Anything worth doing is worth doing well—including smoking cannabis. Like enjoying fine wine or good cigars, there is an art to enjoying marijuana. This means taking the time to understand the various strains and their effects as well as employing the proper tools and accessories to maximize the pleasure and effects of each smoking experience. The following is a list of items every serious stoner should have on hand when it’s time to put one in the air.
Because light, moisture, air, and temperature can all degrade the potency of marijuana, it’s important to store bud in a way that protects it from all of the above. Hence, keeping weed in a sandwich bag or foil in an underwear drawer is not the move. There are plenty of stash boxes on the market that offer secure, discreet weed-saving storage with odor protection to boot. Optimal storage is typically glass or ceramic with an air-tight seal. If storing multiple strains, it is also strongly advised to keep each strain separated from both other strains and smoking paraphernalia to maintain the flower’s integrity.
A good grinder speeds up the rolling process, helps conserve the stash, and saves hands from smelling like a pot farm. Separating by hand strips the plant of its pollen and therefore reduces its potency. Ground weed is both easier to roll, and burns more slowly and evenly.
For those who prefer blunts over joints, bongs, or pipes, hemp wraps offer a cleaner, healthier smoke as they are free of nicotine and tobacco additives. Because tobacco and nicotine are chemical stimulants, hemp wraps also afford a more relaxing and flavorful smoke.
For any blunt lover who can’t get tobacco-free wraps, a blunt cutter is essential. Splitting a blunt by hand often presents the challenge of rips and tears in the wrap which can lend to weed falling out or a problematic burn. A blunt slicer, however, gives the blunt a perfect, even cut every time.
It takes a flat surface to roll a good joint or blunt. Sure a table or a book will do, but why take the chance of rolling up pet hair, dust or heaven knows what else in your blunt? A dedicated rolling tray provides the perfect weed-only surface area, prevents herb from spilling everywhere during the process, and makes rolling easier overall. Some fancy trays even provide compartments for all of your various marijuana accoutrement.
For pipe and bong users, a clean instrument is a better instrument as it delivers a faster, smoother high with better flavor. A clean pipe or bong also helps conserve weed in addition to preventing exposure to bacteria. Not changing that bong water is a recipe for infection disaster, Yo. Be sure to clean the pipe/bong after each use or at least weekly. To help clear built-up residue, use pipe cleaners. Yes, they are actually for cleaning pipes, not just elementary school-level art projects.
A cigarette lighter or a book of matches will light your flower just fine, but a torch delivers distinct benefits. A torch light provides a perfect, even burn. It also quickly fires up your smoke session if you happen to be outside in windy or breezy weather.
Those stoners who don’t appreciate smelling like weed or suffering from bloodshot eyes after the fact should keep air freshener (or cologne/perfume) and eye drops on hand. Breath freshener relieves the old smoke mouth while hand sanitizer cleanses the digits leaving you with an overall clean, respectable presentation no matter how high you just got.
