Got Weed, But No Light?

There is only one thing sadder than running out of weed: having some but no way to smoke it. If you’ve ever been caught with a packed bowl but no lighter, PotGuide is here to show you some stoner hacks so you can get that bowl or joint cherried up without a lighter or matches.

Whether there’s been a lighter thief in your home or you’ve just burnt out your last one, no flame plus a fresh bag of ganja always equals a bummer (it's a mathematical fact). But don’t worry! We’ve got some clever ways to smoke marijuana without having to use a lighter at all.

Try a Knife Hit

Knife hits (a.k.a. “spots”) are a simple way to smoke weed without a lighter using only a few simple supplies: butter knives (not the good ones), an electric burner, a soda bottle top (simply cut the top off of one with a pair of scissors) and, of course, little “spots” of weed (i.e. small buds or pinches of ground flower).

CAUTION: This method involves hot metal and burners, so be extra careful to not burn yourself or anything in close vicinity. It’s best to clear the area of anything flammable, and use oven mitts or other kitchen-safe gloves if you have them.

Knife hits are also a good alternative for when you don't have a bong or pipe to smoke out of. photo credit

To take a knife hit, position the butter knives in between the burner coils then turn on the heat. Once the ends of your butter knives are red hot, place a small nug on top of one red-hot knife, then smash it between the other heated knife.

Position yourself above the smoldering flower and hold the soda bottle top in your mouth (or have a friend help) and inhale the vaporized cannabis slowly.

Use Dry Spaghetti

This one also requires a stove top burner, though ideally a gas-operated one. To smoke your weed without a lighter, heat a piece of uncooked spaghetti on the stove until it catches fire.

Whether it's for lighting up a candle or for lighting up your bowl, spaghetti is the perfect lighter alternative! photo credit

Then use the flame to light your bowl. You can also use hemp wick if you’re out of spaghetti, but the spaghetti trick will bring any older millennial or Gen-Xer back to their college days. 

Harness the Power of the Sun

If you don’t have a lighter, why not light up your weed using that big ball of flame in the sky? 

The simplest way is to simply get a magnifying glass and concentrate the sunlight onto a bowl. This video has a tutorial, but with one person it’s best to leave your bowl or joint on the ground until it’s cherried, or have a larger glass piece like a bong so your face is nowhere near that mini space laser you’ve created.

Another way to smoke weed without a lighter requires a magnifying glass and a mason jar. Place a small nug into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Then use the magnifying glass to concentrate UV light directly onto the bud. Soon, the bud will begin to smoke and the smoke will fill the jar. When the jar is full of combusted weed, just pop the top and take a rip.

If you have a bong, you can also use the magnifying glass directly onto the bowl. photo credit

In case you’re not some old British detective with magnifying glasses lying around, you can achieve the same thing with the bottom of a soda can.

Polish up the concave bottom of the can with some chocolate or other oily substance, then tilt the can until the sunlight concentrates into a point. Here’s a video link for turning that joint or bowl into your own James Bond interrogation device. 

Bake your Bud

You don’t have to smoke your weed to get high, just infuse it into a little butter or oil then use it in your favorite recipe. Begin by decarboxylating your weed in the oven (to bring out its psychoactive properties) and then use your stove top to infuse cannabinoids into lipids. 

If you find yourself weed-full but lighter-less, no need to run out to the corner market for a fresh flame. Use these simple stoner hacks to smoke your pot without a lighter on hand.

Cannabis and creativity go hand-in-hand, so if you can’t find a traditional way of lighting up, try and think outside the matchbox, and see what items you have available to you. And whenever dealing with combustible things, remember, safety first.

Is There Any Way to Smoke Without a lighter?

Yes, you can light a strand of dry spaghetti on a stovetop, take a knife-hit, or use a magnifying glass or soda can to light a bowl using the power of the sun.

Can you light weed with a magnifying glass?

Yes, but you will need to be extra careful to keep your face away from that concentrated sunlight. We recommend either putting your bowl on the ground until it’s lit or using a bong.

Did we miss anything? Is there another way to smoke weed without a lighter? Let us know in the comments!

Photo Credit: Michelle Tribe (license)