Can You Smoke Weed Stems?

Maybe you’ve reached the end of your stash and the stems are all you have left. Or perhaps you’re staring into a fresh pack, wondering why those stems are even there and what purpose they have. Either way, plenty of people wonder if you can smoke weed stems. Weed stems are the small stick-like parts that support the leaves – like stems on a regular flower or tree. They’re typically leftover after grinding the flowers, as you would usually pull the flowers off.

It seems a shame to waste leftover weed, no matter in what form. Especially for those who may find themselves on a budget – it feels weird to simply throw out everything that is left, even if it’s not the flower.

So with all of them just lying around, can you smoke weed stems? Technically you can, but you probably shouldn’t smoke your weed stems. Smoking stems can produce a harsh smoke that can damage your lungs. On top of that, they definitely don’t taste or smell too good.

That being said, don’t stress if you accidentally get some weed stem bits in your grinder. It’s just that you shouldn’t really purposefully grind a bunch of stems to either smoke on their own, or add to some existing flower.

But fear not – the humble weed stem isn’t all doom-and-gloom. There are certainly other ways to use them. In a world focused on sustainability and less wastage, it’s important to think of new ways to use leftover things, and weed stems are no different. Keep reading to find out what you can do with weed stems and more insight into what they’re all about.

 

Can Weed Stems Get You High?

Sure, it can be tempting to light them up after you’ve run out of flower. Especially if you don’t have another stash on hand. But we’re here to tell you that no, weed stems can’t get you high.

As reiterated by Healthline, stems contain little to almost no THC. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is one of two main cannabinoids in the cannabis plant – a cannabinoid is a naturally occurring compound found within marijuana. The other main cannabinoid is CBD (cannabidiol). Each one affects your body’s biological pathways, but in different ways.

CBD has a non-intoxicating effect on your body, or in other words, it doesn’t get you high. People will often use CBD oils, creams, gummies and more to reduce pain, anxiety and stress without a cerebral high.

THC on the other hand is the cannabinoid that will get you high. It is responsible for those psychoactive effects many of us know all too well. Weed strains with greater levels of THC (over 15%) will get you more high, while less THC won’t give you the same effect.

Therefore, since there is no THC in weed stems, they cannot get you high.   

 

What Can I Do With Leftover Stems from Weed?

Don’t chuck those babies away just yet! There are plenty of things you can do with your leftover cannabis stems without damaging your throat or lungs. Here are a list of ways to recycle those weed stems:

1. Brew up some yummy stem tea (more on that below). It’s easy to make and you can make it quite strong if you use stems from a particularly potent strain. We love stem tea because you can add in other elements to enhance the taste, like another tea bag, or the usual honey, sugar, and lemon.
2. Make a topical cream or lotion as you normally would, but include weed stems into the mix. A typical blend of coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax and cannabis is used to make cannabis topicals. Simply grind into a find powder and add the stems to the mixture. These topicals are great for skin issues and aches and pains.
3. Out of paper? Use those stems. You can actually make your own paper out of weed stems, just like hemp paper. You’ll need to make a pulp out of stems and normal paper by blending it with water and crushing it down. Strain it through a vat or pantyhose and then spread it out evenly, before letting it dry completely.
4. Cannabutter is hugely popular, but did you know you can use your cannabis stems to make it? Throw them in with the other flower during decarboxylation. This is the process that activates the psychoactive compounds, which takes place when the marijuana is heated. While the stems won’t add any potency to the butter, it will create a certain thickness.
5. Create a wick to use for lighting up before smoking. Much like a hemp wick, it won’t produce any fumes that most regular lighters do. Simply strip down the stems into fibers and fold them around each other until you can’t twist any longer, making sure it’s tight. Coat it in some beeswax to seal it in.

 

How Can I Made Weed Team with Stems?

Making tea out of stems is much easier than you might think. All you need is about a ¼ or ½ cup of stems (adjusted to your preference), 2.5 to 3 cups of water, and something to strain it. You’ll also need a saucepan or pot and either coconut milk or coconut oil to help out the stems because they don’t dissolve. Here are the steps:

• Either grind the stems or leave them as-is – it won’t affect the end product.
• Put the water into the saucepan and add the milk or oil.
• Put it on the heat and wait for it to boil.
• Add the stems into the mix and keep it boiling for around 10 minutes while stirring.
• Strain the mixture and discard any leftover stems.

And there you have it! Add anything else to dress things up, like honey, lemon, milk or sugar.

 

Final Thoughts

If you’ve always wondered whether you can smoke weed stems, now you have your answer. You technically can, but we don’t advise smoking marijuana stems. They can cause some serious damage to your airways, leading to headaches and coughing, so steer clear from lighting up. If you want to make use of the stems, you’ve got plenty of options to reuse and recycle, like tea, butter, or topical products. If that’s sparked your interest, then get your hands on only the best weed flowers and stems on the market right here at BC Weed Online.