10 Easy stoner hacks
Cannabis culture has long placed an emphasis on the creativity that can flow freely after ingesting some herb, and despite decades of toking in the shadows and little to no access to the proper tools, stoners have always found a way to make things work. Now that we know of and have experienced some of these options, it can be frustrating to find yourself in a position where, for whatever reason, you just can’t get one.
Luckily, all those years of stoner ingenuity really paid off, and we now have solutions to nearly everyone’s problem that a cannabis enthusiast might face. Here, we have compiled a list of tips, tricks and hacks that every consumer should know for usage, easy cleanup, preserving your buds and more.
1. Darken your storage jar to preserve the quality
Most experienced cannabis consumers, steer clear of plastics that allow for instant crushing of expensive buds rendering an entire stash, little more than powder in a matter of hours. That leads many to use cheap, glass mason jars that can hold up in transport and fill easily. The trouble is that the light can degrade your cannabinoids, terpenes, terpenoids and dry out the stash due to an increase in heat.
If you can’t get ahold of a storage case or coated jar to keep out the light, then there are other much cheaper, effective options that you can use. Cut a square of any light-resistant material including paper, cardboard, Styrofoam or material, and glue it to the outer portion of the glass jar. In a matter of minutes, your buds will go from cooking to being gently tucked away in a safe dark space, which will help to maintain freshness.
2. No grinder? No problem!
Not everyone can pull apart buds in a uniform way, and for the best burn, you need a fine cannabis grind that will smolder. When you find yourself stuck without a grinder or scissors, there are a few neat alternatives that can work just as well, and all of them consist of things you might have lying around the house:
- Coffee grinder
- Pill bottle or shot glass and coin
- Cheese grater
3. Make your buds last longer by adding alternatives or separating
Do you have trouble making your cannabis last long enough to make it until payday? If so, then a few tweaks to your routine might be just enough to solve this annoying problem. Try separating your daily doses by dividing your buds and placing them into a weekly pill planner so that you know how much you have left, as guessing just means you will be more likely to go over your daily limit.
The second-best way to stretch some herb is to add an alternative that compliments the natural flavors and smells of the plant. Though some choose to combine their cannabis products with other substances, these are some safe, affordable and effective alternatives that can be ground up and smoked along with your normal weed in a bowl, joint or blunt, to make it last longer.
- Tobacco
- Hemp flowers
- Cannabis leaves
4. Use a blank CD to prevent spills from your weed pipe
A lot of rolling trays are designed on a slight angle to keep the bud grind from rolling towards the outer edges of the dish. That makes it challenging to balance a weed pipe without risking a roll, and for those without a tray, this can lead to a whole lot of wasted product. To save the mess, stress and heartache, grab any kind of CD or DVD, and the opening in the middle will help to hold the device steady while also catching any stray pieces of bud that fall out as you pack a bowl.
5. Smoke cannabis before meals and bedtime
Most recreational marijuana consumers don’t pay attention to the times that they toke, but this small detail can make a great difference over the course of your day. If you try to keep your heaviest smoking sessions to just before mealtimes and prior to falling asleep, you will benefit greatly. Doing so will help to increase your appetite, keep away that heavy sedated feeling throughout the day, and improve your quality of sleep.
6. Flavor your weed with fruit or old scented paper wrappers
When you harvest your own weed or purchase stash in larger quantities, sometimes the smell and flavor can get boring. If you want to spice things up a bit, there are a few things that you can use to enhance the flavor of your weed.
- Store buds in an old scent blunt wrapper for 24-48 hours
- Toss a small slice of strawberry, orange or any other fruit that you like, with your stash for 24 hours.
- Add spray terpenes
7. No more broken joints
There is nothing worse than rolling up the perfect blunt, joint or spliff, only to get to your destination and find that it’s been broken and tattered, especially since pre-rolling is supposed to void the need to keep papers or blunt glue while on the go. Nowadays you can buy solid glass, plastic, or metal blunt tubes to protect your hard work, but for those who don’t have one, a pill bottle or small Tupperware container will work just as effectively in a pinch.
8. Filter out the smell
Not everyone has the luxury of a safe space to toke freely in, as shared dorms and residences become more common, the need to keep the environment scent-free is a problem that many cannabis enthusiasts battle. Weed is well known for its pungent smell, which is probably why we already have a hack for this irritating issue.
You can, of course, buy a smoke buddy from your local dispensary or head shop, or you could opt for a homemade version using no more than an empty toilet paper tube, dryer sheet and elastic. Fasten the sheet onto one end of the cardboard tube, and blow your smoke through the opposite end, to effectively filter out the smells that might linger.
9. Toke discreetly
If you have never had the pleasure of trying a one-hitter pipe, then you have no idea what you are missing, as the small, perfectly sized bowl holds just enough for a toke or two. Some of these devices are more extravagant to catch attention, but one of the most popular design looks just like a regular, everyday cigarette. Those who don’t have one can still use the idea by filling an empty cigarette tube either by hand or with a rolling machine. Then you will be able to enjoy your blunt anywhere that smoking is allowed without veering stares from others.
10. Get rid of the sweet skunky smell when you’re done
The smell is one of the biggest challenges that face both consumers and those who reside near them, particularly in the case of a shared apartment or building. After you are done smoking, the smell can linger and waft into hallways several hours later, quickly frustrating non-smoking roommates and neighbors. Luckily there is an easy way to clean up a space once you’re done so that no one will ever know you were toking away the afternoon.
The first is to invest in a proven pre-made option that works, like Pot Away, but again, that requires making the purchase well in advance of it being needed. If you don’t have that option, then you can mix your own effective air cleaner, using 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, 10 drops of lavender oil, and 1 cup of warm water in a mister bottle. Spray it into the air after a smoking session to leave no skunky smells behind you.
