Spliff, your favorite way to smoke weed

Author: Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

Spliff, your favorite way to smoke weed

A spliff, also called a cannabis cigarette is the mixture of tobacco and weed in a joint. Smoking a spliff is still one of the most popular ways to enjoy cannabis, and differs in crucial ways from a joint or blunt. In this article, you’ll learn everything: how to roll a spliff, and why, despite its health drawbacks, it still holds such appeal for cannabis enthusiasts. Fortunately, we at Sirius know how to minimize the risks of smoking a spliff and offer healthier alternatives. Read on below to find out.

What is a spliff?

Smoking a spliff, or smoking a joint? The difference is in the ingredients. A spliff is a rolled cannabis cigarette, and consists of a combination of weed and tobacco. This is the difference with a joint: it is also a marijuana cigarette, but only filled with weed.

The word ‘spliff’ probably comes from the West-Indies, especially Jamaica, and originally it is a synonym for a joint: a cigarette without tobacco, only weed. The time and reason why the meaning of the word changed (at least, in the West) is unknown. The word ‘spliff’ was gaining prominence, mainly in Europe, although it is unclear what exactly is the meaning of ‘spliff’. At the same time, ‘joint’ could refer to the fact that two herbs are brought together (joined), so that adds more confusion.

Anyway, in the West, a spliff means: a cigarette with weed and tobacco. The ratio of tobacco and weed can vary very widely, depending on what you like best. In theory, it is usually a 1:1 ratio, but this is by no means necessary. Basically, any cigarette that has tobacco and weed can fall under the definition ‘spliff’. However, in other parts of the world, spliff is still synonymous with joint. Confusing!

A little history

The tobacco plant and the marijuana plant have long been intimately connected. They both have one important thing in common: Humans find them incredibly fascinating. A spliff is therefore a result of this interest. Within cannabis culture, a spliff is a very popular way to consume marijuana. In several stoner movies, the characters smoke a spliff, and even in music people sing or rap about smoking a spliff.

Myths about spliffs

There are a lot of myths about marijuana. A funny urban legend about spliffs is about the cigarette brand Lucky Strike. It was rumored that occasionally you were lucky to find a marijuana cigarette in your pack. The brand's slogan ‘it's toasted’ contributed to this myth. Of course, this story was not true, but it is still a fun one to remember that people used to believe that the tobacco brand hid spliffs in their packs of cigarettes.

Another myth is that the combination of tobacco and weed, as in a spliff, provides an enhanced high. For a long time, this combination was seen as a way to get stoned and enjoy the high longer. Nicotine has the property of being stimulating and making you alert. For some users, this is a positive counterbalance to the intoxicating properties of cannabis. But nicotine can also cause nausea and dizziness, and even increase the likelihood of feelings of anxiety.

While it's true that the combination of tobacco and weed works well for some people (everyone has their preferences), it has not been confirmed by science that tobacco will positively affect the high.

However, scientists can confirm the opposite: tobacco (nicotine) is highly addictive and very unhealthy. There is also evidence in this study that dual use exposes you to more harmful and toxic substances. A reason to be very careful with it, or ban it altogether.

The reason why people might enjoy smoking a spliff over a joint is because they are addicted to nicotine, which results from regular smoking of (cannabis) cigarettes. To a nicotine addict, spliff not only gives the nice effects of cannabis, but also satisfies craving for nicotine. But is that really what you want?

Different ways to enjoy weed

There are numerous ways to enjoy cannabis, including some extremely potent suggestions such as using moon rocks or dabbing. However, if you don't want to ingest extreme amounts of THC, a spliff can be great because you can modify the amount of cannabis you’ll be consuming. Using a vaporizer is recommended, where you can use the settings to choose how potent a hit you want.

Blunt

A blunt is a hollowed-out cigar, which is filled with finely ground cannabis. Smoking a blunt gives you a thick, fat cannabis experience that feels very traditional. The taste experience and effect is unique: the paper of the cigar has a sweet aroma and is infused with tobacco.

You have haters and lovers, because tobacco greatly influences the taste of the weed. Nowadays you can also buy special tobacco paper, which is a thick type of rolling paper that you can use to roll a blunt. A blunt is smoked very slowly because of the slow burn. Unlike a spliff, it is therefore best smoked in a social setting.

