To Put it Bluntly.
There is an unimaginable variety of ways to consume cannabis, there’s pipes, bubblers, bongs, dab rigs, dab pens, the list goes on and on. Some are quick and convenient, like a one hitter bowl. Others are extravagant, pieces that are more art than smoking apparatus. Then there are the heavy hitters, like a bazooka bong. And the always available, not-so-healthy-but-who-cares-you’re-in-a-pinch-and-need-to-get-stoned soda can bowl. All of these methods are fantastic, and each is perfect in its own right. However, there is one method that has stood the test of time, and is dearly close to my heart. For thousands of years, when cannabis was first used, right up until this very second, people have been rolling up.
I’m talking blunts, and I’m talking joints.
It is the satisfyingly ritualistic nature of smoking something rolled. From the act of actually rolling it, to the distinct taste, to the comradery of sharing a fat blunt or a tight joint, with friends, family, or even a complete stranger.
This is how it should be.
You say “let’s roll a blunt,” the rest of the group your with responds with an extremely animated “absolutely.” Whether you are in your living room, lounging on the beach, or taking a break from your hike, everyone sits around you. The group is talking, laughing, sharing stories, or making cracks at one another, as you bring out your materials. You begin to crack the blunt, carefully, carefully, you don’t want to tear it. You empty the tobacco, and begin to put the bud in. At this point everyone has their eyes on you, watching how much you put in, thinking “ok, how high am I about to get?” You fill the blunt perfectly, not too much that it won’t smoke, not to little so you’re not sucking in scooby snacks. Now that you have the perfect amount you twist it up, making sure there are no holes, allowing you to get every bit of that beautiful milky smoke. Finally the blunt is rolled, you lift it up showing it to the rest of the group, awaiting their nods of approval or excited eyes. You put it to your mouth and spark it up, after taking that first pulling seeing that milky smoke pour out from under your nose, getting the full flavor of the herb inside. Pass it to the left and puff twice, or “puff, puff, pass” are the unwritten, yet sacred rules of smoking a blunt. As the blunt makes its rounds, and everyone has enjoyed their first hits, the conversations start back up again and the room fills with smoke. Absolute stoner perfection.
I put rolling something up on a pedestal above all other smoking methods because it is not only one of the most pleasant ways to enjoy cannabis but it embodies everything that is great about cannabis. The wrap and natural burn allows you to taste the terpene flavors of the bud. The care and love put into rolling a blunt represents the same love, care, and expertise that was put into growing the bud. It is only fair that you pay homage. However what most embodies the nature of cannabis is the comradery aspect of the process. Cannabis brings people together, it turns acquaintances into friends, and friends into family. You could be complete strangers, but for those ten minutes that you’re burning, you have something in common.