How To Load a Pipe With Weed
A Step-By-Step Beginners Guide
Even with all the cannabis products now available, smoking is still the favorite consumption method for many, and for good reason. It’s tried and true, its effects are immediate, and it allows you to experience the delicious flavors of the cannabis plant. But that all holds true only if you know how to load a pipe with weed correctly.
In this guide, we explain how to load a pipe with weed and how to hit it once it’s packed.
Step 1: Grind Your Weed
Don’t pack whole flower buds into your pipe, even if they’re small. They’re too dense, and you won’t get good airflow. Instead, grind your weed first.
Keep in mind you don’t need to grind up enough weed to fill your pipe’s bowl; you just need to grind up as much as you want to smoke.
In a pinch, you can break apart your flower by hand. However, you won’t be able to get the pieces as small as they should be for proper airflow, and the more you handle your bud with your hands, the more trichomes you’ll destroy. (Trichomes are where cannabinoids, like THC, live. They’re what make the flower sticky.)
Step 2: Pack Your Pipe
Hold your pipe in one hand and gently place a pinch of ground weed into the bowl with the other. You can also set your pipe down to pack the bowl, but be careful as certain pipe shapes can tip or roll to one side.
Pack the bowl down lightly with your finger, making sure the herb is evenly distributed but not packed too tightly. Imagine a brand new shaker of oregano—full, yet still a little loose. If the bowl is packed too tight, you’ll have to inhale really hard to get any airflow. If it’s not tight enough, your inhale could pull the flower through the pipe before it burns, and you could also pull fire through the pipe instead of smoke and burn your throat. Always pack it tight enough to avoid too much space between flower bits.
Remember: You don’t have to pack your bowl to the top. You can always smoke more, but you can never smoke less. Start with a smaller amount. If you feel you need more, pack your pipe again.
Step 3: Light Up
A disposable lighter is all you need, though if you prefer something more natural, you can use a hemp wick to light your bowl.
Try to avoid putting the flame directly on the top center of the bowl. Instead, hold it on the side of the bowl. (You may hear some people say to “corner it.”) Your inhale will pull the flame into the bowl and help ignite the weed.
Cornering also allows you to rotate your bowl, so that every time you take a hit, you’re starting with fresh, green flower instead of re-lighting already burned flower. This is particularly important if you’re sharing. That way, everyone can get a fresh hit.
Inhale a full, steady breath and exhale slowly. You don’t need to hold the smoke in your lungs to “get more high,” despite what you may have heard. Cannabinoids enter your bloodstream immediately upon inhaling, so holding in smoke only damages your lungs with heat.
Take your time. You don’t need to smoke the entire bowl at once. When you’re finished, tap your bowl into a trashcan or ashtray to empty it.
If you find you tend to overpack your pipe and don’t always need as much as you think, it helps to use a pipe like the MAZE-X. Not only is the MAZE-X designed to offer the best airflow and smoke temperature control, but it also has a lid you can put on the bowl when you’re done so excess flower is safely stored for later.
Rather smoke with papers? Check out our blog on how to light a joint.