Joint

Smoking a joint, also sometimes called a pure joint or sticky, simply means that you fill a (usually long) rolling paper with finely ground weed. It is thus the purest experience, showing off the flavor of cannabis more than when smoking a spliff.

What’s nice about a joint (and also a spliff) is that you can pass it around with your friends, making it one of the most social forms of using weed!
There are all kinds of papers available for rolling a joint, in our Headshop you will find everything you need to do it yourself!

Want to know how to roll a joint? Then read our blog post ‘How to roll a joint’!

What you'll need for a spliff

Rolling a spliff takes practice, so don't get discouraged if at first it seems like an impossible task. The best way to get good at rolling a spliff is (surprise, surprise): lots of practice! If you know a pro at rolling a spliff, make sure they show you how to do it: this is the best way to learn it. Here's what you'll need to get started on your own:

Rolling paper

If you look in Sirius' online Headshop, you will find a whole range of rolling papers, all with their unique characteristics. The difference is in the thickness of the paper, the material, the length ... the Smoking brand has thought carefully about the different needs of people who want to roll a spliff.

For example, you can choose Smoking Thinnest, with - as the name implies - the thinnest papers, which ensure that you taste as little of the paper as possible, and get the most out of your cannabis experience.

Other options include: Smoking Organic rolling papers made with unbleached paper and Smoking papers on a roll, so you can decide on the perfect length for your marijuana cigarette. By the way, for rolling a spliff, you can also use cigarette papers, then you will have a shorter end result.

Weed Lighter

Weed Lighters are a great tool because they can be used for anything and everything. It’s useful to have in your pocket when meeting people, because there is always someone in need to light a cigarette, or to open a bottle. Of course, when you've rolled a spliff, it's handy to light it. Sirius sells Clipper lighters, the iconic lighter that you can refill with gas yourself, which is better for the environment.

Grinder

Grinders, in all colors and sizes, are useful tools for grinding your weed. Grinding weed is one way to roll a high-quality spliff that is nice and tight, which helps it burn evenly. If you don't have a grinder on hand, and still want to roll a spliff, you can also use your fingers to crumble the weed. Be aware that the stickiness - the trichomes covered with resin - is the creme de la creme of cannabis flower.

If you use a 4-part grinder, the THC-rich pollen falls into the bottom compartment of the grinder. A perfect way to collect this precious product, also known as kief.

Kief is great to enhance the potency of your spliff when added, but it can also be smoked on its own when your weed stack is empty!

Tobacco

Tobacco, or Nicotiana tobaccum, is seen everywhere in our society. You can get your hands on a pack on almost every street corner. Tobacco has a rich history, and humans have been using its uplifting and addictive properties for hundreds of years. Every smoker knows: it is incredibly difficult to quit smoking. If you're reading this, the best message we can give you is: stop smoking, or don't start!

Tobacco is an ingredient of a spliff, and the type of tobacco you use can vary greatly. You can roll a spliff with a light or heavy tobacco. It is even possible to grow your own tobacco.

However, due to the addictiveness of nicotine and the many negative health consequences tobacco can have, we strongly recommend you to not smoke tobacco. This doesn’t mean you can never smoke a spliff again - you just have to choose a healthier (and in the end tastier) alternative!

Sirius sells a whole range of tobacco substitutes, these are special dried herbal blends that are perfect for rolling a spliff, without the addictive and toxic properties. Of course, burning and then inhaling an herb is not healthy anyway, but tobacco takes the crown, especially when it comes to addiction.

Weed

The most important ingredient in a spliff is weed. The kind of weed you choose determines in part the strength of your spliff and what kind of high you'll experience. Take a look at Sirius' Seedshop to see all the weed varieties in one place. Here we offer a huge array of classic, modern and exotic cannabis seeds from the most renowned seed banks, so everyone can find the perfect cannabis strain for them!

How to roll a spliff

Rolling a spliff can be explained in a few steps. Make sure you have a flat surface available, such as a tabletop, or a special rolling tray like this Original Rolling Tray M. That way you can work more easily.

Step-by-step

1. Lay a rolling paper flat on a surface with the sticky side upside and farthest from you.
2. Now spread a thin layer of tobacco evenly over the paper. Leave some room on one side for the tip.
   
3. Now drape crumbled weed over the tobacco. Depending on how stoned you want to get, this can be more or less. Note that too much weed will make it difficult to successfully roll a spliff.
   
