In the age of the Cannabis Connoisseur, I am confident that we all focus highly on the quality of the cannabis products and flower that we ingest. But what about the method of which we ingest this fine green plant? Of course, the first things that come to mind are edibles, dab rigs, topicals, and of course glass! However, I am talking even more dissected than that, I am talking about the method of which we heat our next Zen experience up.
For example, you pack the perfect bowl and what do you grab to light it?
I am more than willing to bet most of us will answer our torch or Bic lighter. That blue flame we are using as a heat source can be pretty toxic in reality. Butane is the substance that fuels these lighting devices and it is a “colorless gas with a faint petroleum-like odor.” I don’t know about you, but when put into those terms it doesn’t seem like something I want to be residually inhaling. First, there is the long-term effects of residually inhaling butane through repeated use. It can interfere with the transportation of oxygen throughout your body. Basically, it messes with the way the red blood cells in our body release oxygen.
Although it is hard to imagine a scarier effect of lighting with our favorite torch, there is one. If we were being honest, there have been times when we relight our bowls halfway sucking them through trying to make the best of our last green pieces. This is a HUGE NO NO! We run the risk of sucking in butane and not in a residual way like we talked about above. When we do this, butane gas can enter our body through the respiratory system and therefore has quick access to our blood stream. So, sometimes that high we feel when doing this is not coming from our stash its coming from that blue flame.
This is very dangerous.
One single instance of butane inhalation can be fatal due to lack of oxygen in your red blood cells. Lack of oxygen equals permanent brain and organ damage or more. If that is not scary enough, some of the other side effects of inhalation includes seizures.
So, if I prefer my cannabis seizure free, are there other options?
I am so glad you asked! Hemp wick is a safe alternative to butane lighters. It is essentially a length of twine made of hemp and coated in beeswax. Hemp is cannabis so, what could be better for us to smoke with? Just be sure you are buying a trusted pesticide free brand!
Simply light the end of the Hemp twine with a match or lighter and then use that to spark your bowl or joint. Pro tip: thanks to the beeswax, it is sticky enough to keep some wrapped around your lighter for quick access. Just be sure to be VERY careful when switching from lighting the wick to lighting the flower, don’t burn yourself!
Bonus: Hemp wick burns at a lower temperature than your favorite lighter which means the hits will be smoother and you have more potential to taste those terps!
Looking for a smoother, durable, and healthier bong? VITAE Glass is perfect for you. It is designed especially for daily and busy smokers.
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