Ways to Consume Marijuana: The Definitive Guide

Tia Moskalenko, author of the AskGrowers blog, brings a unique blend of content to her readers. She is known for conducting insightful interviews with key figures in the cannabis industry, including brand representatives, manufacturers, and experts. In addition to her interview skills, Tia has a keen focus on CBD. She expertly curates product selections and reviews, offering her readers detailed insights into the various effects and benefits of CBD. Tia's ability to combine in-depth interviews with comprehensive CBD analysis makes her a valuable asset to the cannabis community, offering a well-rounded perspective on the industry.

Reviewed by Denys Svirepchuk

Published

Mar 01 2023

Updated

Nov 16 2023

Guides

251

12 min

Ways to Consume Marijuana: The Definitive Guide

Different Ways to Consume Weed: Smoking

ways to smoke weed

You can smoke it, eat edibles with cannabis, or use special patches. Consumers can find a method that suits their preferences, needs, and health.

Many cannabis users choose a smoking method. It is convenient, stylish, and brings you closer to other people. And the main thing is that the high actually starts immediately after exhaling.

There are many ways to smoke weed using different tools for it: pipe, bong, joint, dab, and so on.

Weed Pipe

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A pipe is one of the most popular ways to consume marijuana. This is a convenient compact device that will add style and uniqueness to you, as it can, to some extent, be a smoker's accessory.

The market offers smokers a variety of pipes – from the simplest to fancy designer ones. Depending on your tastes and needs, you can choose the material of the pipe.

Pros:

Cons:

Ease and convenience of use;
Compactness, it can be taken everywhere with you. For example, on a trip;
A pipe bowl can hold a large amount of cannabis, so it can be smoked for quite a long time;
Pipes are relatively cheap;
A pipe allows you to fully enjoy the taste and aroma of cannabis through smoke;
A large amount of smoke immediately enters the lungs, which guarantees a strong and instant high.

A pipe is more suitable for experienced smokers due to the large amount of smoke that has to be inhaled;
People who do not know how to inhale weed will not be able to fully enjoy the weed;
Not suitable for people with colds or respiratory problems;
You need to clean the pipe as often as possible for its normal functioning;
Pipes are often lost or broken (depending on the material);
Some materials may be uncomfortable to use.

Smoking through electric weed pipes, or vaporizers, should be mentioned separately. It is believed to be the healthiest way to smoke weed since a person consumes only cannabis vapors without any extra impurities and smoke.

This guarantees a more refined high and soothing properties, which is very popular with gourmets. The vaporizer is also easy to use, does not take up much space, and looks like a stylish device.

But not everyone likes this type of high. Besides, such vaporizers are not cheap, which is also a disadvantage.

Smoke Weed Out of a Bong

different ways to consume weed

The bong is one of the most common ways to use marijuana. It is a tent pipe that allows you to burn marijuana and inhale the smoke, which, with the help of filtration, is softer and the effect of cannabis is smooth.

Pros:	Cons:
A smoother hit, which provides healthier smoking; Water filters tar, carcinogens, and other harmful toxins; Bong reduces bacteria and mold; Effective and pure high; Makes a lot of fun, good for the company.	Water can filter out not only harmful compounds but also THC; Bongs are usually bulky and break easily; Bongs need to be cleaned and washed often, otherwise, they will smell bad and spoil the taste of cannabis.

A gravity bong is a cannabis device that you can make yourself at home using a couple of bottles and foil (or a plastic bottle cap.)

This old-school method of smoking has its advantages. The main one of which is the instant entry of a large amount of smoke into the lungs, which provides a quick and powerful high. Ease of use can also be attributed to the advantages.

Bubbler Pipe

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Bubblers are accessories for smoking marijuana that are a combination of a bong and a regular pipe. They work by analogy with a water pipe, performing filtration. In addition, bubblers can be used without using water. There can be different materials, for example, silicone or borosilicate glass.

Pros:	Cons:
Softer smoke; Preserve the original taste profile and make it softer, richer, and more natural.	Small size compared to a bong, that’s why it's difficult to hit the pipe correctly; A lower level of filtration compared to a bong – and, accordingly, a less mild aroma.

Joint, Blunt, Spliff

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The joint is quite iconic among ways to use marijuana. It is cannabis rolled up in a thin roll of paper, usually white in color. However, the joint can be purchased in different shapes and colors, depending on the manufacturer.

