Weed Etiquette: Smoking Tips You Should Know

These are the unspoken rules for smoking weed.

Every group of smoking buddies has its own set of unspoken rules. While smoking cannabis is a carefree and relaxing thing to do, there are still rules every stoner should follow when smoking solo or in groups.

Consider these rules the 10 commandments of smoking weed. Ignoring them is almost sacrilege. Not following stoner rules is a pet peeve for many cannabis users, myself included.

Whether you’re about to hotbox a bathroom or heading into the great outdoors for a smoke session, there are the top 13 smoke sesh rules and cannabis etiquette that every consumer should know.

What Is Weed Etiquette?

Manners, decency, politeness, and respect. These are the foundations of etiquette, in general. Now if we consider weed etiquette, you can get a pretty good idea of what that means.

Cannabis etiquette is simply knowing what to do and what to avoid when smoking weed. Just like holding a door for someone and not slamming it in their face, the equivalent in the weed world could be sharing your weed with others and not hogging it for yourself.

Another rule you might be familiar with is the infamous “Puff, Puff, Pass,” indicating that each stoner may have two draws from a joint until passing it to the left (passing to the left is another separate rule).

These are just examples, as there are about 13 unspoken smoke sesh rules that every stoner should know. Check out our list below.

13 Rules Of Weed Etiquette

Curious about the unwritten stoner rules that every cannabis user should follow? We’ve gathered 13 of the most important ones to ensure you have amazing sessions every time.

Don’t Bogart The Weed

If you’re smoking with a group of friends, be sure to pass the smoke. There is nothing worse than someone who smokes til there is nothing left. Even taking more than 2 hits during your turn is considered rude.

Don’t worry; you’ll still get high, as will your pals. Hogging weed is like eating an entire pizza in front of a homeless person. Just plain disrespectful. Don’t ruin your reputation and pass the joint!

Ash Before You Pass

When smoking joints and blunts, be sure to hand your friend a freshly ashed roll. This will keep the floor clean, free up your buddy to focus on smoking, or it can keep you from possibly setting the place on fire.

Another thing to remember when ashing is to be mindful of the cherry, the end of the joint that’s lit. Ashing too aggressively might drop the smoking cherry, meaning you’ve wasted some good weed and will have to re-light the joint. Avoid this at all costs.

Puff Puff Pass

2 hits, then it goes to the left. No questions. This rule is as old as weed itself. I shouldn’t have to explain more, but for those unaware of this rule, I will.

Puff, puff, pass means that once you receive the joint, you can take two hits, then pass to the left. This ensures that everyone is getting a turn, and you’ll all be using the same amount of weed. It’s basically stoner equality. Ignore this rule, and don’t be surprised if you’re never invited to the sesh again.

Pass To The Left

After you’ve taken two puffs, it’s time to pass the joint. Passing your joint to the left is another unspoken sesh rule that many seasoned users don’t follow.

Proper stoner etiquette is always passing joints to the person on your left. This is how Rastafarians would do it to ensure that everyone gets their turn by rotating in a clockwise manner. Need I say more?

Keep The Flame

We’ve touched on this above, but this is another stoner rule that every cannabis user must follow. Without it, sessions would be a hassle.

Be sure to keep the cherry rolling. We told you not to bogart the joint, and part of that is keeping it lit. If you waste time when the joint is in your hand, you are going to let the flame fade.

Relighting joints and blunts with butane lighters can often contaminate the flavor you enjoy. Stay puffing so that joint stays lit.

Yield To The Expert 

Don’t be stubborn. Maybe it’s your weed, but if your friend is a better roller than you, let them roll it.

For one thing, it can take time for a newbie to roll a good joint, whereas the expert can do it in under a minute. Waiting around for the newbie to finish rolling is like watching paint dry.

By letting the expert roll the joint, you can smoke as fast and efficiently as possible. If you strive to be the expert, practice makes perfect.

One benefit of being the expert joint roller is the unwritten rule that you get to light it. Haven’t you heard about that rule? See below.

If You Roll It, Spark It

As mentioned, the person who rolled shall always light the joint. This is just proper weed etiquette, simply because that person put hard work into that precious roll, so it’s only fair that they spark it and get the first hit.

Furthermore, joints can be lit unevenly very often. It’s far better to let the roller light the joint and accidentally canoe it rather than the person who didn’t roll it. That way, you won’t be blamed for ruining their perfectly good joint.

Beggars Can’t be Choosers

If you don’t bring any bud to the table, don’t talk shit about the herb that your friends supply. Nothing is worse than a know-it-all who has nothing but trash talk and nothing to contribute.

No stoner likes bad vibes, and complaining about your friend’s weed is mega bad vibes. If you don’t like what they’re smoking, go ahead and buy something for yourself.

But when desperate times come to desperate measures, and you need a buzz, don’t diss the person sharing their bud with you. You’re just lucky enough that they’re sharing their sweet stash. So shut up and spark up!

Sharing is Caring

If you’re with strangers smoking for the first time, you should always offer to throw down on what you are smoking. This is simply the right thing to do.

Usually, people offer to “match” in these situations. If you have something to offer, chances are, you’ll get something in return. Stoners tend to be very generous, and they might even provide something better than what you’re using. Sharing isn’t only caring. It’s a win-win.

Respect People’s Choices

There’s nothing worse than a stoner who pressures novices into smoking weed. There should never be pressure in a smoke circle. This removes the fun and innocent curiosity of smoking weed.

Everyone is different. Some people simply don’t like getting high. Others enjoy it but have a very weak tolerance. Whether someone chooses to opt out of the session or they’ve only taken one hit, never pressure someone to smoke weed or push their limits. Chances are, they know what’s best for them.

Don’t Smoke If You’re Sick

If this isn’t obvious, never share a joint, blunt, bong, pipe, or rig when you’re sick. Just like you would avoid hugging someone or shaking their hand when sick, you must be respectful of others and remove yourself from the smoke sesh if you’re sick.

But that doesn’t mean not smoking altogether! Roll yourself a joint, buy a pre-roll, or take a hit from your bong. You can still get high without making other people sick.

Let People Know What They’re Smoking

There are various types and strains of cannabis. Chances are, you’re aware of what you’re purchasing at the dispensary and whether it’s a Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid strain.

It’s only right that whoever you’re sharing it with knows what they’re smoking. That way, they can anticipate the effects and make the decision to smoke or not, depending on how they want to feel.

Furthermore, some strains are way stronger than others. If you’re puffing on a potent strain, be sure to let others know that it packs a punch. That way, they won’t be surprised when they end up on Mars.

Know Your Tolerance

Know your limits. If you are a regular smoker, you should know what you can consume without losing your mind. Of course, your friends will take care of you if something goes wrong but don’t make it a habit.

Nobody likes the stoner who doesn’t know their limits. They end up in an anxious loop, watching the clock and telling others they’re never smoking weed again, even though you’ll probably see them at the next session.

The final key stoner rule is knowing your tolerance to avoid unwanted experiences. This isn’t just for your friends’ sake, but for yours. We all desire a pleasurable experience with cannabis, so start low and go slow. Work your way up to a high that’s right for you.