In the United States, 12% of adults smoke marijuana and this number has been relatively unchanged since 2015.
When you consider all the health benefits that weed can have, it’s no wonder why so many people turn to using it. Not to mention, it gives you a pretty nice high as well.
With so many states now legalizing marijuana, you might be interested in partaking. But there are so many ways to consume marijuana, not just smoking it!
So what are all the different ways to consume marijuana? And better yet, how can you do so legally so you don’t get in trouble with the law?
Read on to find out all the key details you need to know.
The Legality of Marijuana
Before we delve into all the ways to consume marijuana, let’s first discuss where it’s legal (and where it’s not).
The first thing you should know is that using cannabis is illegal on a federal level, which means even if you’re consuming it in a legal state, you could technically still get in trouble by the FBI.
However, they have much bigger fish to fry, which means you should be safe, so long as you’re consuming weed in a state that’s legalized it. In fact, back in 2013, the Department of Justice said they wouldn’t block cannabis legalization laws in individual states.
With that said, here’s the breakdown.
Where Marijuana Is Fully Illegal
The good news is, the majority of states have legalized the use of weed in some form. But the bad news is, 3 states have not gotten on board, so if you live in one of them, you’re out of luck. These 3 states have prohibited the use of pot in any form:
- Idaho
- South Dakota
- Nebraska
While it can be a bummer if you live in any of these states, the bright side is, you don’t have to travel very far to go to states that have legalized weed (either medically or fully). For example, nearby states with fully legalized weed include Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Illinois.
Where Marijuana Is Fully Legal
On the other end of the spectrum are states that have fully legalized the use of weed. They are:
- Alaska
- California
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Washington
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Vermont
- Massachusetts
- Maine
Outside of these 11 states, all the others (besides the 3 that have fully prohibited pot usage) have legalized the use of medical marijuana.
Laws are always being passed to change weed regulations, so don’t be surprised if, by the time you’re reading this article, things are different. Also, keep in mind that these are very simplified ones. So always make sure you double-check with your local government before indulging yourself!
Forms of Marijuana
Now that we’ve gotten the legal stuff out of the way, it’s time to get to the good stuff! But before we discuss the ways to consume marijuana, you should know about the various forms it comes in.
When people think of weed, they just think of the dried flower form that it comes in. But that’s just 1 form you can consume pot in! In fact, you can even get it in 3Chi delta 8 form, which is a much less potent version of THC.
Interested in hearing more? Below are some of the forms you’ll find cannabis in.
Hash
Hash (or hashish) is basically made from the resin that comes from flower buds. Depending on the type you’re getting, there are different ways that hash is made.
But in general, the trichomes are separated out from the flower, which results in a sticky bricklike form.
Concentrates
These are actually quite new on the scene, but they’re a popular form of weed that people like to consume. A general recommendation is that newbies stay away from concentrates. As their name suggests, concentrates contain a huge amount of THC in them, which can actually make some people pass out.
The types of concentrates include:
- Shatter
- Budder/Badder
- Crumble
- Crystalline
- Distillate
Oils
You might’ve heard all about CBD oil, which people have been praising for its benefits. But there’s such thing as THC oil as well!
As you might’ve already guessed, cannabis oil comes in a liquid form that’s oily to the touch. Products come in a glass jar with an eyedropper for accurate dosing.
Cool Ways to Consume Marijuana
After learning about the various forms of marijuana, now you can move onto the ways to consume it! Read on for the various ways that people indulge in this substance.
Smoking
Perhaps the best way to consume marijuana is to smoke it. This is because the items you need to do so are very minimal (and cheap), it’s great for people on the go, and it’s not hard to learn how to smoke at all.
The easiest and cheapest way to smoke weed is to roll a joint. You just need rolling papers, filters, and some pot.
Simply sprinkle some ground-up weed on the rolling paper, put the filter in, and roll it up, twisting the end shut so the weed doesn’t fall out. Then light the end and inhale! Or you can leave it in a small container so you can smoke at a later time, which makes joints highly portable.
You can also smoke marijuana with a pipe. Pack the bowl with ground-up cannabis, light it up, and then inhale. Pipes come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but most people prefer glass ones with pretty designs.
Lastly, you can smoke weed through a bong. It’s a bit more difficult to do, but weed enthusiasts find it quite fulfilling.
To smoke through a bong, fill the chamber with water and pack the bowl. Put your mouth on the mouthpiece, creating a seal, and light the bowl. Inhale slowly and lightly, and stop lighting the bowl when you’re happy with the amount of smoke in the chamber.