This method is very convenient because it allows you to smoke weed quickly, efficiently, and anywhere. The user gets less THC from a joint than from a pipe and bong. For some people, it is a plus, and for someone – a minus.

You can make the joint yourself or use pre-rolled marijuana joints that are sold ready-made in pharmacies. They are usually made of paper or wrapping, ground cannabis, and a filter or crutch at the end.

There is also such a concept as a blunt – a cigar filled with marijuana instead of tobacco.

Spliff is a cigarette filled with cannabis combined with tobacco, but tobacco should not be more than 50%. Otherwise, the whole meaning of cannabis is lost. Cigarette rolling papers are usually used for twisting.

This smoking format is usually used by beginners or people who are sensitive to cannabis. But tobacco is more toxic and harmful and causes lung diseases, which is definitely a minus for a spliff.

Weed Vaporizer and a Weed Pen

healthiest way to smoke weed

A vaporizer is a device for turning a substance into vapor, and in this case, that vapor is none other than purified THC. It can be a desktop or portable pocket-size model of vaporizer.

Users believe it is one of the best methods of smoking weed because it is safe, plus it creates a more powerful high compared to bongs or joints.

safest way to smoke weed

A weed pen is a device visually similar to a pen that allows you to vaporize CBD or THC oils, allowing you to inhale the only substances in cannabis you need.

Despite the variety of shapes and sizes, pens have common structural features:

Oil storage chamber;
Heating element and heating chamber for oil evaporation;
Battery for powering the heating element.

Pros:	Cons:
Convenience and discretion; No smoke; More intense rich flavors; Temperature control.	High price; The need to charge the battery often.

Dabbing Weed

ways to consume cannabis

A сanabis dab is a waxy, yellow-tinged sticky substance on weed flowers created by extraction with butane, solvents, water, heat, or pressure. Its feature is a potent THC content of up to 80% (the average THC in a cannabis flower is 15-20%.)

In this regard, this method is suitable only for experienced users. Dab looks like resin or oil and is consumed by inhaling vapors through a vaporizer or similar bong-like device.

Pros:	Cons:
Pure and strong high; Less odor; More robust, purer, and plant-like flavor; The high comes faster.	The main disadvantage of this method is the high risk. Dabbing weed is dangerous due to the high levels of THC, which can cause the following conditions: Temporary psychosis^]; Memory loss; Increased heart rate; Anxiety; Hallucinations.

Dabbing weed includes moon rocks and sun rocks. Moon rock – cannabis nugs that are dipped in concentrate or sprayed with it (shutter or hash oil.) Then they are rolled in kief – a powder made from hemp leaves and flowers, which contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and trichomes.

ways to consume marijuana

The difference between sun rock is that it is made from cleaner products, but due to this, it contains less THC (50% compared to moonrock – 80%.)

Dab Pen

how to inhale weed

A dab pen, or wax pen, uses cannabis extracts (resin with concentrated THC) with a special device that resembles a pen – hence the name. These devices work due to electronic energy, which heats the concentrate and changes the wax to a liquid state, and then to a vapor state.

The extracts provide an incredibly intense experience, and the dab pen is found to be one of the best methods of smoking weed with high THC levels. But there is a drawback – in the process of heating, chemical compounds can be created that are very harmful to the lungs.

How to Consume Weed Without Smoking?

There are many reasons why marijuana users can't or don't want to smoke it. As an alternative to smoking, you can choose edibles, tinctures, and pills.

Edibles

how to consume weed without smoking

You can use THC edibles or CBD edibles. Edibles are primarily tinctures and oil, but they can also be found in the form of attractive cakes, cupcakes, candy, or chocolate.

Cannabis edibles can be bought, or you can make your own, using recipes and a few tips on choosing the right type of weed and how to process it.

The main feature of edible cannabis is that the high does not come immediately. Rather slowly and gradually, lasting longer than when consumed by smoking. When dealing with edible cannabis, it is much easier to overdose. This should be remembered when buying it in a store.

Pros:	Cons:
Simple and easy to use, do not require additional equipment; Safe for respiratory organs; The high is stronger and lasts longer.	Can cause digestive problems.

