Cannabis smoking

A screened single-toke utensil, such as the midwakh (shown here) or kiseru, provides low-temperature 25-mg. servings, avoiding the health risk and THC waste of hot-burning cigarette papers.

Smoking a 400-500mg. cannabis cigarette ("joint"). Burning temperature can reach 1500°F./860°C., destroying unvaporized cannabinoids.

Cannabis smoking is the process of inhaling the vapors released by combusting cannabis. Most frequently the flowering buds of the cannabis plant, or hashish, a preparation of the trichomes of the cannabis plant, are used. Cannabis is consumed to produce a feeling of euphoria, for medical reasons (such as to relieve stress or suppress nausea), or in pursuit of creativity (LEAP = Long-term Episodic Associative Performance memory). During this process, the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis, Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs. It is then transported to the brain, where it binds to cannabinoid receptors, a type of protein cell in the brain. The cannabinoid receptors receive the THC, setting off a chain reaction that leads to the feeling of a mental "high". It has also been found that heating of cannabis results in the production of additional THC from the decarboxylation of the non-psychoactive Δ⁹-tetrahydrocanabinoid acid (THCa).

While cannabis can be consumed orally, the bioavailability characteristics and effects of this method are starkly different. The effect takes much longer to begin, is typically longer-lasting, and can sometimes result in a more powerful psychoactive effect. For these reasons, the great majority of consumed cannabis is smoked. [1]

Cannabis can be smoked in a variety of ways, including the use of pipe-like implements, such as bowls and bongs, or by rolling it into a cigar-like "blunt" or cigarette-like "joint.". These methods differ by the preparation of the cannabis plant before use, the parts of the cannabis plant used, and the treatment of the smoke before inhalation.

Due to the popularity of smoking cannabis, several slang terms have developed, many of which are only relevant to select social smoking groups.

Smoking implements

Pipes

Main article: Bowl (drug culture)

Glass bowl or smoking pipe.

Smoking pipes, often called bowls, can be made of blown glass, wood, ceramic, stone, or metal. To avoid inhalation of undesirable vapors, certain reactive metals, such as aluminum, are typically not used to make smoking pipes. When speaking about a specific pipe, the term "bowl," "cone piece" or "crater" (the narrowest) often refers to the indentation where cannabis is to be combusted.

Blown-glass pipes are usually intricately and colorfully designed, and can contain materials that change color or become more vivid with repeated use. Such pipes usually have a hole which is covered with a finger during inhalation, and then uncovered to clear the pipe of smoke and cool the burning cannabis. Slang names for this hole include: rush, choke, carb (short for carburetor), "clear hole" or just "clear", shotgun, and shotty.

Pipes are often assembled with various metal fittings that screw together, with interchangeable, frequently decorative parts. Metal pipes may get hot, because metal is a good conductor of heat; this is avoided by having a crater-diameter narrow enough to maintain low burning temperature, which also protects against wasting THC. (Tobacco pipes are usually too wide for cannabis use.) For traditional utensils see kiseru (Japan) and midwakh (Middle East).

Bong

Main article: Bong

File:Redglassmarijuanawaterpipe.JPG

A hand-blown glass bong

A bong is a water-pipe by which the cannabis smoke is filtered through water into a chamber, enabling smoking techniques that are not possible with a smoking pipe. Users will often fill the bong with cold water or ice in order to help cool the smoke before inhaling it. In addition, non-carbonated alcoholic beverages, such as wine or liquor, are occasionally employed as a filtering liquid on the belief that it will make the smoke "milder", although alcohol absorbs THC, reducing the intake of THC.

Hand-blown glass bongs often employ the same decorative features as glass-blown smoking pipes.

A variation of the bong concept, known as a gravity bong, employs a vacuum created by water suction to fill the chamber, rather than relying on the user's lungs. In this method, the vessel is open on the bottom and is partially immersed in water prior to lighting the cannabis. When the cannabis is lit, the vessel is lifted, creating a pressure differential between the inside of the vessel and the outer air, and causing air and the resulting smoke to rush into the vessel. The bowl is then removed and the vessel lowered while the user inhales from the same opening where the smoke entered. This method has several variations and aliases, including bucket bongs, depth charges, torpedoes, and bucky.

