A one hitter is a small pipe with a narrow bowl that is designed and used for a single inhalation, or one hit. It typically holds about 25 milligrams of cannabis (a single hit). Although you may be most familiar with the one hitter that looks like a cigarette, there are actually a few different traditional styles of one hitter pipes.
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Traditional Styles Of One Hitter Pipes
Kiseru
The kiseru is a Japanese pipe typically made of metal and bamboo — metal for the mouthpiece and bowl with bamboo in between. Kiseru became popular in the 17th century and can even be found mentioned in some Buddhist textbooks.
Midwakh
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The midwakh is a Middle Eastern pipe that is traditionally used to smoke tobacco mixed with herbs. These one hitter pipes are mostly produced in the United Arab Emirates and can be made out of a multitude of materials, including wood, bone, metal, or glass.
Sebsi
A sebsi is a Moroccan pipe with a narrow clay bowl. The stem is made of wood and has been traditionally used to smoke cannabis pollen, or kief. They can be up to 18 inches long.
Chillum
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Chillums are straight, conical one hitter pipes that feature a channel connected from end to end. They are typically made of clay and have been in use since the 18th century. Originally, chillums were smoked by Hindu monks in India, but they have made their popularity has now spread across the world.
A Bit About The Bud In Your One Hitter
We’re not so much concerned with the strain of ganja you choose to smoke in your one hitter as we are about what happens to the bud itself.
We’re going to get a bit sciency in this section, but don’t let that scare you away. It’s good to know what’s happening to your marijuana after you apply a flame.
All Cannabis Contains Cannabinoids
Our journey begins with the raw marijuana flowers freshly picked from the field. These flowers contain a variety of cannabinoids.
The concentration of each cannabinoid depends on the strain you choose. You’ll most likely use a CBD-heavy strain as medication because that particular strain doesn’t have the THC necessary to get you high.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a stellar psychedelic experience, you’ll most likely use a THC-heavy strain to maximize the high. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves…
In the raw flower, the cannabinoids are slightly different from the THC and CBD you’re used to seeing printed everywhere. That’s because they come in their acidic forms (THCA and CBDA) first.
The key takeaway from this section is that THCA and CBDA don’t interact with your brain and body the same way THC and CBD do — THCA won’t get you high and CBDA won’t provide medical benefits.
You can get nutritional benefits from eating raw marijuana (e.g., juicing it or mixing it in a smoothie) just like you would from other green, leafy vegetables. But you’re not going to get the potent results you’re looking for.
For that, you need to activate (or transform) the THCA and CBDA. How do you do that? Step 1: dry and cure it.
Dried And Cured Bud Is Better
Drying and curing are Mother Nature’s way of giving you the medicine or mind-altering trip you need. Thanks, Mom!
Drying weed removes moisture from the surface layers of your bud but still leaves moisture inside the flower. It’s very much like drying your skin after a bath: the towel removes the surface moisture but leaves the natural moisture in your skin.
But you can’t rub a marijuana flower with a towel. That would just be silly. Instead, you need heat (from the sun or an oven).
The application of heat in this way dries the plant and transforms a small amount of THCA and CBDA into THC and CBD. That’s a good start, but we need to take it further to maximize the cannabinoid transformation by curing the dried bud too.
Curing weed manipulates the moisture inside the pot flower in order to accelerate, maintain, and control the cannabinoid activation without causing the plant to decay.
You’re probably familiar — at least in concept — with aging wine. Curing weed is like that. You can read more about drying and curing in our article Drying And Curing Weed | The Complete Guide To Better Buds.
Letting your bud sit in a humidity-controlled room removes the moisture deep within, brings the unique flavors and aromas to the fore, and transforms a good portion of the THCA and CBDA into good ol’ THC and CBD.
The one hitch to drying and curing your pot is that it takes time and, in some cases, expensive equipment. You can certainly try to dry and cure your cannabis (we recommend that everyone DIY at least once), but, depending on where you live, you’ll need environmental-control equipment such as:
- Air conditioning
- Heat
- Humidity control
- Fans for air circulation
That may make drying and curing your own weed cost-prohibitive. But fret not, my ganja brothers and sisters!
There’s nothing wrong with paying a few extra bucks for professionally dried and cured Mary Jane. That’s the beauty of the dispensary: they do all the hard work for you (or at least pay someone to do the hard work).
All you have to do is drop a Jackson or two on the counter and you’re off to the races.
But there’s one more step to making your one hitter experience as complete and satisfying as possible: decarboxylation.
Decarboxylated Bud Is Best
The drying and curing process activates the majority of the THCA and CBDA, but we’re not satisfied with that (you shouldn’t be either). We want to squeeze every last bit of canna-goodness out of these little buds.
For that, we need decarboxylation.
Decarboxylation is a chemical process whereby you apply more heat in order to remove a carboxyl molecule (COOH) from the larger THC molecule.
