All The Methods of Consuming Cannabis: A Guide to Finding Your Perfect Experience

Whether you're a seasoned cannabis enthusiast or a curious newcomer, understanding the different ways to consume cannabis can help you find a method that suits your needs. Each method offers a unique experience, varying in effects, onset time, and duration, and the route you choose can even shape how sights, sounds, and flavours feel during a session, as covered in our guide to cannabis and sensory perception. Here's a breakdown of the most popular ways to enjoy cannabis, plus a quick comparison table to help you weigh them up.

1. Smoking

One of the most traditional ways to consume cannabis, smoking delivers a fast onset, usually felt within minutes, and a familiar, potent experience.

• Joints: Rolled cannabis in rolling paper, joints are quick and straightforward, and easy to dose gradually one puff at a time.
• Blunts: Cannabis rolled in a tobacco leaf or cigar wrap, adding nicotine's effects on top of the high. See our full breakdown of blunt wraps vs hemp wraps if you'd rather skip the tobacco.
• Pipes and bongs: For those who'd rather skip rolling, pipes are quick and portable, while bongs filter smoke through water for a smoother, cooler inhale. Curious how that filtration works? Read our guide to bong percolators. Whichever piece you pick, keeping it clean matters for both taste and health, see our guide to how and why to clean your bong.

2. Vaping

Vaping heats cannabis flower or concentrate without combustion, which preserves cannabinoids and terpenes and produces fewer of the by-products associated with burning plant matter.

• Vape pens: Discreet and portable, vape pens typically use cannabis oil cartridges and give an almost immediate effect. Browse our concentrate vaporizers range.
• Dry herb vaporizers: For those who enjoy the taste of flower but want to skip combustion, dry herb vaporizers heat ground bud to a temperature that releases vapor without burning it. See our dry herb vaporizers range, and our full comparison of dry herb vs concentrate vaporizers.

3. Edibles

Edibles are cannabis-infused foods and drinks that provide a longer-lasting, body-focused experience. Because cannabinoids have to pass through digestion first, edibles take longer to kick in, typically 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on your metabolism and stomach contents, but the effects usually last 4-8 hours.

• Gummies, chocolates, and baked goods: A discreet, tasty way to consume cannabis, though dosing precisely takes some care since effects are delayed.
• Drinks: Cannabis-infused beverages are often absorbed a little faster than solid edibles, with some users noticing effects within 30-45 minutes.

For a deeper dive into timing and what to expect, see our guide on how long cannabis edibles take to kick in.

4. Tinctures and Oils

Tinctures are liquid cannabis extracts taken sublingually (under the tongue) or mixed into food and drinks. Held under the tongue, cannabinoids absorb through the mucous membranes and enter the bloodstream faster than a swallowed edible, typically within 15-30 minutes, with effects usually lasting 4-6 hours.

• Sublingual application: Placing drops under the tongue gives the fastest onset of the two options.
• Mixing into food or drink: Swallowing a tincture instead routes it through digestion, giving an onset and duration closer to a traditional edible.

5. Capsules and Pills

Cannabis capsules and pills offer a standardised, pre-measured dose of cannabinoids, making them convenient and completely discreet with no taste or smell. Like edibles, they're processed through digestion, so effects typically take 45 minutes to 2 hours to kick in depending on individual metabolism and dosage.

6. Topicals

Topicals are cannabis-infused products applied directly to the skin, such as lotions, balms, and oils. They're absorbed locally rather than entering the bloodstream in meaningful amounts, so they provide targeted relief for sore muscles, inflammation, or skin conditions without a psychoactive high.

7. Dabbing

Dabbing involves vaporizing a small amount of cannabis concentrate on a heated surface, producing an intense, fast-acting, and very potent effect. Because concentrates are so much stronger than flower gram for gram, dabbing is best suited to experienced users, and it's worth starting with a small dab and waiting to see how it hits before taking more.

• Dab rigs: A specialised type of water pipe built for concentrates rather than flower, delivering a fast and potent hit.
• Dab bangers and dab pens: Bangers are heated with a torch to a precise temperature before the concentrate is applied, while dab pens are portable, battery-powered, and much more beginner-friendly. Browse our dabbing accessories for everything you need to get started. Read more in our guide to cannabis concentrates.

8. Suppositories

Though far less common, cannabis suppositories are used for targeted relief, particularly for conditions affecting the pelvic or abdominal region. They're absorbed through the mucous membranes, delivering cannabinoids to the bloodstream with minimal to no psychoactive effect for most users.

Comparing Consumption Methods

Onset and duration vary noticeably by route of administration, a pattern also outlined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in its overview of how cannabis affects the body differently depending on how it's taken.

Choosing the Right Method for You

• Onset time: If you want immediate effects, smoking, vaping, or dabbing are your fastest options. For longer, delayed relief, edibles or capsules are a better fit.
• Duration: Smoking and vaping effects tend to fade within a few hours, while edibles, tinctures, and capsules last considerably longer.
• Potency: Concentrates and dabbing deliver the most intense effects, so they suit those with a higher tolerance or a need for stronger relief.

FAQ

What's the fastest way to feel the effects of cannabis?

Smoking, vaping, and dabbing all take effect within minutes since cannabinoids enter the bloodstream through the lungs. Sublingual tinctures are the fastest non-inhaled option, usually working within 15-30 minutes.

Why do edibles take so long to kick in?

Edibles have to pass through your digestive system before cannabinoids reach your bloodstream, which typically takes 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on your metabolism and what else is in your stomach.

Which consumption method lasts the longest?

Edibles and capsules generally last the longest, often 4-8 hours, since cannabinoids are released gradually during digestion.

Is dabbing suitable for beginners?

Not really. Concentrates are far more potent than flower, so dabbing is better suited to experienced users. If you're new to cannabis, start with a low-THC flower method and work up from there.

Can I combine consumption methods in one session?

Yes, plenty of people do, for example smoking a joint and following up later with a low-dose edible. Just be mindful of total intake, since effects from different methods can overlap and stack up.

Find Your Method at Skyline

Every consumption method offers something different, and what works best for one person may not suit another. Explore our full range of bongs, pipes, vaporizers, and dab rigs in-store or online, or WhatsApp us on 0718837026 if you'd like a hand choosing the right gear. Visit us at 2 Yaron Avenue, Glenanda, Johannesburg, or shop online with free nationwide delivery on orders over R1250.