For those new to cannabis (or just new to smoking it), one of the most important things to learn is how to smoke a joint. The last thing you want is to look silly while smoking with your friends. Even if they know you’re a newbie, you don’t want to look like one. But what can you do?
There’s more to smoking a joint than lighting the end and taking a hit – it’s really a bit of an art. Fortunately, learning how to smoke a joint properly is easy. With some practice and patience, you’ll be rolling joints, lighting them, and smoking them like a pro.
If you’re looking for more information about how to smoke joints, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll go over exactly how to smoke a joint germ-free and socially, all while filtering out tar and resin.
Smoking a Joint Requires Knowledge of 3 Key Things
Learning how to smoke a joint can feel a little intimidating. We’ve all been there. Even those with years of experience using other forms of cannabis like edibles or tinctures might be a bit overwhelmed at the prospect.
Rest assured, learning how to hit a joint isn’t hard. However, it does require knowledge of 3 critical things: how to roll a joint, how to hold it, and how to light it correctly. Once you’ve got these things down, you’ll be well on your way to the best smoking experiences.
Rolling a Joint Easily
First, you need to learn how to roll a joint. Sure, you can buy quality prerolls from your local dispensary, but every smoker should know how to do it themselves. For many cannabis smokers, it’s a ritual and a vital part of the process of smoking a joint. Here are a few simple steps for rolling the perfect joint:
- Grind your flower.The very first thing you’ll need to do is grind your flower using a quality grinder. You want a small, consistent grind but not so fine that you’ve got dust on your hands.
- Fill the paper.Fill your rolling paper with a half a gram to a gram of ground cannabis and begin shaping it into a log with your fingers.
- Roll it up.Pinch the ends of the paper together between your thumbs and forefingers. Gently roll your fingers up and down to pack the flower into a tight log. Then, tuck the unglued side of the paper in and roll it up. Use just a bit of moisture to tack the glued side down. Tamp down the bud from the open end and twist the paper closed.
- Add a filter.Many cannabis smokers create a crutch or filter using a small, folded piece of cardboard. While this can prevent the inhalation of ground bud, it won’t filter tar and resin. (When using a homemade filter, add it to joint right before adding your weed). The best way to smoke a joint is by using a Moose Labs MouthPeace Mini and its activated carbon filters. After rolling your joint, pop the end you would put in your mouth into one side of the Mini and inhale through the other.
Holding a Joint Properly
When it comes to how to hold a joint, you have a few options. One of the most common ways is to hold it between your first and middle fingers, similar to a cigarette. Another popular option is to hold it with your thumb and index finger.
The thing about smoking joints is that you tend to end up with hands that smell like what you're smoking. Additionally, squeezing the joint too tightly can restrict airflow, which will impact your overall experience. When you hold your joint by the MouthPeace Mini, you avoid both of these issues. Holding it won’t leave you with cannabis-scented fingers, nor will it restrict airflow.
Lighting a Joint the Right Way
Before you close off the open end of your joint, you should tamp down the bud inside a little tighter. Doing so helps the joint burn better, and it creates some extra space so that you can twist it closed. Don’t compact it too much, though, or you might find it hard to inhale properly.
When lighting a joint, you’ll want to do so at the end opposite your MouthPeace Mini. Be aware that it does take longer than you might think. Hold your lighter flame to the very tip of the twisted end and roll the joint slowly to heat it evenly.
Which End of a Joint Do You Light?
If you're a new cannabis smoker, you might be wondering which end of the joint to smoke from and which end to light. The end you light should be opposite the side you're going to hit, which is really up to your preference. If it’s your first time, feel free to play around with it and do whatever feels most natural to you.
If you’re looking at your joint still unsure of which end to light, we’ve got one extra piece of advice for you. Generally speaking, you’ll want to choose whichever side is tighter to hold onto or to insert into your MouthPeace Mini. Then, proceed to light the opposite end.
Smoke a Joint Germ-Free, Socially
The only thing better than smoking cannabis is smoking a joint with friends. There’s something about smoking with the fam that makes the experience so much more enjoyable.
Many people who smoke joints in groups make it an even more communal activity by lighting one (or two or three) joints and passing them around. While this does make for a great bonding experience, there’s one significant downside – you also pass around germs.
If the idea of sharing germs along with a joint has you a little uneasy, don’t worry. You can still share a smoke without risking getting sick if everyone uses a MouthPeace Mini. As you pass the joint, you can remove it from your Mini, and the next person can place it into theirs. Now you can enjoy cannabis with your friends without having to worry about spreading germs, too.