Another type of bong is called a waterfall bong. The site where the marijuana is lit is the same as a gravity bong, but the chamber is filled with water, with a hole in the bottom. When the hole is uncovered, the exiting water creates a low pressure zone inside the chamber to draw smoke from the lit marijuana into the chamber. The cap is then unscrewed and you are able to inhale the smoke. [2]

Single-toke utensil

This is a screened miniature pipe with a long drawtube, permitting a small serving (25 mg.) of sifted herb to group together compactly, burning slowly while a practiced user sucks slowly through the drawtube, an art akin to hatha yoga (pranayama). If the smoke can be seen floating through the drawtube, it is a sign that one is drawing slow enough to achieve low burning temperature, reducing THC-waste. Screening the crater protects against drawing herb particles down the channel (to use such a utensil successfully the herb must be pre-sifted through a 1/16"/1.6-mm.-mesh wirecloth sifter and larger chunks diverted to tea-making).

• The most convenient metal part for pipe-making is a quarter-inch (or 6 or 6.5 mm.) socket wrench, with a screen nested snugly about 3/16"/5 mm. deep in the hex end, a long, quarter-inch-diameter flexible drawtube pushed into the square (driver) end, and tape wrapped around the outside to seal the air leak.

• A barbed brass hose nipple with a 1/4"/6-mm.-diameter crater may be used; a long flexible drawtube is pushed airtight over the barbed end of the hose nipple.

• With oxy-acetyl flame, a 5-mm. interior-diameter pyrex glass tube segment can be reshaped to have a 6-mm. i.d. crater area (screen at 5 mm. depth) and a narrower reverse end over which a long flexible drawtube fits snugly.

Semi-vaporizer technique

In a slow-burning utensil, each herb particle is heated by already-burning adjacent ones, allowing time for its THC to vaporize out prior to beginning its own combustion. By revolving a moderate lighter flame around the outside of a glass or metal crater-head and drawing air patiently a long time without starting combustion, herb particles inside can be heated from contact with the wall and benefits of a vaporizer (see below) achieved.

Vaporization pipe with flame filter
28. Insert cannabis, other herbs or essential oils
36. Flame filter made of a stack of metal screens (5+) or a heat resistant porous material

Vaporizer

Main article: Vaporizer

Since the delivery of THC occurs through heating rather than combustion, it is possible to "smoke" small servings of sifted cannabis without ever igniting the herb, through the use of a "vaporizer." This is suggested to maximize consumption of active cannabinoids without the harmful and irritating effects of the actual smoke.[3] A vaporizer heats herbal cannabis to 365–410 °F (185–210 °C), which turns the active ingredients into gas without burning the plant material (the boiling point of THC is 392 °F (200 °C) at 0.02 mm Hg pressure, and somewhat higher at standard atmospheric pressure).

At least one study has shown that using a vaporizer results in less tar and carbon monoxide inhalation than smoking the same amount of cannabis.

E-cigarette

An e-cigarette. The left part (white) is the battery, the middle part (white with small hole) is the atomizer and the right part (brown) is the mouthpiece and cartridge.

Main article: E-cigarette

This product, shaped like a cigar or cigarette, contains a rechargeable battery and a heating element which, when a user draws on the mouthpiece end, vaporizes (in most brands) liquid nicotine from an insertable cartridge. Smokers on websites report success in eliminating a cigarette smoking habit. Liquid THC, if available, could be loaded into the cartridge instead of nicotine, providing cannabis users with benefits similar to a vaporizer at lower initial price.

"Spots"

Main article: Spots (cannabis)

An alternative vaporization method, known variously as spots, spotting, dots, hot knives, or blades, is to compress a small amount of cannabis between two heated metal blades and inhale the resulting vapors. In order to facilitate this process, a spottle (also referred to as a bowser or hooter) is used to capture the smoke and maximize the amount of smoke inhaled. Although not a popular or well-known practice in some parts of the world, the spots method of consuming cannabis is quite common in New Zealand.

