**THE ULTIMATE GUIDE**

If you are constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of your medication or want to learn new ways to enjoy your favorite herb, then this is the guide for you. In this guide I'll teach you what it takes to become a true herbal connoisseur, showing you new ways to use modern technology and science to give you the best smoke possible!



Getting Started:

Wash Your Hands:

Wash your hands before: Smoking, Handling any bud, Sharing a bowl...having hands that are 100% free of germs (or as close to it as possible) will GREATLY improve the quality of your smoke and reduce the risk of transferring any bacteria to the herb itself.



Next time you're checking out of your local grocery store or pharmacy grab a $.99 travel bottle of Hand Sanitizer and keep it near your designated smoking area! This is a cheap, fast, and effective way to clean your hands in seconds!



Weapon of Choice:

Always smoke out of a CLEAN GLASS PIPE!!! Using a brand new or completely clean single hit glass hand pipe is the method used by the leading herbal connoisseurs and judges in cannabis festivals world wide. Why this is important is because the hand pipe delivers a clean, unfiltered, hit directly inhaled into the lungs allowing you to taste only what is being smoked.

* Water-Pipe Users:

Clean your tube and accessories regularly, do not allow for resin or scum to build up anywhere inside your tube, ash-catcher, down-stem or elsewhere. I recommend using 91% Rubbing Alcohol & Epson Salt or Orange Chronic Water Pipe Cleaner, either will do the job. For tough spots inside percs try using Grudge Off Super Soaker OVER NIGHT...soaking it will allow time for the cleaning agent to attach to the resin, use hot water to thoroughly rinse your tube...I clean mine in the bath tube (it's really the only place it fits nice enough)

Add new filtered water every use, store empty without water.



Selecting Your Herb:

Start with the best quality pot available to you. Remember it truly is quality over quantity with cannabis...I mean why would you ever put your lungs and health at risk smoking herb that was not grown or handled properly? It is my recommendation that you visit your family doctor before consuming cannabis in any form, and only purchase medication from a state licensed dispensary. For those of you in states without medical marijuana laws...grow your own!!!







Moving on...

Storage: Proper storage of your medicine or "crypt ass nugget" will reserve you clean, fresh herb all year long. I recommend using KERR masion jars, like the one I have here:



They have an air tight rubber seal which makes the difference in the long run. Popular jars such as 420 Jars and Tight Pac feature plastic seals, which are not 100% air tight. This small leakage of air is enough to easily turn even the dankest nugs into dry crumpling shake over night!



Cork Top Jar:

While storing your stash in a rubber seal jar is the best way to keep it fresh, a Cork Top Jar is also a great alternative and can be found anywhere from your local headshop to that lame Michaels Crafts store down the road. I own this PURE Cork Top and it works great:



Handling Your Herb:

Try to handle your herb as little as possible, resin glads aka thc falls off your nugs and are easily absorbed by human skin.



You want to smoke the tip of the nug last, slowly pick away at your nugs from the top saving the best for last.

Remember, proper storage and handling of your buds can make a HUGE difference in the quality of your smoke! Store your nugs in a cool dark place whenever possible, avoid exposing your herb to direct sunlight and heat, both of which can damage your trichomes and more importantly the quality of your medicine!



Grinders:

Once you've washed your hands, cleaned your favorite glass piece, and selected a few strains of premier ganja to enjoy, the next step I recommend is purchasing a herbal grinder. Cosmic and Spacecase are two brands I highly recommend, both are made from quality materials in the United States and are free of harmful chemicals or metal dust flakes that are sometimes found in foreign made grinders.





Packing A Bowl:

After you've ground your herb I recommend using a plastic gift card or small piece of plastic to scoop up some green from your grinder or table and place it in your bowl. Try to avoid using your fingers when possible as THC is easily absorbed into your skin. Tap the bowl GENTLY with your finger to make sure it's packed snug, but not tight. Packing a bowl too tight restricts air flow and causes the bowl to taste harsh and burns unevenly.

The Snap

Loading an individual hit or snap of herb is a great way to enjoy a fresh "green" hit every time! Simply load a small amount of freshly ground bud into your bowl and clear the entire bowl in a single toke! This way you and your friends will enjoy the great taste of your cannabis as well as eliminate carbon and other potentially dangerous chemicals from entering your body!

Lighting the Bowl:

If you're looking for the true connoisseurs experience it's time to toss that trusted BIC lighter aside and try one of the following:

Solar Hit: Simple enough, use a magnifying glass and the powerful rays of the sun to spark up a tasty bowl of dank herb!



Bee-Line Organic Hemp Rope: The following information and images were taken directly from the Bee Line website: Butane, sulpher, and flint from lighters are all highly poisonous and should not be inhaled. Studies have proven that long term inhalation of butane leads to serious lung, heart, liver, and kidney problems and is also very damaging to the brain and spinal cord. Fortunately there is an answer, Beeline. It is chemical free so say good bye to butane caused headaches after smoking.



Soldering Iron: A method that is becoming more and more popular involves using a soldering iron to lightly burn your bowls. A method which works well, and is worth the $40-$60 you will dish out for a mid-priced model. It must be noted that this method is for RESPONSIBLE ADULTS ONLY and that the use of a soldering iron may result in fire, permanent injury, or even death. Be careful and have fun, remember to NEVER leave the soldering iron unattended while on, completely unplug from the wall after every use to avoid serious accidents from happending.



Vaporize It!

A Vaporizer works by using heat to bring the temperature of cannabis to the point where it boils the active ingredient (THC) out of the cannabis without burning the plant material. The vapors that result are much cleaner and tastier than smoke, and much more potent as well. the vapors are free of tars and other unhealthy bi-products produced when the bud is burned instead of vaporized. There are countless practical and medical reasons to own a vaporizer, so if you get the chance to purchase one I highly recommend doing so!




Etiquette:

Whether you are enjoying a joint inside a medical club or over at your trusted dealer's pad sampling his latest pick-ups, if you truly want to become a connoisseur of fine herb it is always important to keep yourself in line and behave appropriately. While smoking extremely potent ganja may be euphoric and somewhat intoxicating it is never acceptable to blame your poor choices on pot.



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