated, right?

5. INHALING TOO DEEP OR TOO SHALLOW

There is still the age-old myth making the rounds that you need to take large hits and hold them in your lungs for a few seconds in order to really get blazed. Alas, this myth is untrue. Research has shown that almost all of the THC is absorbed in mere milliseconds upon taking a puff. In other words, inhaling deep and holding the smoke in won’t do a thing. What’s more, if you inhale deeply to the point where you feel short of breath, it can also be unhealthy.

Likewise, if you take puffs that are too shallow and tiny, this certainly won’t get you high, and you’ll definitely be wasting weed. Try to aim for medium-sized puffs, then make sure to exhale the smoke right after you inhale. This will ensure that you still get nice and high, but you won’t be doing more damage than necessary.

6. NOT STORING YOUR WEED CORRECTLY

You want to store your weed properly so it retains its taste and effect. If you don’t store it right, it can lose potency and flavour over time, and in the worst case, can become dry and crumbly or even mouldy. While glass jars with a lid (mason jars) are pretty good for storing your weed, there are even better ways to store your weed so that it upholds max quality.

With these stainless steel storage containers, you can keep your weed fresh and potent for many months. You can also add humidity packs (such as Humidipak and Integra Boost) to your storage containers to provide your weed with the optimal humidity. If you’re looking for an odour-proof, pocket-sized container to transport or store small amounts of MJ, check out the Pocket Spacevac. If you need bigger storage containers, the Tightvac is perfect for keeping your stash safe. But you can also use it for coffee, tea, and many other things.

7. NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER (AND FORGETTING LIP BALM)

Every stoner knows, cottonmouth is awful. Fortunately, you can do something about it. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after you get high. If you’re going somewhere where you know that you will smoke, like to a festival or concert, bring a water bottle with you so that you can stay hydrated throughout the duration.

Cottonmouth is one thing, but the awfully dry and irritated feeling from chapped lips is also very unpleasant. There is an easy solution to that problem as well: Keep lip balm on you at all times and you can say “bye bye” to chapped lips from smoking weed!

8. NOT HAVING A GOOD GRINDER

Every weed lover should have a good grinder. A decent grinder can make all the difference to get your buds to the right consistency so you can roll the perfect joints that burn evenly. The better grinders also come with a kief catcher and sieve, so you can collect and enjoy the most potent parts of your weed.

If you smoke a lot, a good grinder is always a good investment. The Grindervac combines a quality grinder with a vacuum-sealed container so you can use it for grinding and storing. If you’re on a budget, this no-nonsense classic medium metal grinder is tough and sturdy and does an excellent job for the money. If you want only the best of the best to grind your precious herbs to perfection, check out the awesome SLX 2.0 non-stick high-quality herb grinder!

View SLX 2.0 Grinder

9. NOT USING SCREENS OR KEEPING SPARES

Any serious stoner that uses a metal pipe or bong for smoking weed will need screens. Lots of them. The screens keep plant matter and dust from entering your mouth as you inhale. You should change your screens often to keep your devices in tip-top shape.

But if you only have a couple screens on hand, you won’t really get far. Screens are inexpensive, so it makes sense to stock up. These steel screens are durable and can be moulded for a perfect fit for most pipes. Alternatively, these brass screens are soft and smooth, so they don’t scratch any surface.

10. WAITING TOO LONG TO CLEAN YOUR EQUIPMENT

You may have scored the best weed, but icky, sticky, and smelly equipment can easily spoil all the fun! For the best taste and experience when you smoke weed, you should always keep your pipes and bongs clean and free from residue. If you smoke often, it can be best to clean your pieces after each use. Yes, this may be a small effort, but it’s still better than needing to spend hours cleaning up a piece that is caked in resin and other undesirables.

There are various ways you can clean your smoking equipment. You can use pipe cleaners, alcohol, or boiling water, but for everyday cleaning of your bong, it can be enough to simply rinse it in hot or boiling water after use. This will be sufficient to remove most of the resin. Afterwards, let your bong air-dry. Don’t forget to change your bong water as well! If you use it frequently, you should change the water daily. Fresh water will greatly reduce the risk for bacteria and bad odours to develop.

No one is born the perfect weed smoker. Our list of the top 10 weed smoker mistakes will help you to enjoy every hit to the fullest!

Happy smoking!

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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