Smoking with fruit

Fruit, including apples, can be used as a smoking device by sticking a sharp, round object into the fruit at three different points, intersecting near the middle of the fruit. One hole, corresponding to the bowl, is placed at the top of the fruit. Another hole, the mouthpiece, is made in the upper front side of the fruit. The third hole, the carburetor, is placed in the middle part of the side opposite the mouthpiece. The bowl can be made by widening the top-most hole to the desired size and inserting a screen, or by inserting a screened glass or metal bowl made for a bong. This method of smoking not only adds a hint of flavor, but makes for an easily disposable and replaceable smoking device.[4]

A Home-made Steamroller made out of a toilet paper roll

Homemade

Many cannabis users, either because they do not own or cannot afford a real piece, or simply didn't have it on them at the time, opt to build homemade smoking devices. Some of these include: steam rollers, tinnies, and water bottle bongs. Another advantage of these objects is their ease of disposability-- the piece can just be crushed or dismantled and thrown away, or saved for later use as the different pieces of the devices that require assembly are not conspicuous alone.

Steam Roller

A steam roller (sometimes called a shotgun, or Stanley Steamer) is a type of pipe that can be home-made or manufactured like any other glass bowl or bong. The parts usually comprise of a short or long hollow tube, a bowl either fitted on top or built into the steam roller. The name may come from the fact that the pipe often resembles a steam roller, or perhaps the fact that the smoke often spirals through the pipe while filling and clearing.

To operate the steam roller, the user puts the marijuana in the bowl of the pipe, his/her mouth in or over one end of the pipe and their hand over the other. The user lights the cannabis and hits as usual, then removes their hand from the back of the pipe. This is basically the same principle as a carb on a bong, only larger. Steam rollers are some of the biggest air pieces and not as common as bowls or bongs. Often steam rollers are constructed out of clear glass instead of colored glass to show the smoke shooting into the smokers mouth.

File:Tinny.jpg

A homemade "Tinny" pipe with tape along the tube

Tinny

A tinny (a.k.a. tinnie) pipe, is another homemade smoking pipe made entirely out of aluminum foil. The name comes from 'tin' foil, which is what many people call aluminum foil. Ironically, tin can be toxic and if used to make a pipe could have negative health effects. Although aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, marijuana itself has been found to slow the progression of said disease.

The tinny is made by taking a piece of aluminum foil, about the length of a pen or around 5 1/2" long and about 4" wide. This strip is then wrapped around a pen or pencil or some other cylindrical object with a similar diameter. The top flap of foil can then be taped down if necessary. Whatever object used to make tube is then inserted in one end abut 1/2" then pivoted upwards. This creates the bowl. The maker can then inhale through the pipe and adjust the crease of the bowl to let in more or less air. Carb holes can be added but is most often left out. This piece is often favored by users because it is made entirely out of one material.

The tinny is operated the same as any other pipe. The cannabis is packed in the bowl, the user puts their mouth around the un-bent end of the tube, ignites the marijuana and inhales. The carb hole (if added) would then be released to clear the tube, but if no hole is present the user can just inhale the remaining smoke after the hit.

Water Bottle Bong

The water bottle bong is a homemade water bong. It is constructed out of a water bottle (hence the name), a hollowed out pen tube and again, some aluminum foil. The water bottle is first emptied and the cap removed. Then a small hole is placed on the side of the bottle, about 3 inches up from the bottom. The hollowed out pen tube is inserted into this hole so about 2" of the tube is inside the bottle. It is usually at a 30° angle to the bottle. If this hole is not air-tight things such as teflon tape ('pipe-tight'), chewed gum, and clay can be wrapped around the pen tube at its base. Then, basically a small 'tinny' is slid over the pen tube to make the bowl. The tube of this smaller tinny must not let out any air. A carb hole is then poked in the side of the bottle (opposite the bowl) above the water line, of a size easily covered by the thumb. The final step is to fill the water bottle with water so that the part of the pen tube inside the bottle is about an inch underwater.

This bong operates the same as any other. The user puts their mouth in or around the top of the bottle, their finger or hand over the carb, ignites the marijuana in the bowl, hits, releases the carb, and inhales that smoke as well. Also just like any other bong, the water must be replaced often as it becomes dirty.

Soda Can Bowl

Like the 'tinny' and 'steam roller', the soda can bowl is a homemade pipe constructed entirely from a soda can, less complicated than the 'tinny'. The user rinses out an empty soda can, removes the tab, holds the can horizontally with its mouth at bottom, creates a quarter-inch wide rounded dent in the top of the can, pokes several pinholes in the indentation, and optionally adds a carb hole on the side of the can. It should be noted that using an aluminum can as an improvised smoking device can be hazardous to a user's health, due to the low melting point of aluminum, and the fumes given off by it and the paint, ink or plastic coatings used on the can.[5][6]

The 'tinny', 'steam roller' and this pipe all operate the same way: place cannabis in the dent (bowl), place finger over carb hole, put mouth in front of can mouth, ignite while inhaling, release carb, and inhale even more.

