Cannabis Sesh Etiquette

1. Pass The Dutchie On The Left Hand Side 

As the famous song goes, when sharing a joint, blunt, bowl or otherwise – always pass to the person on your left–hand side. This helps keep the session in order, while also eliminating any confusion about which person to pass it to first after lighting the cannabis.  

“Pass the Dutchie” is a song that was released in 1982 by the child British reggae group “Musical Youth”. Funny enough, a “dutchie” is a Jamaican cooking pot, an item that doesn’t have much reason to be passed around. However, it is said that dutchie was an acceptable substitute for the original lyrics “Pass the Kutchie”, which is slang for a container that holds cannabis. “Pass the Kutchie” was a song that was released earlier in 1982 by a reggae group known as The Mighty Diamonds. The lyrics were modified to be more appropriate, since the five boys in the “Musical Youth” group were all younger than 16 at the time of recording. After the release of this song, the term “pass the dutchie” quickly caught on among cannabis consumers across the globe.  

3. Fix The Canoe   

If the joint is beginning to “canoe”, don’t ignore it – fix it.  

“Canoeing” is when a joint doesn’t burn evenly – burning faster on one side than the other. This results in a joint that looks like a canoe, as it is open on one side.  

 Fixing the canoe minimizes the amount of cannabis wasted (as the weed contained on the side burning slower is usually flicked off and discarded) and is essential to a pleasant and smooth consumption experience.  

Using a grinder to turn your buds into milled cannabis is a great way to stop canoeing from happening in the first place. Cannabis that is not grinded finely enough will create air pockets within your joint that can lead to a canoe. Make sure your joint isn’t rolled too tight nor too lose and use quality rolling papers. While lighting, rotate the joint to ensure that you are igniting all sides equally.  

If you’re smoking a joint and notice a canoe start to happen, there a few steps you can take to minimize the impact. Some suggest a technique known as “ringing” that involves putting a very small drop of saliva or even water on the side of the joint that is burning too quickly. This will slow the burn down on that side and give the lagging side a chance to catch up. While smoking, using your lighter to burn off excess paper can also help.  

5. Roller’s Rights 

If you rolled it, you light it. Or choose who does. It’s your right! 

It is customary that the person who rolled the joint, the blunt or the spliff will also light it and take the first few puffs while the bud is still fresh. They also have the right to refuse this, and the right to choose their replacement in the sesh circle.  

Regardless of who’s weed is in the joint, or who from the sesh circle pitched, the one that rolled it up is the one that gets to light it up as well.  

7. Don’t Juice The Joint

Nobody likes a soggy sesh. Make sure you don’t “juice” the joint before you pass it. 

 Occasionally while smoking a joint, a bit of excess saliva will remain on the filter. Many know the gross feeling of being passed a wet, soggy joint. Nobody wants to put their mouth on something that has your saliva on it. So, be cognizant of this fact and don’t juice the joint.   

Repeat offenders of this rule are rarely invited back to another sesh.  

9. Don’t Chazz The Banger

This rule is exclusively for the cannabis concentrate enthusiasts in the room.  

A “banger” is a dish used for the consumption of cannabis concentrates on an oil dab rig. Usually made of quartz, ceramic, titanium, or glass, bangers are specially designed to tolerate the high temperatures that are necessary to vaporize cannabis extracts.  

“Chazzing” the banger means to dirty it up. Excess concentrate that isn’t vaporized will begin to puddle and sit on the banger, creating a layer of hardened carbon build up that makes it challenging for the next person to experience a tasty and efficient dab.  

There are a few precautions that considerate dabbers often take to ensure that they don’t chazz the banger. The first rule is: don’t take hot dabs. Vaporizing at high temperatures will quickly cause a carbon build up. Dabbing at lower temperatures will result in any excess concentrate pooling on the banger instead of burning and chazzing. This “pooled” concentrate can be easily removed using a cotton swab once the banger cools down a bit. Additionally, take proper sized dabs. Dabs that are too large will be hard to completely vaporize and are more likely to leave an unnecessary residue. Larger bangers with more surface area and thicker bottoms will help to retain heat and hopefully minimize chazzing. Carb caps are another way to fully enjoy lower temperature dabs.   

Follow these steps to ensure a clean and consistent consumption experience during your next dab sesh.