There is a growing trend of increasing popularity in legal forms of medical and recreational marijuana in the United States (US). This is only expected to grow in the US and Internationally over time. This growing interest has led many people interested in learning to explore the basics of and have an optimal experience when using it for the first time.
There are countless strains available at a variety of dispensaries that have opened across the country. Many of these websites serve as excellent resources for beginners. They often describe details about the different commercially available strains, including if the specific strain belongs to one of three major categories of marijuana strains grown for consumption. These are Sativa’s, Indica’s, or Hybrids, a combination of the two types.
After deciding on a strain, many new users must determine how they wish to consume the cannabis product they plan to or have already acquired. The most common way in which people consume cannabis is by smoking it. If they decide to consume cannabis products by heating and smoking, then there are a few options to choose from: rolling it in smoking paper, burning it in a pipe, vaping it, or dabbing it. Out of these types of cannabis smoke delivery, rolling it, and smoking is the most common option people report.
What is the first step in having a smooth cannabis smoking experience?
Different strains of cannabis that have been prepared in different ways offers relatively different smoking experiences. Suppose the cannabis has been processed appropriately with the right amount of time in the curing process and has less organic content (and a higher amount of resin). In that case, the cannabis product will lead to a superior smoking experience. The type of smoking paper or smoking apparatus used significantly contributes to a high quality and smooth smoking experience. The cannabis needs to be evenly cut into smaller pieces that can increase the surface area and provide an even burn as it is consumed. The easiest way to do this is to do it manually with your fingers. However, this is an inefficient and unreliable way to do this. The best practice is to use smoking paraphernalia, commonly called a Cannabis Grinder (also known as medical mincer people who use it grind their legally obtained cannabis for medical purposes).
What is a Grinder?
A Grinder or Medical Mincer is a commonly available device meant to crush cannabis into fine and evenly cut pieces. It is essentially a multi-chamber device that grates the cannabis flower. It is composed of a top, middle, and bottom component with a cavity in between. These components can be joined and separated due to the threads on their interior surfaces. The op component functions as a lid to cover the closed system. The middle component’s top surface has serrated edges or blades on its surface perforated with holes. When the grinder has been loaded with the cannabis and is used, the edges allow the cannabis flower to be easily broken into smaller pieces. The perforations allow for smaller or equal size pieces to drop into the bottom cavity between the middle and bottom components. After use, this cavity contains the finished cannabis, ready to be smoked and enjoyed! The bottom component also includes a filter on its bottom surface used to collect and store finely granulated cannabis flower resin. This can be collected over time and be used.
What are the different types of Grinders available?
There are a seemingly infinite number of Grinders to choose from in the market. They are often available at smoke shops, gas stations, and online stores across the nation. They come in different sizes, shapes, aesthetic designs, materials, and quality of production. On average, higher quality grinders, longer and consistently provide finely and even cut cannabis, which can be smoked and provide an excellent smoking experience.
How do I use a Grinder once I have one?
It is a straightforward process. Simply break the cannabis flower into a few pieces by hand and place them in between the grinder’s blades. Close the lid and then twisting the top and bottom components in opposing directions for a few turns. When the process is complete, there should be no cannabis in the top cavity since it will have been processed and collected in the bottom cavity. The cannabis is ready to be smoked at this point!
Do I need to maintain my Grinder?
A marijuana grinder is excellent and very useful to have at hand when a person is preparing to smoke. But like most things that are subject to wear and tear over time, it requires maintenance. The frequency of care varies from person to person and on the grinder’s quality since different people use it more frequently than others. To ensure that you continue to have a superior smoking experience, it is good to clean your marijuana grinder regularly.
Grinders tend to become sticky with the resin of the cannabis flower. This resin can often stick to the threads of the grinder or the filter of the grinder. This prevents the grinder’s mechanism from becoming hard to open and close, and at worst, stuck and unable to twist open. An occluded filter can prevent the easy collection of finely grained resin by the grinder.
How do I take care of my Grinder?
The good news is that it is easy to maintain a grinder. Ideally, it requires the following easy to find and appropriately sized cleaning equipment:
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Small brush (Ideally a stiff-bristled brush)
- Clean water
- Clean towel
- Toothbrush or other kind of stiff brush
Cleaning the grinder involves rubbing the alcohol to the parts where there is sticky resin on the surface of the grinder. Manually rubbing with your hands or ideally with a stiff-bristled brush for a few minutes usually does the job. Many enthusiasts claim that freezing a grinder can help make the resin more solid and easier to come off.
Feature photo by John Mor