Weed stems get a bad reputation. Is this reputation deserved? Well, it depends on who you ask. For the regular cannabis consumer, stems are bad because they don’t have trichomes or THC, so they won’t be getting you high. The cannabis industry on the other hand also involves textiles and commercial building materials. These two industries have been making use of weed stems and other cannabis fibers in ways the average consumer does not. While you may not be making hemp rope, hemp paper, or plant-based concrete, weed stems are not as bad as their reputation suggests.
What are Weed Stems?
Cannabis plants have various parts. Typically, cannabis users want the buds or flowers when looking for a high. The weed stems serve the functional role of supporting the flowers and leaves of the plant. Depending on the cannabis strain, you may find yourself some stems that are thick, thin, or anything in between.
Can You Smoke Weed Stems?
Weed stems can be smoked, but you really shouldn’t. The stems do not have any trichomes or THC and will not contribute to getting high. They also don’t improve the flavours or aromas in any way. While smoking stems aren’t exactly harmful, don’t other grinding stems while thinking they will improve your experience, because they won’t.
Ways to Use Weed Stems
1) Weed Tea
While weed stems do not have trichomes or THC, they do have essential oils. Adding stems will add some weed flavour if you are into that.
2) Tinctures and Topicals
Weed stems can be used, in addition to flower and leaves, when making tinctures, and oil-based cannabis-infused topicals.
3) Edibles
You can also find recipes that use cannabis stems online for things like cannabutter, cannabis-infused coconut butter, cannabis cocktails, and other edible goods.