If I Smoke Once a Week, How Long Until I’m Clean?
September 13, 2024
Let’s face it: there are a lot of us out there who smoke cannabis (at least) once a week. Whether you’re a nightly smoker or
Author 
Aspen Noonan
CEO More about me
Medically reviewed by 
Elevate Editorial Team
- Updated on: September 14, 2025
Table of Contents
Cannabis consumption has been popular for a while, but new consumers are making their way into the community each and every day. And, for newbies, this space can be a bit intimidating if you don’t know where to start!
That’s why, today, we’ve put together a comprehensive beginner’s guide on how to smoke weed — the right way.
Whether you’re interested in pipes, bongs, joints, or even weed pens, we’ll walk you through exactly how to enjoy these cannabis products: no experience required.
Wait, How Old Do You Have to Be to Smoke Weed?
Before you start lighting up, it’s important to remember that in recreational states, you have to be at least 21 years old to smoke weed. However, if you have a medical marijuana card, you can be 18.
Minors are also allowed to have medical marijuana cards with their parental guardian’s permission. But, we’d highly suggest avoiding smoking cannabis products before you’re 18 (or, 21, really).
Sticking with other medical cannabis products like tinctures and edibles will be best for your long-term health.
If you’re curious about the best way to smoke weed, you can read our guide.
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How to Properly Smoke Weed: The Different Methods
It’s time to walk you through how to smoke weed depending on the methodology you’re interested in. After all, smoking a joint is going to look quite different than smoking a bong, so it’s important to understand the differences.
Let’s start with how to smoke weed from a pipe.
How to Smoke Weed from a Pipe
If you want to learn how to smoke weed from a pipe, start by gathering all of your supplies first. You will want your cannabis flower, your pipe, a grinder (if you have one), and a lighter.
Step 1: Grind the Weed
- Use a grinder to break down the weed into smaller pieces. This helps it burn evenly and ensures a smoother smoking experience. If you don’t have a grinder, you can break it apart by hand — this just tends to be trickier.
Step 2: Pack the Bowl
- Take a pinch of ground weed and place it into the bowl (the round, open part of the pipe). Pack it loosely at the bottom, then slightly more firmly on top to ensure good airflow. Avoid overpacking, as this can restrict airflow.
Step 3: Hold the Pipe Correctly
- Hold the pipe in your hand, with your thumb or finger covering the carb (the small hole on the side of the pipe, if it has one). The carb allows you to control airflow when lighting the weed.
Step 4: Light the Weed
- While covering the carb, bring the pipe to your mouth and ignite the lighter. Hold the flame over the weed while gently inhaling. The weed will begin to burn.
Step 5: Take a Hit!
- As you inhale, uncover the carb to allow air to flow through the pipe, drawing the smoke into your lungs. Inhale slowly and steadily.
- Once you’ve inhaled a sufficient amount of smoke, remove the pipe from your mouth and exhale. Take your time between hits to gauge how much you’ve consumed.
How to Smoke Weed from a Bong
Smoking weed from a bong is quite a bit different than smoking from a pipe. Again, make sure you have your materials: your flower, a grinder, your bong, and a lighter.
Step 1: Fill the Bong with Water
- Pour water into the bong’s base until the downstem (the tube that goes into the water) is submerged by about an inch. The water cools the smoke for a smoother hit. Avoid overfilling, as this can splash water into your mouth — gross.
Step 2: Grind the Weed and Pack the Bowl
- Grind your weed as we described above. Then, place a pinch of ground flower into the bong’s bowl. Pack it gently at the bottom, with slightly firmer pressure on top.
Step 3: Light the Weed
- Place your mouth on the mouthpiece at the top of the bong. With one hand, hold the bong steady, and with the other hand, light the weed in the bowl. Begin to inhale gently.
Step 4: Inhale and Clear the Bong
- As you inhale, you’ll see the chamber filling with smoke. Once it’s filled to your desired amount, remove the bowl or lift the carb to allow fresh air to enter, then inhale deeply to clear the smoke into your lungs. Finally, remove the bong from your mouth and exhale the smoke.
How to Smoke a Weed Pen
Smoking weed from a vape pen can be one of the easiest ways to consume.
Please keep in mind that these steps are specifically for pre-filled cartridges or disposables that you get at dispensaries.