4. Roll a tip. There are several methods for this. The easiest is to roll a spiral. Now put the tip on one side of the rolling paper. It takes some figuring out which side works best; this varies from person to person.
   
5. Now comes the hardest part: carefully pick up the paper without spilling the tip, tobacco and weed. Rest the whole thing on both your thumb and middle fingers. Using both index fingers, gently roll the paper and its contents back and forth, compressing the tobacco and weed into a roll. With one hand, use the tip to get a better grip.
   
6. When the result feels firm, roll the paper fairly tightly around the contents so the tobacco and weed are nicely packed.
   
7. Finally, lick the sticky edge of the paper, and then close the spliff.
8. You can tap the tip of the spliff on the surface a few times, so the contents of the spliff get a bit more compacted.
9. Voila, your first spliff is rolled!
   

King size smoking rolling machine

Really can't manage to roll a spliff by yourself? Don't panic, with the King Size Rolling Machine this will be a piece of cake. This little device is a smart solution, and a simple method for rolling spliffs quickly and effectively, without your fingers having to do the difficult fidgeting.

Even if you have little strength in your fingers, or find it difficult to perform controlled, fine strokes, a rolling machine is essential. You can also choose the Futurola KS Roller, an advanced rolling machine developed in the Netherlands.

Active carbon filters

For many stoners, it's a revelation when they first come into contact with Acti-Tube Slim Active carbon filters. Your weed smoking life will never be the same again, because you can say goodbye forever to the most toxic substances released when smoking a spliff.

This is because the carbon filter blocks much of the toxins, making inhaling softer on the throat and less harmful to your health. In addition, you can reuse activated carbon filters a few times, which is also better for the environment. They are available in different sizes, depending on your personal preferences.

Tobacco Alternatives

Tobacco is incredibly addictive and unhealthy. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get rid of it as soon as possible. Fortunately, there are many alternatives on the market that will give you more pleasure from smoking a spliff.

At Sirius, we promote several products that can help people quit smoking tobacco. Tobacco substitutes are dried herbal blends that work just as well if you want to roll a spliff, and are free of nicotine, the hugely addictive substance from tobacco. Can you still call it a spliff if it contains a tobacco substitute instead of tobacco? Sure, read on to find out which tobacco substitutes you can use.

Knaster

Knaster has the appearance of a reliable packet of tobacco. But, in fact, it is an herbal blend, available in different compositions. Free of nicotine, Knaster is a safer and less unhealthy way to roll spliffs. For example, choose Knaster Hemp, a composition inspired by North American fashion, with red clover and a hemp flavor. An ideal smooth blend with a mild flavor, perfect for use in a spliff.

Another popular blend for rolling spliffs is Sheriff. This was the first blend marketed by Knaster, and consists of hop flowers and damiana.

Health concerns

In different parts of the world, there is a growing campaign against tobacco smoking. The fact that it is unhealthy, promotes various diseases and is becoming increasingly expensive makes young people less likely to start this habit.

Moreover, nicotine is one of the most addictive substances, making spliffs less good for you to use. One of the risks of smoking spliffs is that you may become addicted to nicotine, which means you may smoke more spliffs and thus get stoned more often than you would like.

Vaporizer vs spliff

The choice is quickly made, when it comes to your health. Check out our Vaporizershop for a variety of high-end vaporizers. It is well worth the investment, as you save your body a lot of risk of diseases such as (lung) cancer.

Although smoking a spliff without tobacco makes a world of difference, it is still unhealthy to inhale burnt herbs. At Sirius, you will find great vaporizers that are well worth your money.

Conclusion

A spliff is part of cannabis culture and, especially in Europe, a name for a marijuana cigarette containing tobacco and weed. In a spliff (unlike in a blunt or joint), you can also adjust the ratio of tobacco and weed, influencing the high.

Rolling a spliff is something you can certainly learn in a few simple steps. However, smoking a spliff is not recommended, due to the addictive properties of nicotine and the unhealthy habit of inhaling burnt herbs.

Fortunately, there are alternatives available at Sirius, including a whole range of fantastic tobacco substitutes. If you regularly use weed, consider investing in a high-quality vaporizer, as this is a method associated with far less harms compared to spliff with tobacco.

Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

Elena studies Organic and Biodynamic agriculture because, besides psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants, she also has a passion for healthy food. Learning about the endocannabinoid system, different cannabinoids and terpenes is super interesting.

More about Elena