Before decarboxylation, the bud is still pretty much raw (even though you’ve dried and cured it). You could conceivably sprinkle the dried and cured pot on your salad or just eat it straight, but, again, you wouldn’t feel the full effects. You need more heat.
If you want to mix your ganja in an edible, you’ll first stick it in the oven to transform all the remaining THCA and CBDA into THC and CBD.
If you want to smoke your weed, there’s much less effort. Just find a flame and blaze away.
That brings us back to the one hitter. The chronic you pack in the tip of your one hitter is already dried and cured. Here’s what happens when you light that puppy on fire (not a literal puppy of course):
- Immediate decarboxylation occurs
- All the THCA converts to THC
- All the CBDA converts to CBD
- The solid marijuana vaporizes (burns)
- The heat and burning creates carbon dioxide (CO2)
- You inhale the whole kit-and-caboodle
- The cannabinoids travel through your lungs into your bloodstream
- You bloodstream transports the cannabinoids to your brain
- Your pain goes away or the walls speak deep truths of the universe
That’s the science of what goes on when you light your favorite strain on fire. It really doesn’t matter if it’s a one hitter, a joint, a blunt, a spliff, a bong, or a dab rig. You instantaneously decarb your weed and free all the THC and CBD locked in the plant matter. Awesome!
So now that you know a bit about the science behind smoking (or eating) weed, let’s delve a bit deeper into how to use a one hitter specifically.
How Do You Use A One Hitter?
One hitter pipes are easy to use. You fill the narrow chamber or bowl with your weed, pack it in tightly, light up, and take a puff. Inhale slowly but steadily to get the best hit and avoid pulling in ash. There are some techniques you can use to make using a one hitter more enjoyable, though.
Use The Right Consistency
To avoid inhaling ash, you will want to use the right consistency of cannabis. Don’t grind your weed too finely or else it will turn to ash the second you light your one hitter. Make sure your weed is broken up so that it’s small enough to fit into the bowl but large enough to stay in the pipe rather than turning to ash and mixing with the smoke.
It’s best if you can use one small piece. Nobody wants a mouth full of ash when they’re just trying to get a little buzz.
Pack Your One Hitter Vertically
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Turn your one hitter over so that the bowl is facing down. Dip it into your marijuana and twist the pipe. Repeat this two or three times until the one hitter is packed well. This will ensure you have a longer-lasting hit. Don’t pack too tightly though, or you will end up restricting the airflow.
Light It The Right Way
You don’t want your one hitter to get too hot when you’re smoking either. Light the entire pipe for a second or two to prevent it from getting too hot too fast. Keep the flame as far from the one hitter as possible, and position the pipe so that it’s pointed toward the ground to avoid it heating up too quickly.
Honest Marijuana Tip: Use the shiny silver part of your Bic lighter as a mirror to see if the cannabis in the end of your one hitter is blazing.
Keep Your One Hitter Clean
Lastly, you should always clean your one hitter after every use. This will help prevent ash buildup and give you a smoother hit every time. Tap out the ash after your toke, and use a poker to clear it of any resin. If you’re still having a hard time getting it squeaky clean, use a pipe cleaner.
Every week or two, give your one-hitter a thorough “nook-and-cranny” cleaning so you don’t get a build-up of tarry goo that makes your one hitter smell and taste bad. Here’s how to do it.
- Rinse your one hitter with hot water.
- Put your one hitter in a plastic baggie or small plastic container.
- Pour in enough rubbing alcohol to cover the one hitter.
- Add one tablespoon of salt.
- Shake the baggie or plastic container. (We didn’t put it as one of our instructions, but we recommend closing the baggie or putting a lid on the container before you shake it.)
- Discard the salted alcohol and rinse your one hitter with hot water again.
- Let the one hitter air dry. If you have to use the one hitter right away, use a hair dryer to remove all the excess water.
This process doesn’t take very long, and you’ll be super happy with the results.
What Are The Benefits Of A One Hitter?
Some smokers exclusively smoke one hitters. They’re convenient and simple– perfect for the busy stoner on the go.
They’re Discreet
Because of their slender profile, one hitters are perfect for a discreet toke. The most common design of one hitter pipes even mimics the appearance of a cigarette.
You can stroll along the sidewalk or stretch out in the park, pull on your one hitter, and nobody will be the wiser. You’ll simply look like someone puffing on a cigarette. This is an incredible benefit of a one hitter for those smokers that live in places where weed is not legal.
Less Odorous
One hitters produce far less of a smell than other methods of smoking do. This is because the majority of the smoke goes straight into your lungs, rather than the air around you. The one hitter’s lack of odor helps boost its discreteness. You won’t be drawing any attention to yourself with regards to smell.
That doesn’t mean that one hitters have no smell. There will still be a tell-tale aroma when you exhale the smoke. If you’re concerned about the odor, try using a sploof. “A what?!” you ask. A sploof. It’s a word. Look it up!
