Top 10 Rules of Etiquette For Smoking Weed
For old-school enthusiasts and newbies alike, there are some definite, well-established rules of etiquette when it comes to smoking weed in groups. Whether you’re hosting a session, or attending one—even if it’s just you and a couple of friends—the following tips will help everyone get into the ritual and have the best experience. 1. Give your friends the green hits Letting someone else take the green hit is a classy move and a true sign of respect. The green hit—that is, the first hit of a pipe or a bowl, is where all the flavor is, without any hint of charred ash and smoke. Packing a bowl for someone and letting them take that first hit shows not only that you care about them, but that you take pride in your weed and want to show it off. 2. Cornering bowls Just as it’s good to give someone else the greens, if you’re the lucky recipient of a fresh bowl, be kind to the next in line. Put the flame to the side of the nug, where it touches the bowl. If you hit it this way, there will still be a green hit for the next person. That’s much better than running the full flame over the entire bowl, which makes every hit after that taste burnt. 3. As a guest, if you have some, offer it If you’re passing around joints and bowls with friends and it comes time to reload or roll up another joint, by all means, offer some of your own if you brought some. There’s no need to be stingy in today’s legal atmosphere, and sharing your weed will make everyone feel good—especially yourself! 4. Maintaining smoking accessories as the host If you’re the host, it’s up to you to keep an eye on the pipe/bong/joint/etc. and notice when they’re getting low or in need of cleaning or other attention. Always offer to clean the bowl and repack it, provide an ashtray for the joint and offer to roll another—you get the point. If you were hosting a dinner party, you would refill people’s glasses and take care of the dishes; this is no different. 5. Always have the right tools on hand Don’t let a cashed nug clog up the bowl, and don’t attempt to crumble up your flower by hand for rolling a joint. For that matter, don’t let your party run out of papers or get stuck with a dud lighter. Have all the tools and accessories on hand that you’ll need: poker, papers, scissors or grinder, good lighters. You could do worse than to make a list and stock up beforehand. 6. Let the next person know if the bowl is about to be toast “It’s probably a cash-hit” If you don’t warn someone, and they take a huge rip—especially from a pipe—they'll get a nasty, cough-inducing, disappointing, charred hit, and often will suck the remnants of the cashed nug into their mouth. No one wants this, and if you give a little disclaimer up front, they’ll have the opportunity to either repack the bowl, or proceed at their own risk. 7. Pass to the left This tip is more for fun and nostalgia than anything, and no one’s going to fault you for ignoring it. But, following this etiquette will show your depth as a true smoker who understands his or her roots with this old-school rule. Back in the day, if you were in a circle, passing around a joint or a bowl, you would always pass to the left. It’s unclear where the tradition comes from, but it may have something to do with the old-school stoner anthem, “Pass the Dutchie,” by Musical Youth. Check it out! 8. Don’t bogart a joint While it’s acceptable to take a couple of puffs and savor the smoke, don’t get so distracted that you forget to pass the joint. No one wants to watch it go up in smoke as you ramble on about—what was I talking about? You don’t have to rush it, but at the same time, keep it moving. 9. Puff, puff, pass This is like the inverse of the bogart rule. Back when weed was hard to find and hard to pay for, we were all afraid to appear as to be bogarting the joint. We didn’t want to waste our friends’ valuable bud, or deprive anyone the chance at a hit. So, we would take a quick puff, and neurotically, instantly, before we even had a chance to exhale, pass the joint to the next person. Relax. We don’t have to be so uptight about it any more! Take a couple of puffs. Inhale. Exhale. Savor it. Pass it along. Just don’t bogart. 10. Be kind to newbies Often times, we have the chance to introduce cannabis to someone who either has never tried it or who tried it so long ago, they barely remember what it was like. For those of us who have been enjoying cannabis in recent years (who probably have a bit of a tolerance built up) and are so excited to share it with others, we have to be careful with newbies. If we get overzealous and cause them to take giant hits or excessive doses, they can have a negative experience and never come back to cannabis. It’s up to us to be ambassadors for this great plant, and for the industry as a whole, and ease people into it so they can have an enjoyable experience.
Have a smoke session coming up? Want to be the best host you can be? Come get what you need at any of our locations! Our passionate and knowledgeable budtenders can get you stocked up and tricked out for the best party ever—your friends will thank you!
Locations: 2018 Iron Street Bellingham, WA 98225 Open: Mon-Sat 8am-11:45pm, Sun 9am-10pm 5655 Guide Meridian Bellingham, WA 98226 Open: Mon-Sat 8am-10pm, Sun 9am-10pm 4770 Pacific Highway Bellingham, WA 98226 Open: Mon-Sat 8am-10:00pm, Sun 9am-9pm Phone: (360) 734-2020
