Smoking hemp flower follows all the same rules as smoking marijuana. The only difference is that hemp won’t make you feel high.

While smoking is clearly not the healthiest way of consuming hemp products, moderation is key. We enjoy a few rollies of hemp flower from time to time for fast-acting effects and a nice smooth flavor. It’s definitely worth relying on smoking as your primary method of consumption, however, 

Here are three ways to go about smoking (or vaping) raw hemp flowers. 

What is Hemp Flower?

Hemp flower, by legal definition, is the dried and cured buds of any industrial hemp plant that produces no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. Anything over that would classify it as marijuana.

But hemp is more than just its legal definition. Hemp is weed’s innocent alter ego that doesn’t make you high.

Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis sativa species and contain almost the same beneficial compounds. They also look similar, but their main difference lies in their cannabinoid content. 

Hemp naturally contains higher non-intoxicating CBD than THC, which is why it’s also oftentimes called CBD hemp flower. On the other hand, marijuana has a higher level of the intoxicating, psychoactive compound, THC, than CBD.

They also differ in legality, of course, with the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing industrial hemp and marijuana’s legal status remaining illegal under federal law.

Hemp flower contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids, such as terpenes and flavonoids, along with all their individual and synergistic benefits. These synergistic benefits are often referred to as the entourage effect. 

How to Smoke Hemp: Three Separate Methods

Now on to the fun part. Here are three different ways people are smoking CBD flower these days. 

1. Roll It Up

The first thing that comes to mind is smoking CBD joints. Simply put, this means rolling your hemp into a joint, exactly like you would roll regular marijuana joint, so to speak.

A conventional joint normally holds about 0.75 grams of dried, ground plant material, but you can also find larger rolling papers that hold as much as 1.5 grams each. 

If you’ve never rolled a joint before, make sure you check out our guide to rolling the perfect joint. 

Alternatively, you can use a handy rolling machine to do all the work for you. 

Feel free to mix in some other herbs if you want to. Some common additions include damiana, tobacco, marijuana (where it’s legal to do so), or dried rose petals. 

If rolling isn’t your strong suit, you can always skip the groundwork and order pre-rolled hemp joints. The convenience of smoking CBD pre-rolls does come at a little extra cost, though.

2. Add it to Dry Herb Vape

You can also vaporize dried hemp flowers in a device called a dried herb vape. These devices are designed to heat the hemp flower up to the point of vaporizing the active ingredients without causing combustion or inhaling smoke and the harmful substances it contains.

The combustion reaction is what generates all the nasty chemicals that make smoking so bad. It also destroys a lot of the active ingredients before they ever reach your bloodstream. Vaping hemp flower is one of the easiest and most efficient ways of using hemp flowers. The only downside is you need a special device to make it work.

3. Smoke it In a Bong or Pipe

You can also smoke your hemp flower in a bong or pipe. Simply grind your herb up and add it to the bowl. You can also add additional herbs to help smooth out or flavor the smoke. A good option here is a herb called mullein, which makes the smoke much smoother and reduces the harshness on the throat and lungs. 

Will Smoking Hemp Flower Get You High?

Smokable hemp products won’t make you feel high the same way marijuana does, it can have some subtle, but noticeable cognitive effects. For example, a common description is that one’s body goes into a sort of  ‘autopilot mode.’

Delta 8 hemp flower is a little bit different. 

This product is made from non-psychoactive hemp but is later sprayed with delta 8 THC distillate. This type of hemp flower, along with THC-O hemp flower or delta 10 THC hemp flower is psychoactive and will produce psychoactive effects.

Where is Hemp Flower Legal?

Congress legalized hemp farming when it passed the 2018 Farm Bill. This bill meant hemp is legal in all 50 states and is no longer a Schedule I controlled substance. You can carry it across state borders and order it from out-of-state companies.

The limiting factor is the THC content. Some states allow delta 8 THC-infused hemp flower; others require all hemp products to contain no more than 0.3% THC of any kind (not just delta 9 THC). 

