Over 158.8 million people globally use cannabis, according to the United Nations. The reasons could either be recreational or medical purposes. What was once a frowned-upon illegal drug, cannabis is now shedding its taboo status and little by little is being used for a variety of reasons. This includes relaxation, improved focus, increased energy, and treatment for a number of ailments, including anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, asthma, glaucoma, and even nausea due to chemotherapy.
If you have just recently decided to finally take the leap and join the cannabis-loving multitudes, this article can help guide you on how to smoke marijuana for the first time. The entire process may seem confusing and maybe a bit daunting to some, but it is not nearly as steep as it looks.
Legal Status of Marijuana in the United States
Marijuana is now legal in some form or another in several states in the United States. However, despite the approved medical laws in over 40 states, cannabis is still considered illegal under federal law. Under federal law, the possession, cultivation, use, and distribution of the plant is still treated like every other controlled substance. In states where recreational marijuana has been legalized, strict regulations are in place to ensure that the value of the city is maintained. In other words, no potheads are roaming around the city, high and out of their minds.
How to Smoke Marijuana
There are a number of methods to enjoy cannabis but the most popular and the easiest way to control dosage is by smoking it. You can smoke marijuana in a joint, a blunt, a pipe, a bong, among many others. When trying to smoke weed for the first time, there are some important aspects to consider – how to inhale the smoke, understanding your inhalation tolerance levels, and the different ways of inhaling the smoke.
Inhaling and Exhaling. But no matter what you smoke it out of, you are going to need to inhale the weed. The important thing to remember is, when inhaling, you have to take a nice, slow, deep breath to bring the smoke deep into the lungs in order to enjoy the weed’s full effects. If done correctly, you will feel the smoke travel down your pipes, fill your lungs, and bring you to infinity and beyond. While the overall action of smoking marijuana is similar to that of smoking a cigarette, the true difference is in the speed of your inhale. Inhaling cannabis is not the same as puffing away on a cigarette where you would want to inhale pretty quickly. When exhaling, the speed should be similar to how you inhaled the smoke – slow and not too fast. This will allow you to experience the effects of your Mary Jane stronger.
Many first-timers commit the mistake of simply holding the smoke in their mouth, which means that they will not get very high if they do at all. Needless to say, this is an ineffective way to enjoy weed’s effects. In fact, many seasoned stoners will tell you to be prepared to NOT get high on your first smoke session. Another common error among cannabis smokers who are just starting in their journey is swallowing the smoke instead of inhaling it. This not only can cause you an upset stomach, and possibly vomiting, but it is also a complete waste of precious THC.
Working on your inhalation tolerance. First-time smokers will most likely experience coughing and some burning sensation on their throats. This is common and is part of the learning curve. In order to reduce these uncomfortable effects, it is important to steadily work on your inhalation tolerance. To do this, start with really small hits rather than immediately jumping on a big hit. This is similar to any other training or workout for your body.
Beginners to the cannabis world should also consider smoking out of a bong or bubbler or any device with water filtration. These apparatuses filter the smoke with water cooling it down before it hits your gullet and lungs. The hot smoke is the primary cause of that fiery feeling in your throat, which can lead you to a coughing fit.
Different inhalation methods. As we all know by now, there is a smorgasbord of options available to smoke marijuana. There is the good old-fashion hand-rolled joint, the bong, the g-pen, the bowl, the pipe – the options are almost limitless.
- The joint. The joint will always be the go-to method for smoking marijuana. It is one of the first ways that weed was ever smoked and continues to be a staple of the smoking community. It is simple and to the point method of enjoying the full benefits of the plant. If you are smoking a joint for the first time with good friends, there is a good chance that they will roll one for you. However, if you want to roll your own, then it is good to start with the most basic – the dollar bill method.
- The vaporizer. Just like in cigarettes, vaporizers were first produced to create a more convenient, odorless, and healthier alternative. Many cannabis smokers now prefer vaping as preferred to smoking as the latter preserves many of the active ingredients that would otherwise be destroyed when setting a joint, for instance, alight. Put simply, vaporizers allow you to enjoy the pure vapor of the weed, giving you a true high without getting any tar debris into your lungs.
- The bong. The bong is another popular way to smoke weed. Since you draw in a lot more smoke when using a bong, it works quick and fast. In fact, this method is not recommended for beginners. Bongs come in many different designs and can be made out of glass, ceramic, metal, plastic, and even wood.
Understanding the right way on how to smoke marijuana is important. Smoking weed reaps a lot of benefits, including health and wellness, boosted creativity, increased energy, and even improved sociability. However, when not done properly, you may only be wasting precious THC crystals but you can also end up not feeling anything the first time.