How to Smoke a Joint Like a Pro

Smoking a joint is one of the most timeless and popular ways of consuming cannabis. It can even be a communal activity that brings people together. However, even seasoned users likely aren’t aware of other essential information such as etiquette, enhancing the overall experience, and masking the smell, to name a few. 

Today, we’re providing some tips on how to smoke a joint like a pro. You’ll learn something new whether you’re a rookie or a veteran. 

What Is a Joint? 

A joint is ground-up cannabis rolled using a thin piece of paper, usually made from plant fibers. They often come with a crutch or a filter to add structural integrity and create a barrier that allows you to smoke to the end without burning your lips or fingers. 

Adding tobacco leaves to a joint turns it into a spliff, and using a cigar wrap instead of rolling paper makes it a blunt. These two forms of smokeable cannabis bring an extra head buzz because of the tobacco. They also tend to last longer. 

Smoking a joint is more popular in countries like the United States, where cannabis lovers prefer to avoid the detrimental effects of tobacco. And even with the rise of other consumption forms like vaping, joints remain a favorite among many users. 

A perfectly rolled joint elevates the cannabis smoking experience. The following sections will provide a breakdown of how to achieve it. 

Step 1: Prepare Your Cannabis

Step one in this entire process involves the star of the show. You can’t roll a grade-A joint without using high-quality weed. Ensure you have fresh buds with the right amount of stickiness and dryness. Too much of either component complicates the process. 

One way to know if you have a top-shelf bud is to squeeze it using your thumb and index finger. It should bounce back up without shedding too much. You can also eyeball it to check for seeds; too much of it can be a nuisance. 

Once you’ve completed a quick quality check, you can grind the cannabis. Remove any excess stems before placing the nug into the herb grinder. If you don’t own a grinder, you can use your fingers. 

As for the consistency of the grind, you should keep it on the finer side. Avoid overdoing it to the point where the buds become pulverized and almost powder-like, as doing so could break too many terpenes and compromise quality. 

Step 2: Roll the Perfect Joint

Part of knowing how to properly smoke a joint is rolling a good one. After preparing the main ingredient, you can shift your focus to the equipment, beginning with the filter or crutch. 

For the latter, you can purchase a pre-cut crutch or make one using semi-stiff paper like a business card or a thin piece of cardboard. Cut it into a small piece around two inches long and half an inch wide, then fold it into an accordion before rolling it into a small cylindrical shape. 

Take a piece of rolling paper and place the crutch or filter on one end. Next, add a whole gram of ground-up weed and spread it onto the paper where the crease is. Don’t use too much, as it can cause the joint to be too tightly rolled. 

To begin rolling, make sure the glue line is facing your direction. Place the tips of both index fingers on the inside of the paper and the thumbs and middle fingers on the outside. The latter acts as a support to keep the paper upright. 

Take the bottom folded side and roll it up and down along the crease to give the paper a more curved U shape for easier rolling. Once folded, lightly wet the glue line and gently roll the bottom side upward using both thumbs. Ensure the ground buds are snug enough not to fall but not too tight to compress. 

Finish packing by rolling until the paper reaches the glue line to keep the buds sealed in place. 

Step 3: How to Light Joint?

To prevent “canoeing,” you must know how to light a joint correctly. For the uninformed, canoeing happens when a joint burns evenly upon lighting. Only one side catches fire, leading to a canoe-like shape. Several factors can cause a joint to canoe, such as too much tightness in the roll or uneven burning. 

Spinning the joint as you light it could ensure even burning on all sides. Once you’ve achieved the perfect “cherry,” you can start passing it around.

Step 4: How Do You Smoke a Joint? Inhale the Smoke and Exhale

If you want a memorable smoking experience, you must know how to inhale weed properly. Incorrect inhaling can dampen the smoking experience. Fortunately, doing it the right way involves a straightforward process. 

As a rule of thumb, inhalation should be around two seconds. Make sure it reaches your lungs before exhaling. Continue the cycle until you’ve achieved your desired buzz. 