It’s important to know your local laws before ordering any cannabis products. If THC is banned in your state, it’s important to make sure the hemp flower you’re ordering is within the legal threshold for THC. Check for third-party lab tests and reach out to the company to be sure. 

Will Smoking Hemp Make Me Fail A Drug Test? 

It’s quite improbable, but not impossible. Ironically, the trace amounts of THC in hemp can’t get you high, but they can potentially show up on a drug test within 30-days of using it. 

Smoking delta 8 THC-infused hemp will most certainly make you fail a drug test. Conventional drug testing kits can’t differentiate between delta 8, 9, and 10 THC. 

Key Takeaways: How to Smoke Hemp Flower

Smoking hemp is a great way to soothe your body and mind without getting high. It provides all the potential health benefits of a full-spectrum cannabis extract, minus the psychoactive side effects. 

While there are many ways to use hemp flowers, smoking offers some clear advantages. Smoking provides a nearly instant onset of effects and provides a potent array of cannabinoids beyond CBD (including CBG, CBC, CBN), terpenes, and many other beneficial phytochemicals. 

The easiest way to smoke hemp flower is to roll it into a joint or hit it in a bong or pipe. Additionally, dry herb vapes can be used for similar effects while negating many, but not all the side effects of smoking.

FAQs on CBD Buds

Unlike marijuana, CBD buds or hemp flowers won’t get you high. This section discusses some of the commonly asked questions about the product.

1. What Part of the Hemp Plant Do You Smoke?

The flower or bud is the part of the hemp and cannabis plant that you smoke. This contains the most amount of trichomes or the resinous glands that house the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.

2.  How Do You Use Hemp Flower?

There are many ways to consume CBD or hemp flower. You can smoke and vape it, or you can extract the compounds to make CBD oil, tincture, and other forms of concentrates.

3. What Does Hemp Taste Like When You Smoke It?

It depends on the type of CBD strains and their terpene profile. For example, Hawaiian Haze hemp flower contains a high level of pinene, myrcene, caryophyllene, and terpinolene. This particular strain gives you citrusy, tropical, earthy flavors with robust spicy and herbal notes of peppers and basil.

4. Does Hemp Smell When Smoked?

Yes, and it also depends on the terpenes it contains. Remember, terpenes give all plants, including hemp and marijuana, their distinctive aroma and flavor profiles.

5. What Does Hemp Flower Do If You Smoke It?

Smoking hemp flowers offers a ton of health benefits. Not only does it offer pain relief, but it also has relaxing benefits. Smoking high-CBD cannabis flower also helps with stress and anxiety, without the intoxicating effects of THC.

6. Does Hemp Get You Stoned?

No, hemp doesn’t contain high levels of THC, so it won’t get you stoned. Be mindful though of the THC content and ensure they stay within the legal limit of no more than 0.3% to avoid legal issues.

7. Is Hemp Flower a Drug?

Hemp is not considered a recreational drug since it only contains minute levels of psychoactive THC. However, to stay safe,  make sure the hemp flower you’re smoking is law-compliant.

8. Is Hemp Harmful to Smoke?

Any form of smoking is not healthy for the lungs, especially since the smoke contains harmful byproducts. If you’re after healthier alternative methods of consuming CBD, try vaping, oils, tinctures, or capsules.

9. Does Smoking Hemp Affect Your Lungs?

Yes. Similar to smoking tobacco, the byproducts caused by the combustion of smokable hemp can irritate the lungs. Not only can it damage the lung tissues but also harm the small blood vessels located in the lungs.

Additionally, the byproducts can also cause lung cancer and other forms of respiratory problems and diseases.

10. What is the Healthiest Way to Smoke Hemp?

The healthiest way to enjoy inhalable hemp is to use a vaporizer. This way, you’d be inhaling the vapors and not the harmful byproducts produced by the combustion of paper and ground flower. However, if you’re after a genuine smoking experience, then use a filter. This can, at least, filter out some of the nasty byproducts.

For a safe smoking session, always buy the best CBD flower from trusted brands in the hemp and CBD marketplace. Make sure the high-quality CBD product comes with an updated lab test result, and always read reviews about the company and its products.