Is one method of use safer than another?

Any smoking is harmful to the lungs, throat and heart, but how you use cannabis can influence the levels of harm that you are causing.

Inhaling

Avoid holding smoke in your lungs. You won’t get more stoned, but you will increase the amount of toxins in your lungs.

Seeds and stems

Throw away the seeds and stems when smoking herbal cannabis, as they contain little or no THC and can be harsh on the throat.

Use of tobacco

Avoid mixing cannabis with tobacco. Tobacco is more addictive and exposes you to more tar and carcinogens. Smokers who mix cannabis with tobacco find they are smoking more than they intended because of the nicotine addiction.

Bongs

A bong or water pipe is seen as less harmful because the water inside the bong cools cannabis, which burns very hot. The water in the bong also removes some of the heavy tar elements. Do not use plastic bottles, rubber hoses, plastic stems, drink cans or tin foil, as these produce harmful fumes when hot.

Pipes

If you use a pipe, choose one made of glass, stainless steel, or brass. Wooden and plastic pipes can emit toxic fumes.

Filters

If you are using a piece of cardboard as a ‘tip’ or ‘roach’, use an unprinted card as print emits toxic fumes.

Vaporisers

Using a vaporiser to use cannabis stops you from taking in smoke. Some believe this is the least harmful way to use cannabis.

Eating Cannabis

Some people eat cannabis by mixing it with food or adding it to drinks to reduce the damage to the lungs. But, this can take longer to take effect and lasts longer, so don't use too much in one session. Never eat uncooked cannabis.