Stop inhaling and pull the bowl out of the stem. Now inhale all the smoke deeply into your lungs for a hit.
If you aren’t able to get all the smoke at once, place your hand over the mouthpiece to stop it from escaping. That way, you can take another hit when you’re ready, without wasting any of your weed.
Gravity Bongs
Some people like to smoke weed through what’s called a gravity bong. These are homemade bongs constructed from plastic bottles or milk jugs.
They’re very easy to make and lets you recycle items you already have in your house. Once you’ve constructed the gravity bong, you’d use it in pretty much the same way you’d use a regular bong.
Vaping
Vaping is similar to smoking, but instead of inhaling smoke, you’re breathing in vapors. This isn’t as harsh on your lungs, plus it’s a little healthier, so some people prefer to vape instead of smoke.
Just like with smoking, there are several devices you can use to vape weed. You can purchase anything from vape pens to desktop vaporizers.
Here, you’ll use dry herb, just as you do with smoking pot. You’ll have to grind it up, pack the vape, let it heat up (~30 seconds), and then inhale.
Dabbing
This one’s for those who are more experienced with weed.
Remember how we said that weed comes in the form of concentrates? Dabbing is where you consume these concentrates (or hash). For this reason, you should be familiar with how your body reacts to cannabis, as it’s not uncommon for people to pass out from dabbing.
There are several ways you can smoke dabs. Many prefer to use a glass pipe or bong, but you can even use just a butter knife if that’s all you have.
The basic concept is this: you need to heat up the resins with a butane lighter so it gets to the perfect smoking temperature. You then inhale that smoke for a very strong high.
Oral Consumption
A very fun way to consume marijuana is to eat it. You might be familiar with the concept of edibles, which is where you can eat goodies (like brownies and cookies) to get high. This is done by making baked goods with cannabutter.
For the sake of convenience, you can always purchase edibles at dispensaries. Not only is this easier, but it also ensures that the cannabutter is evenly spread out through the edibles so results are more predictable and even.
However, you can always make your own cannabutter if you wish. You can then not only infuse your baked goods with some cannabis, but you can also infuse your meals with it! For example, you can cook pasta, make salad dressing, or even make soup with it.
There are several other ways to orally consume marijuana. For example, they are infused with:
- Gummy bears
- Gums
- Cereals
- Granola bars
- Teas
- Sodas
- Beer
If you’re into CBD, they also sell this cannabinoid in tablet or capsule form.
The caveat to orally consuming pot is that it can take several hours to kick in. Many newbies make the mistake of ingesting more edibles before it initially kicks in, which can result in unpleasant feelings. So make sure you give it a good few hours before eating more edibles to get your desired effects.
Topicals
Topicals are weed products that you can apply externally. These are basically made from weed oils, but they’re of a much thicker form. This allows the oils to be made into things like lip balms, lotions, and salves.
People don’t typically use topicals to get high since these are made for medicinal uses. Instead, you can rub topicals on your skin to relieve pain and soreness.
Topicals are usually high in CBD concentrations, which is why you won’t get high from these.
Sprays
Do you want to reap the benefits of marijuana without putting your lungs in danger? Then in addition to consuming weed orally, you can also use sprays!
Sprays are actually very simple: THC and/or CBD is infused with liquids and put into a small spray bottle. You can then spritz the underside of your tongue for a quick and discreet hit.
Tinctures
Tinctures are a liquid form of marijuana that’s infused with either alcohol or a mix of alcohol and water. Like with the sprays, you place a few drops underneath your tongue, and after about 30 seconds to 1 minute, you swallow the drops.
Tinctures are also a very discreet and quick way to indulge in pot. These drops are very highly concentrated, plus they work extremely quickly.
This makes tinctures a fantastic way to get fast relief from things like pain and inflammation. Some people also prefer to use this method to get a quick and intense high.
Know the Ways to Consume Marijuana
After reading this article, you should now have a good grasp of the ways to consume marijuana. Not only that, but you now know where weed is legal/illegal. So hopefully, this should help you keep out of trouble.
So if you’re interested in partaking but had no clue where to start, this post was chockful of information on the ways to consume pot. Whether you try one method and stick to it or give them all a whirl, we’re sure you’ll find the perfect method for your needs.
Many people have given cannabis a chance and found that it’s improved their lives. Isn’t it time you do so too? Take a chance and see how it can improve your quality of life!
Did you like this article on the best ways to consume marijuana? Then take a look at our other blog posts now!