For beginners who are still learning how to smoke a joint like a pro, taking smaller hits may be the best move at the onset. You can increase the amount once you’ve built enough resistance. 

Coughing may also be an issue, regardless of smoking experience. Prevent this by using top-quality buds and cleaning the preferred smoking device before lighting up. It also helps to have a glass of water within reach to keep the mouth and throat hydrated.  

Step 5: Maintain Cannabis Etiquette

Cannabis etiquette is about creating a harmonious smoking environment for everyone around. No one likes an ill-mannered person; that concept likewise applies to smoking circles. 

Firstly, it should be good vibes all around. Keep the conversations light-hearted and avoid divisive topics. Some people may be open to philosophical discourses, while others aren’t. Learn to read the room. 

Point two is to respect other people’s tolerance. Never coerce someone to consume more than they can handle. Doing so could get you kicked out of the room immediately. 

Lastly, be considerate toward your neighbors. Conceal the smell as much as you can and keep the surroundings clean. Offer ashtrays around the room. Ruffling feathers is the last thing you want to do. 

Step 6: Observe Post-Joint

A smoking session may leave lingering odors and residues on surfaces, which require post-joint care practices. If smoke from a joint seeped into a carpeted room, begin by vacuuming the space thoroughly. 

Finish the process by sprinkling a white vinegar and baking soda mixture using a spray bottle. Allow it to sit for a day or two before doing another round of vacuuming. You can apply the same process on a couch or ottoman. 

Proper storage is important to help the quality of unused joints. Store them in an airtight container to delay drying and in a cool spot where the temperature won’t exceed 70°F (21°C) to avoid mold development. 

What Are the Other Ways to Enhance Your Smoking Experience?

Part of learning how to smoke cannabis is creating a memorable experience for you and your peers. 

Firstly, ensure you’re consuming the best-quality buds by procuring them from a reliable source. Forget about black market dealers and stick to legal retail sources where products undergo regulation.

Creating the right environment also helps. Set the mood with ambient lighting and put on music that relaxes and brings good vibes. 

If you’re hosting a smoking party, have the munchies ready. You can always go with the all-time favorites, but feel free to experiment with recipes and let your creativity take over. 

How to Troubleshoot Common Weed Joint Issues?

A joint burning too quickly is one of the common issues for many smokers, and it’s likely due to lower-quality buds. Well-cured herbs that have been correctly dried will exhibit a slow, steady, and even burn, which is a thing of beauty for cannabis users. 

Speaking of dryness, too much of it will lead to an overly harsh sensation in the throat. Placing a citrus peel inside the weed jar can help revitalize the plant within 24 hours. 

The type of paper also contributes to the smoking experience, and using the wrong one may cause you some problems. You can choose from many varieties, but hemp papers are the happy medium that gets the job done. 

They are thick and rough to give you a good enough grip and burn at a reasonable rate, allowing you more enjoyment as you pass it around. 

What Are the Different Ways to Smoke Weed?

In an earlier section, we briefly discussed two close cousins of a cannabis joint: a blunt and a spliff. The primary difference is the presence of tobacco, where the former consists of the same leaves used to roll a cigar. 

Besides the added head buzz from the tobacco, blunts, and spliffs also burn much slower. They’re an excellent smoking method option if you want a prolonged smoking experience with a larger group of people. 

If you don’t want to go through the rolling process, pipes are your next best bet. Otherwise known as a bowl, packing the bowl up to four grams at a time is allowed, depending on the device’s size. The main downside is that the burn isn’t as consistent as a joint. 

For those who prefer a much less harsh smoking experience, bongs are a great tool. The water in the chamber acts as a filter that dampens the coarseness of the smoke as it touches your throat. However, bongs aren’t as portable as pipes or joints, and those made from glass can be prone to breakage. 

Final Thoughts

If you’ve made it this far into the article, you’re now equipped with a little more knowledge about how to smoke a joint for an optimal experience. Make sure to follow the steps, and you’ll feel like a pro in no time!

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