Sploof

Though not used for the actual smoking of cannabis, the sploof can be used to partially mask the smell of the exhaled smoke. It is constructed by simply stuffing a few dryer sheets, or facial tissues dampened with perfume, into an empty roll of toilet paper or paper towels. When exhaled through the sploof, the smoke takes with it the scent of the dryer sheets used, producing a pleasant - although still partially smokey - smell. The sploof is known by other names, such as de-hooter, silencer, bong buster, spoof, spoofer, cannabis killer, hush, downy tube, and others, depending on region.

Shotgun

Main article: Shotgun (cannabis)

A shotgun (also known as a shotty, brainer, charge,powerhit, super, or blowback) can have many meanings, but commonly refers to one user taking a "hit" of a blunt or joint (see below), turning it around so the lit end is inside the mouth, and blowing the hit out through the blunt/joint into the mouth of another user, who sucks it in. A "Stinger" has the same concept except smoke is inhaled through the nasal passage.

After using a single-toke utensil (one-hitter), the first user can turn the instrument around, cup mouth around the crater-head, and blow air steadily through to a partner who sucks from the mouthpiece at the other end of a suitably long drawtube. This method works well on a low supply, because two persons get effects from one hit.

Double Toke

The long drawtube of a single-toke utensil (one-hitter) divides to permit two users to draw simultaneously. A regular loading is burned (25 mg.) and each partner draws twice as slow. Because one-half as much heat is delivered per partner per serving, this is especially mild. Afterwards a shotgun can be delivered through the drawtubes while covering the crater opening.

Hot-boxing

The act of "hot-boxing" (a.k.a. "fishbowling" or "clam baking") is to smoke (or vaporize) marijuana in a confined setting, i.e. a car or very small room or even one's shirt. The exhaled smoke builds up inside the car or room and can then be inhaled instead of taking further hits. (This also makes that environment fairly warm, hence the name.) Up to five users participate in a hotbox session, due to the fact that it takes a fairly large amount of cannabis to fill a small room with smoke. Hot-boxing can be a social event for those who view marijuana as a social drug. This smoking method helps conserve cannabis, as the exhaled smoke holds more as yet unabsorbed THC to be reinhaled instead of taking further hits.

Although it is true that lingering smoke does contain some unabsorbed THC, it is only trace amounts. 95-99% of the THC is absorbed in the first 3-5 seconds of it being in your lungs. Inhaling already exhaled smoke will not produce any noticeable effects and can only harm your lungs as it gives harmful agents more time to work on them. Any affect felt is only a placebo one. Not to mention "hot-box" smoke is stale and can irritate your throat, eyes, and mouth.

While waiting for research to determine the actual amount of THC at risk to be wasted in expired smoke, consider that rebreathing one's own moisture and CO2 after a toke protects better against the smoking hazard of drying the bronchial linings than breathing fresh dry air would do.

Hot-bonnet (breath-bonnet, cough-bonnet)

• After a serving the smoker pulls the collar of their shirt above the nose, and repeatedly exhales and inhales the smoke for a minute or two, preferably out through the mouth and in through the nose.

• A one-liter plastic sack or paper bag may be substituted, pressed close to the face surrounding the breath organs. A hands-free version is achieved by taping the sack to itself around a 13-14" wire frame, with several wires spread about 1/2" apart and taped together serving as a snug-fitting air-seal above the nose like those found in commercial dust masks, and the entire unit connected to large rubber bands which loop around snugly behind the ears.

• Held in the mouth, inflated and deflated, a balloon (such as those supplied with some vaporizers) may be used similarly.

Rolled

There are two main sciences when it comes to rolling marijuana to be smoked; joints and blunts.

Joint

Main article: Joint (cannabis)

A joint is created by rolling up cannabis, either manually or with a rolling machine, into a cigarette-like product. Standard sized papers for joints are 70mm (standard size), 79mm (1 & 1/4 size) , and 110mm (1 & 1/2 size).

