How to Light a Blunt

The simple fact is that you can’t smoke a blunt, without lighting a blunt first. That’s just science.

But lighting a blunt – even a pre-rolled blunt – isn’t the same as lighting a pre-roll or joint. So what’s the secret to lighting a blunt the right way, so it burns evenly and fully?

Let’s start with some basics.

You are going to need two things: a blunt (obviously) and some way to make a flame. And yes, that second one is intentionally vague.

Lighting a Blunt: The Blunt

So first: what is a blunt? Basically, a blunt is a cannabis cigar. Instead of wrapping your ground flower in rolling paper or packing it into a pre-rolled cone made with that same paper, a blunt uses thicker wraps.

This creates a more flavorful smoke and a slower-burning experience that tends to last a little longer than your typical pre-roll sesh.

Traditionally rolled with a tobacco leaf cribbed from a cigar, modern blunts and pre-rolled blunt tubes, like Fill-a Blunts, are often made with hemp wraps, eliminating the health concerns that come with the nicotine found in tobacco.

But lighting a blunt needs to be a little more intentional just flicking your Bic and sucking like a straw.

Lighting a Blunt: The Flame Source

Aside from the blunt itself, the other thing you need is a flame. And, frankly, this can be anything you want.

You can use a standard lighter, a cigar torch (though I personally find the torch to be a bit aggressive for blunts) or even a hemp wick if you’re sensitive to the butane from a lighter.

Shoot, use a candle if you want. The only thing that matters is that it can transfer its fire to your blunt.

Lighting a Blunt: OK, Get On With It

So the key to lighting a blunt is that, like a cigar, the end needs to be “toasted” a little first. This means touching the top of your flame or torch to the end of your blunt before you start to pull through it.

Toasting your blunt helps preserve the flavor by not blasting the blunt with fire, which can char the flower – and the wrap – leading to bitter notes and a hot, fast burn. Toasting also helps ensure a more even light across the blunt and should also help prevent both canoeing and tunneling in your blunt.

So first, hold your blunt at about a 45-degree angle above the flame, without letting the flame touch the end of the blunt itself. Rotate the blunt above the flame, making sure to darken the end evenly. It’s ok if it starts to smoke a little, but you want to make sure you are far enough away that it does not catch fire.

After you’ve toasted your blunt, then you put it in your mouth and bring your flame back to the end, puffing in as you get closer. Like a cigar, don’t inhale at first; the idea is to puff the flame back and forth to give it a solid hit of heat and then oxygen.

Now slowly inhale while rotating the blunt in your mouth. Slowly spinning the blunt as you light it helps ensure an even light across the entire end.

Pay special attention so that one side does not get too close to the flame and begin to burn without the rest and use your flame to make sure any unlit parts get the attention it needs.

And that’s it. Now sit back and enjoy your blunt. Or, if you’re in a circle, take two hits and pass it along, my friend. Don’t worry, it’s a blunt, it’s coming back around...