A sploof is like a muffler for your marijuana. When you exhale the smoke from your one hitter into a sploof, the stuff inside filters out the skunky aroma. And while that sounds like it would be some high-tech, super-expensive thing, you can make a sploof out of a toilet paper tube and some dryer sheets. Here’s how to do it.
- Remove all the toilet paper from a cardboard toilet paper tube (we recommend waiting until you finish the roll).
- Pack the toilet paper tube with four dryer sheets (don’t pack them too tight).
- Cover the end of the toilet paper tube with another dryer sheet, fold it over, and secure it with a rubber band (you can even use tape in a pinch).
- Blow your smoke into the sploof (no need for parenthetical information here).
If you want to get really fancy, you can pack your sploof with activated charcoal. This costs more than dryer sheets but may do better at filtering out all the smell.
And if you can’t get your hands on an empty toilet paper tube, you can use any kind of tube-like container — a plastic bottle, a chapstick tube, a PVC or ABS pipe. Whatever you have on hand.
Conserves Your Supply
Because one hitters are designed for single pulls, they inherently use less weed. The smaller bowls force you to conserve the amount of weed you are consuming.
They also help you avoid wasting weed, as can so often happen when smoking joints and blunts. You aren’t at risk of burning up weed you aren’t hitting. If you are on a tight budget or looking to make your supply last longer, try using a one hitter pipe next time you smoke.
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Easy To Use On The Go
One hitter pipes are so small, which makes them easy to transport and carry with you no matter where you go. You can throw it in your purse or tuck it into your jeans’ pocket. Pull it out and take your hit whenever you want. It’s that easy.
The one speed bump to this benefit is that you have to pack the one hitter each and every time. For real easy-to-use-anytime, no-need-to-load convenience, try a vape pen. That way, you can take a hit, leave for a while, come back, and take another hit like you never left.
Which One Hitter Is Right For You?
Do a quick search on the web for one hitters and you may be overwhelmed by the results. How do you know which one is right for you? We’ve combed through the findings to come up with your best options.
The Claw
The Claw is your classic one hitter. It’s slim, stylish, and looks like a cigarette. It’s inconspicuous but easy to use. With its clawed tip, your weed will stay put and not fall out. It’s easy to pack a bowl and smoke on the go with The Claw.
Formax420 One Hitter Pipe
This one hitter is a metallic, three-inch long pipe that comes in a variety of bright colors. They’re cute, easy to use, and affordable. The Formax420 is a great option for a one hitter.
The Happy Hippie Hitter
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This fun glass pipe is made in the USA of high-quality borosilicate glass by the Mountain Jam Glass Company. It’s fumed glass that is 4 inches long. Not only is this one hitter great for a toke, it’s a wonderful addition to your glass collection.
It’s designed to look like a little happy puppet face. The glass has color-changing effects due to the fact that the artists held precious metals in the flame as they crafted the pipes. Each one hitter pipe is handmade by a glass artist in an Oregon collective, so you are guaranteed your pipe will be unique.
The Glass Taster Pipe Silver Fumed with Color Work
This fumed glass one hitter pipe is also made in the USA of high-quality borosilicate glass. It’s 3.5 inches long, but its bowl actually holds enough for more than one hit. You can get a couple of tokes out of this pipe.
Like the Happy Hippie Hitter, this one hitter pipe is crafted by individual arts of the Mountain Jam Glass Company in Oregon. Each pipe will be unique and beautiful.
The Small Plain Stone Chillum
This classic stone chillum is more durable than a glass one hitter, but just as easy to use. The stone body actually cools the smoke before it enters your lungs, so many find this more enjoyable to use than other types of one hitters.
You can add a metal screen into the bowl if you want to prevent any Scooby snacks from getting into your mouth.
The Glass Chillum
This glass chillum is super easy to use and made from a smooth glass. It delivers a smooth hit to the smoker, and you can add a metal screen for an even more enjoyable toke. This one hitter pipe also comes with a handmade pouch to help make transporting easier. It’s 7.8 inches long, so the smoke will be cooler upon inhaling than when using shorter one hitters.
The One Hitter Mini Hurricane Pipe
If you are a fan of hand pipes but looking for the ease and convenience of a one hitter, look no further than this piece. This one hitter has a tiny bowl atop the stem rather than at the end of the pipe. It’s made of Pyrex glass, so it’s super durable and will last you a lifetime. It even comes with a loop so you can attach it to your keychain or even wear it around your neck.
What Are You Waiting For?
One hitter pipes making smoking weed easy anywhere you are. Just grab your one hitter and go. They’re more discreet than other methods of smoking, making it perfect for smokers who want to remain inconspicuous.
You don’t have to stick to just a single one hitter, either. There are so many options to choose from, you can’t go wrong. So start using a one hitter today.
For more information on all things cannabis and to check out our 100-percent all-natural marijuana products, visit HonestMarijuana.com today.