If a joint is smoked until it almost begins to burn the fingers of the user, the result is often referred to as a "roach". Tweezers or a specially-designed pair of "roach clips" may then be used to continue smoking. Some smokers prefer to empty the roach into a bowl or other pipe-like device rather than continue to smoke the roach as if it were a joint.

In many areas, rolled-up bits of business cards or otherwise weak cardstock are ripped into small pieces and used as a "splint" or a '"crutch". While these fail to remove many (if any) harmful toxins, they do allow for more of the cannabis in a joint to be used, and the joint will typically 'hit' better. Splints are sometimes mistakenly referred to as 'filters'. However, commonplace cigarette filters are rarely used, as they are less common in a smoking environment, in addition to the belief that tobacco filters cut out a significant amount of THC.

Blunt

A blunt made from a Dutch Master cigar using the leafing method

A "blunt" is a method for smoking marijuana in which the marijuana is smoked inside a tobacco leaf obtained from the outer layer of a cigar.

There are three main methods for producing blunts. The first method is to hollow out the interior of a pre-made cigar and fill it with cannabis. The second method is to rip or cut the cigar lengthwise from end to end, after which the contents are discarded and the wrapping rerolled like a new cigar. The third method is to buy cigar paper (commonly referred to as a wrap) which can come in a variety of flavors, and roll it like a joint.

The term "blunt" may have originally referred to a type of cigar, the Phillie Blunt, which has become highly popular for creating marijuana blunts. Users should note that cigar wrapper leaf contains addictive nicotine (see "Mixing with tobacco", below).

Other notable Cigars used in blunt rolling include, Dutchmaster, White Owl,Garcia Vega, and Swisher Sweets, but nearly any cigar or cigarillo can be used in the process.

Mixing with tobacco or other herbs

Often cannabis is combined with tobacco (also known as "spinning" or "webacco", or "Amsterdam Style") or other smokable herbs, such as hops flowers or peppermint leaf, prior to smoking. When cannabis is mixed with tobacco to roll a joint it is known as a spliff. Mixing cannabis and tobacco in a bong is known as a mokie. This may be done to enhance the flavor; to make a small amount of cannabis last longer by "cutting" it with another substance; or in the case of other psychoactive herbs, to increase and/or modify the effects on the user. It is more common in Europe and the Middle East than in the Americas. For some users cannabis mixed with tobacco has an instant and more intense effect than smoking cannabis by itself. At least one source has suggested that the practice of mixing tobacco with cannabis can lead to nicotine dependence.

Health Effects

Main article: Effects of cannabis

Reports indicate decreased gas exchange capacity and the existence of particle residue in the lungs of marijuana smokers several times greater than for tobacco smokers. These findings, however, may have been exaggerated. In both studies, smoked marijuana was not "cured" or filtered, while smoked tobacco was; modern vaporizers were not yet available. Tashkin et al. notes that "these differences could largely account for more than twofold greater tar yield from marijuana than tobacco that was measured using syringe-simulated puffs of similar volume and duration." Smoking cannabis through a water-pipe may filter out water soluble carcinogens and will also greatly cool down the smoke. Also, cannabis need not be smoked: in Middle Eastern countries, it has been consumed through teas and food for centuries, avoiding the carcinogenicity of smoke altogether.

Despite cannabis' suspected negative effects to lung function, there has never been a reported case of lung cancer attributable to cannabis, while of 5,400,000 people (worldwide) per year killed by tobacco up to half may have died of lung cancer. Tashkin et al, who's name is synonymous with studies of the negative effects of marijuana, did a study which showed there is no connection with marijuana use and cancer. Tashkin's study, funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse, involved 1,200 people in Los Angeles who had lung, neck or head cancer as well as 1,040 people without cancer matched by age, sex and location. All were asked about their history with marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco. Surprisingly the results of the study showed no increased cancer risk with the use of marijuana. This contradicts earlier work, which showed that marijuana smoke contained carcinogens which could be as harmful as the ones in tobacco. One theory is that the THC in cannabis causes aging cells to die before they can become cancerous. The study may even point towards less risk of cancer with marijuana use, but far more research is needed before coming to a conclusion. Tashkin also notes that he still believes marijuana is harmful but his study refutes the claim that it causes lung cancer.