Cannabis Tinctures

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Separately, in the category of edible products, it is worth mentioning cannabis tincture, which is sometimes called a green dragon. This is an alcoholic cannabis concentrate. The solubility of THC in ethanol exceeds 1 g/ml.

Pros:	Cons:
Convenient and discrete; Good for the lungs; Can control and dose consumption (easier than compared to food products.)	Alcohol spoils the taste; Expensive price; The combination of alcohol and cannabis does not always lead to the desired effects.

THC Capsules

ways to use marijuana

Marijuana capsules are marijuana in pill form. They may contain many forms of cannabis, individual cannabinoids, or the full spectrum of hemp compounds. There can be, for example, THC capsules and CBD capsules.

Compared to other cannabis products and consumption methods such as vaping or smoking cannabis, capsules are easy to dose and consume. Patients who use marijuana for medical purposes sometimes choose pills because they can provide a strong dose with a long-lasting effect.

External Use of Cannabis

This implies the use of cannabis through the skin. Science now knows such means as cannabis patches and tops.

Cannabis Transdermal Patches

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Сannabis transdermal patches belong to the ways to consume cannabis through the skin.

Who does not like to smoke or eat cannabis – cannabis transdermal patches come to the rescue. First of all, it is a very convenient method for patients, which they can use inconspicuously.

THC patches do not cause a high because they release their compounds much more slowly. Therefore, they are used primarily for medicinal properties or to improve mood and sleep.

Topicals / THC Cream

healthiest way to use marijuana

Cannabis topicals are lotions, gels, ointments, or salves applied directly to the skin. They are not intoxicating but instead contribute to the rapid relief of inflammation, pain, and stiffness in the muscles. This category, which has grown in popularity over the years, includes transdermal solutions and lubricants that often include essential oils for added effect.

The Best Way to Consume Cannabis

According to data collected by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, smoking remains the most popular way to consume cannabis. It is more common and, in different ways, connected with the culture of using marijuana. The best way to smoke weed is considered a vaporizer because of its healthy properties.

The Healthiest Way to Consume Marijuana

People's opinions are divided on the safest way to consume weed, as it is all very individual. For example, for individuals with respiratory problems, smoking in any way will not be healthy, and they are better off using alternative methods to smoking.

At the same time, for people with a low tolerance to marijuana, as well as problems of a mental nature, edibles that contain THC are unlikely to fit. For them, those that allow strict control of the level of THC consumption will be healthy for them – for example, smoking a joint or external use of cannabis (for certain medical purposes.)

Methods Comparison

In fact, each consumer has their own best way to consume cannabis. People are different, and they have different needs.

Smoking through a bong, pipe, or joint is best associated with recreational consumption and spending time together because these methods allow several people to consume at the same time, to feel involved in a common cause, and to create a sense of camaraderie.

Smoking allows you to enjoy the taste and aroma of cannabis. But it is not suitable for those who do not like smoke.

A vaporizer is more suitable for individualist esthetes who want to fully enjoy a clean intake imperceptible to others.

Cannabis-based edibles are usually chosen in the following cases:

If you have breathing problems or a cold;
If you don't want to draw attention to yourself with smoke;
If you want a more powerful and unpredictable high.

After all, dabbing is for extreme consumers or veterans who can’t be caught off guard that easily. With dabbing, always be ready for an immense high.

Among ways to use marijuana for medical purposes – there are edibles, pills, tops, and tinctures.

General Consumption Recommendations

Decide on the purpose of consumption;
Consult your doctor regarding your needs and the best method of consumption;
Consume with caution and avoid overdose;
Do not mix cannabis and alcohol or other psychotropic substances.

Conclusion

The number of methods of consuming marijuana is only increasing every time. Manufacturers work on improving existing methods and using new ones – so that everyone can find the best method for their own needs.

FAQ

In terms of size and impact, the bubbler is between a dry pipe and a bong. In appearance and function, a bubbler is usually more like a pipe than a bong – it has a mouthpiece, a bowl, and sometimes a carb, just like a pipe.

People usually use marijuana like this: smoke it, eat it, inhale it, and sometimes drink it. The use of THC extracts – dabbing – is gaining popularity.

These include bongs and bubblers, as they use water for filtration. It filters smoke and some harmful substances that could enter the lungs.

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and the state of health and needs of each individual must be taken into account. In order to consume safely, it is worth consuming consciously and after consulting a doctor beforehand, who will help choose the method of consumption.