Five items on a table: a pile of cannabis flower; a pile of ground cannabis flower; flower being rolled into a pre-roll; a pre-roll; a smoked pre-roll

How to Smoke Marijuana Flower: What Are Your Options?

If working in this industry has taught us anything, it’s that everyone, from new cannabis enthusiasts to seasoned connoisseurs, has questions about smoking marijuana flower. While grinding flower and packing a pipe can require some skill to get it just perfect, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try. In this guide, we’ll share options for how you can smoke marijuana by answering questions that include: 

  • What Are the Common Ways to Smoke Marijuana Flower? 
  • How Do You Store Marijuana Flower?
  • Can I Eat the Marijuana Flower?
  • What Flower Should I Buy at a Dispensary?
  • Why Does Marijuana Smell When You Smoke It?
     

What Are the Common Ways to Smoke Marijuana Flower?

Everyone has their own favorite way of smoking marijuana, and for some people, their method just depends on the situation. Here are a few options for you to explore:
 

Pre-Rolls & Blunts

Pre-rolls are marijuana “joints” that are rolled in thin paper, packaged, and sold at dispensaries. Blunts are a type of marijuana cigar that are rolled in leaves or cigar paper. They’re typically significantly thicker and contain twice as much marijuana flower. For someone who doesn’t want to grind and roll their own products, pre-rolls and pre-rolled blunts can be a great option for you. You can also purchase the paper, the grinder, and the marijuana from a dispensary and roll your own. 
 

Hand Pipe

A hand pipe is exactly what it sounds like—a handheld pipe. It has a bowl on one end and a mouthpiece on the other. Ground marijuana is placed into the bowl and lit, and the smoke is inhaled. While hand pipes can be small and discrete, they can also be large and ornate, allowing for some variety the more comfortable you get. 
 

Water Pipe

A water pipe or “bong” is a pipe that uses water to filter the smoke. Some cannabis enthusiasts enjoy water pipes because the water cools the smoke. While there are elaborate, custom water pipes that cost hundreds of dollars, if you’re looking to buy a simple water pipe, you usually can find one for about $50. 
 

Chillums

Chillums, also called “one-hitters,” are small pipes that can fit in the palm of your hand and hold a single inhale (maybe two) of cannabis. Chillums are popular around the world for their ease of use and portability. 
 

Moon Rocks

While the rest of this list is packed with tools to smoke marijuana, moon rocks themselves are meant to be smoked. Moon rocks is the name given to cannabis flower coated in a concentrate, like cannabis oil, and rolled in kief. Moon rocks are definitely not for a beginner, not only because of their high THC levels but they require the use of high quality concentrates, and you want to get good with grinding and packing your pipes before you risk wasting those products. 
 

How to Store Marijuana Flower

A lot of cannabis enthusiasts focus on how best to grind and pack their pipes or chillums, and while that’s important, there is nothing more important than storing your marijuana flower properly. It can mean the difference between a great session and dried out, or even dangerous, marijuana. Marijuana should always be stored in an airtight container, away from heat and light, but if you want the specifics, you should definitely check out our guide to cannabis storage.
 

Answering FAQs About Smoking Marijuana

Can I eat marijuana flower?
Marijuana flower is edible, but if you’re looking for psychoactive effects, you’re going to want to decarboxylate your flower before eating it. 
 

What flower should I buy at a dispensary?
If you’re asking this question, you’re already one step ahead from a lot of marijuana flower beginners. There are different types of flower you can purchase from a dispensary, including premium flower, shake, and popcorn. The flower you buy can be dependent on anything from how you’re using it to your budget. We recommend asking a budtender for their recommendation when you get the dispensary, so they can find the perfect product to fit your needs. 

Why does marijuana smell when you smoke It?
Marijuana is known for its unique scent when it’s smoked, and as new strains are created, those aromas are only getting more varied. This is because of the terpenes—little aromatic compounds—found in marijuana. Every strain has its own blend of terpenes, and those terpenes are why marijuana smells when you smoke it. Learn more about what marijuana smells like in our guide. 
 

Purchasing and Smoking Marijuana

If you’re interested in smoking marijuana, the best thing you can do is to make a dispensary visit. The budtenders—cannabis experts on staff—can help you with everything you need, including finding the right strain andt type of flower, buying the right cannabis quantities, and the picking up the right tools to use to smoke your marijuana. You’ll be grinding, packing, and smoking your favorite flower in no time. 
 


Recreational cannabis is not available in all states. Cannabis is for medical use only and may only be used by certified patients in Ohio and Pennsylvania. State laws impact what dispensaries can and can’t sell to recreational customers and certified patients. Not every type of product, consumption method, dosage form, or potency mentioned on this blog will be permitted in all locations.