Can you smoke weed stems? What you need to know

Whether it is rolling a joint or packing a bowl, it all starts with cannabis flower, and that’s what everyone wants. Though the spotlight is often on those sweet buds, have you ever wondered what about the backbone of the plant– the weed stem? 

Can you smoke weed stems? What happens when you smoke weed stems, or are there any potential risks associated with smoking weed stems? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and offer alternative uses for weed stems. 

Ready? Let’s get into it!

What are Weed Stems? 

Before we discuss whether you can smoke weed stems, let us begin with the basics and first learn what weed stems are. Weed stems are stick-like parts of the hemp or cannabis plant attached to the weed flower buds. 

When you buy flowers from an online store or your local dispensary, you can get more or fewer weed stems along with the buds. However, in most cases, stems contain less or no CBD, THC, and other primary cannabinoids.

Can You Smoke Weed Stems? 

If you're wondering whether you can smoke weed stems, technically, the answer is yes. 

But, if you ask whether you should smoke stems, then the simplest and straightforward answer will be no, you must not. 

First of all, weed stems contain very little or probably no THC and CBD, so they will not make you as high as your weed buds. 

Also, many stoners complain that weed stems also taste poor and intolerable. Weed stems burn faster than flower does and produce more smoke. It can cause adverse effects, including headache, nausea, and soreness. 

Can weed stems get you high?

Weed stems do not have sufficient amounts of cannabinoids such as CBD, CBG, and THC. Lab results have shown that cannabis stems contain about 0.1% to 0.5% THC, compared to cannabis flowers, which typically contain around 20% to 30% THC.

As the stems are said to have very little to no amount of CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids, they can not give you the desired high you are looking for. 

However, these stems may not get you high, but they are not completely useless. They can be used in different ways instead of smoking. 

What happens when you smoke weed stems:

Can smoking weed hurt you? Smoking stems is useless in terms of getting high or benefiting from the cannabinoids. The smoke of weed stems is harsh on the lungs and can lead to several potential health risks, including:

• coughing

• soreness 

• nausea

• abdominal pain

• headache

• sore throat

What are the alternative uses for weed stems?

Wondering what I can do with weed stems instead of smoking? As they are not entirely useless, you can use them if you get creative. So instead of tossing them in the garbage, you can do a couple of things to get the most from the weed stems.

• Brew cannabis tea:

  

You can use weed stems to make cannabis tea, as it helps you derive the cannabinoids present in the stems without having harmful toxins. Before making cannabis tea with weed stems, make sure to decarb them. 

For decarboxylation, bake the weed stems for 45 minutes at 225°F. During decarboxylation, heat converts THCA to THC. 

When done, let them cool and grind them up. Then boil ground weed stems in a tea diffuser or pot for 10 minutes, and strain through a cheesecloth before drinking. 

• Make cannabutter 

Just like cannabis flower, you can use cannabis stems to make cannabutter or weed butter and enjoy the benefits of cannabis in various delicious recipes, such as classic weed brownies, cookies, cakes, and more. The process of making weed butter with cannabis stems is the same as you use to make cannabutter from weed flowers. 

Remember to use more grounded weed stems than flowers, as they contain less CBD and THC. If you are new to cannabis cooking and want to know how to make cannabutter at home, check out our step-by-step guide to making cannabis butter.

• Make cannabis tincture and topicals:

Just as you can use weed stems to make cannabis edibles and tea, you can also use them to make tinctures. Always decarboxylate the ground weed stem before you begin the process. Use twice the amount of weed stem powder to make effective tinctures. 

You can use tinctures you made from the stems to make cannabis-infused cocktails. Weed stems are also a good choice for making cannabis topicals that can be applied to the skin to alleviate sensitive skin conditions and relieve joint pain.

The bottom line:

Smoking weed stems comes with more negative effects than benefits. But it doesn’t mean you toss the leftover weed stems in the trash. Smoking them can be harsh on the throat and lungs, but you can use them in brewing cannabis tea, making edibles, tinctures, and topicals.

When you order from Smokeland using our same-day cannabis delivery in California, you’ll get top-quality flower at an unbeatable price. That means you can keep your stash stocked with the best—without feeling the need to smoke weed stems. With exclusive discounts and daily deals, we make sure your stash is plentiful. Shop now!

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