Step 1: Activate the Vape Pen
- If your vape pen has a power button, press it five times quickly to turn it on. Some vape pens are draw-activated, meaning they turn on automatically when you inhale.
Step 2: Adjust the Settings (if applicable)
- Some vape pens have adjustable temperature or voltage settings. If yours does, you can experiment with different settings to find your preferred vapor density and flavor. Start with the lowest setting and gradually increase if necessary.
Step 3: Inhale
- Place your lips around the mouthpiece of the vape pen. If it’s draw-activated, simply inhale gently and steadily. If your vape pen has a button, press and hold it while inhaling.
Step 4: Exhale!
- After inhaling, remove the pen from your mouth and exhale the vapor. You should start to feel the effects within just a few minutes, so take it slow and see how you feel before taking another puff.
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How to Smoke a Joint
Smoking joints is not only rewarding but quite simple — as long as you’re not trying to roll it yourself. If you are, you can read our guide on how to roll a joint the right way.
Plain and simple, here’s how you will smoke your pre-rolled joint (or even blunt).
Step 1: Inspect the Pre-Roll
- You’ll want to start by checking the pre-roll to ensure it’s evenly packed and the paper isn’t torn. This helps with an even burn and a smooth smoking experience.
Step 2: Light the Joint
- Hold the pre-roll between your fingers and bring the unfiltered end (the side without the twist) to your lips.
- Use a lighter or match to light the twisted end. Slowly rotate the pre-roll while lightly puffing on it to ensure an even burn.
Step 3: Inhale!
- Once the pre-roll is evenly lit, take slow, steady puffs to draw the smoke into your mouth and then inhale. Start with small hits if you’re new to smoking, as the effects can be strong. That’s it!
Tips on How to Smoke Weed Without Coughing
Learning how to smoke weed is one thing, but figuring out how to smoke weed without coughing is another.
Before we give you some tips and tricks to help you out, it’s important to realize that it’s normal to cough after smoking. You are putting something foreign into your lungs, so it’s very likely they will respond in this way.
However, there are a few ways you can mitigate just how much — or how frequently — you’re coughing after smoking weed.
Tip | Description |
Start with Smaller Hits | Take small, gentle puffs instead of big hits to avoid overwhelming your lungs and causing coughing. |
Inhale Slowly | Inhale the smoke slowly and steadily to reduce throat and lung irritation. |
Hydrate Before and During | Drink water before and while smoking to keep your throat moist and reduce irritation. |
Use a Filter or Crutch | Smoking with a filter or crutch can cool down the smoke and prevent small bits of weed from entering your throat. |
Try a Cooler Smoking Method | Use bongs, bubblers, or pipes with water filtration to cool the smoke before it reaches your lungs. |
Use a Vape Pen | Vaporizing weed produces cooler and smoother vapor, reducing irritation and coughing. |
Avoid Holding the Smoke | Inhale, hold briefly and exhale to avoid irritating your lungs by holding the smoke for too long. |
Exhale Through Your Nose | Exhaling through your nose can be less irritating and help avoid coughing. |
Avoid Dry Weed | Smoking overly dry weed can be harsh on the throat; rehydrate it slightly before smoking. |
Choose Low-Temperature Methods | Opt for lower temperatures if using a vape pen, as cooler vapor is less likely to cause coughing. |
Keep Your Smoking Gear Clean | Regularly clean pipes, bongs, or vape pens to prevent the build-up of residue that can make smoke harsher. |
Try Honey or Tea Beforehand | Drinking warm tea with honey before smoking can soothe your throat and help reduce coughing. |
Getting the Most Out of Your Weed Smoking Experiences
It may look intimidating at times, but smoking cannabis is actually a lot more user and beginner-friendly than you’d think — especially when you have a medical marijuana card.
Having a medical marijuana card grants you access to a huge selection of cannabis products that will appeal to all consumption methods. Plus, you will pay less for your products than recreational consumers if you live in a state that fully legalized the plant.
At Elevate Holistics, not only will we help you learn how to smoke weed, but we can also help you get approved for medical marijuana in minutes.
All you have to do is book an appointment below and we’ll cover it from there. And, if we can’t approve you, you won’t have to pay a thing.
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Medical marijuana cards grant you access to instant savings and high-quality cannabis.
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