Smoking etiquette: What is it and why you should follow it

There are several instances in our daily lives where we encounter unwritten rules that are meant to be followed because they’re commonly accepted to be good manners/etiquette. Standing on the left side of the elevator, saying sorry when you bump into someone or maintaining silence in a library are all examples of how such rules exist in different types of situations. Similarly, smoking/vaping loose leaf also has certain unwritten rules that are meant to be followed that make things easier and help in building some consistency and rapport among ents.

This list is aimed particularly toward people who are just beginning to smoke/vape loose leaf and need some help in maneuvering situations that can cause some confusion. While most of these are geared towards social situations, some are also aimed towards people who smoke by themselves or in outdoor settings. 

Puff Puff Pass

Among some of the most common unwritten rules among ents, puff puff pass is pretty simple: you take two puffs from your joint/vape and pass it on to the next person. Hogging pot is never courteous and (unfortunately) can be pretty common among some groups of people. This can also be unintentional as people tend to disregard some things when they’re baked. It’s because of situations like these that rules like these have become universally (and informally) accepted.

Make sure to take two puffs and pass it to the person on your left.

Pass it to the left

Once you’re done taking a couple of drags, make sure to pass the vape/joint to your left. Going clockwise is pretty natural and is hence closely followed among stoners. The resulting consistency helps avoid awkward situations and maintain fluidity and efficiency in social settings.

Who gets the loose leaf plays the music/rolls/takes the first hit

It’s pretty common to see one guy/gal getting all the loose leaf for a session among several friends/acquaintances. Ents are (almost always) a friendly bunch and there’s rarely any obligation to contribute, so when someone gets the loose leaf for the session, it’s common courtesy to give something in return as a thank you. This could mean that the person gets to play the first couple of songs or gets to roll the joint/pack a vape or also take the first few hits from it (also known as roller’s rights). Some situations also see others chipping in for food and drinks, but this isn’t very common.

Ensure that you’re always hydrated and not starving: asking for food or water never hurts!

Ask for food/water

If you feel hungry or thirsty, the best practice is to go ahead and ask for it, especially when it comes to water because dehydrating yourself when high can lead to some nasty circumstances like getting an anxiety/panic attack or feeling paranoid. Remember, the worst thing that can happen when asking for something is getting a “no” as a response (though if someone refuses water it’s not a good scene).

Don’t litter

This tip is intended for those who toke outdoors. We’d suggest refraining from public smoking unless acceptable in some way or the other (smoke cafes) and instead, head towards natural locations where you won’t disturb people’s peace (and vice versa). In such environments, it’s poor manners to stub your joints/leave your cartridges out in the open. Make sure you dispose off your paraphernalia and avoid making too much noise or drawing attention to yourself through unnecessary means (playing extremely loud music, talking loudly, etc).

Don’t litter when you smoke outdoors and don’t post pictures of a session on social media

No pictures on Social Media

There’s always the urge to snap a cool looking picture of a friend and post it on social media. This isn’t such a great idea because this could easily get the person in trouble at work, at home and in illegal states, even in legal trouble. While this is unlikely to happen, unless there’s explicit permission from the person involved, don’t be frivolous and post pictures online.

Be considerate with all the saliva

More often than not, beginners tend to get excess amounts of saliva around the base of the joint, which not only makes things inconvenient (and slightly gross) for the next person but also makes it difficult to grip the joint and sometimes even changes the flavor of the loose-leaf. 

Getting some saliva is inevitable but make sure you don’t go ham on the base and you’ll be okay.

Be mindful about lighters

This trumps all other tips in the list here. Losing a lighter to an absent-minded friend who took your lighter thinking it was theirs is one of the most annoying experiences you can have. It’s a minor inconvenience, but it happens so often that after a while it starts gnawing at your brain. Make sure that the lighter you have is yours and if you’re not sure, ask. Stealing lighters, even accidentally, can be a (small) problem.

Conclusion

These are some of the essential etiquette tips that one should follow. There are always some variations of these in different settings, but by and large, this seems to be fair play. If loose leaf is new to you, these tips will come in handy.