What To Do With Weed Stems, Can You Smoke Them?

We’ve all been there before. At the end of your smoke sesh you’re left with a small pile of stems.

You no longer need to sentence these stems to the trash.  They’re actually a very versatile part of cannabis plants.

Keep reading to get the inside scoop on what you can do with your leftover weed stems.

Can Weed Stems Get You High?

Believe it or not, they can. But you’ll need to be a little inventive. Weed stems do contain trichomes but have very little THC, less than 0.3%, to be exact. Unlike smoking weed, you can’t smoke weed stems and get stoned.

With a little ingenuity, however, cannabis stems can get you high if you transform them.

For starters, you can create hash. But this will require a large amount of stems (like a couple of ounces).

This method of making hashish involves kneading the stems between your fingers. Then simply scrape off the resin. While it’s not as strong as bubble hash, finger hash will definitely get you high.  

You can also use stems to make kief, but you’ll need to freeze them first. Then just shake the frozen stems in a big clean tray. Hint: a stainless steel cake pan is a good choice as the resin is less likely to stick to it.

Lastly, collect the kief by using a plastic card to create a condensed pile. An old credit card works wonders for this step. Add the kief to a joint, on top of flower in a bowl, or a hash pipe.

This isn’t the only way to get buzzed by leftover weed stems. In just a few steps, you can also make countless goodies and beverages.

Here we’ll outline the useful things you can make with your leftovers and weed trimmings, including:

• Tea
• Edibles & butter
• Tincture
• Smoothies
• Crafts

Can You Smoke Weed Stems?

You can. But we don’t suggest it. Stems contain very little THC. Smoking weed stems will not get you high like smoking cannabis flower, but it will be harsh.

Weed stems are stalky, and they burn at a high temperature when smoked, resulting in an unenjoyable and harsh smoke.

When you smoke weed stems, it can leave you with a terrible headache or a sore throat. The methods we recommend below should produce a much more pleasant experience.

Can You Eat Weed Stems?

Yes. But don’t expect them to be delectable or decadent. Marijuana stems are not tasty. Plus, you won’t get stoned by simply noshing on a weed stem.

To get a buzz from weed stems, you actually need to expose them to heat, light or oxidation to produce a psychoactive effect. This process is known as decarboxylation. You must always activate the THC in any part of the cannabis plant (stems included) before making edibles.

What to Do With Weed Stems

Here are some unique ways weed stems from cannabis plants can be used and revitalized.

Make Cannabis Tea With Weed Stems

A fantastic and foolproof way to consume weed stems is to brew up cannabis infused tea.

To do this, gather a couple of grams of weed stems (or about one tablespoon worth). Remember, they need to be decarboxylated in order to get you high. 

You can accomplish this by placing the weed stems on a baking sheet. Heat the stems in the oven at 220-240 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes.

Once the timer goes off, remove the cannabis stems and place them in reusable tea filter bags. Out of tea bags? Grab a coffee filter and tie it up for a makeshift one.

Steep the cannabis tea bag for 5-10 minutes. Top it off with honey, sugar or your favorite condiment. A little sweetness can help mask the herbal flavor.

Make Edibles With Weed Stems

Turning weed stems into edibles is very doable. But it will just require a few more steps.

Before stems can become delicious weed vittles, they need to be made into cannabutter.

How do you make cannabutter?

Follow our easy recipe:

• Heat one cup of butter (or coconut oil) over low heat in a saucepan until melted.
• Add one cup of water and let simmer for 30 minutes.
• Grind up the decarboxylated stems (15-25 grams is a good amount of stems for a starting point, use more if you have it!).
• Simmer the mixture for about 4 hours. Be sure to stir often.
• Take the buttery weed mixture off heat and allow to cool.
• Strain the mixture through a strainer or cheesecloth into a food storage container.
• Seal the container and refrigerate until the mixture is fully hardened.
• If there’s any water that has separated from the butter just pour it out.

This cannabis infused butter recipe provides the basis for any cannabis goodies you want to create. From brownies and cookies, to candies and cakes, cannabutter can do wonders.

Keep in mind cannabutter made from cannabis stems is not as strong as cannabutter made from cannabis flower. So you might need a little more in your favorite recipe.

Make a Tincture

Not an edible lover? Tinctures are a perfect alternative to getting the THC buzz you seek. Plus they’re great for micro dosing.

All you need is the right amount of leftover weed stems.

Here’s an easy recipe for making a cannabis tincture. Note, the weed stems must be decarboxylated first.

• Finely grind up about 7 grams of decarboxylated stems.
• Bake on a cookie sheet at 220-240 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
• Place the ground weed stems into a glass Mason jar.
• Pour 4 oz of high proof alcohol (at least 95% proof), into the jar. Use vinegar or vegetable glycerin if you don’t want to use alcohol. 
• Shake gently before tightly sealing the lid.
• Place in a dark, dry, cool space.
• Let the tincture sit for 2 weeks minimum. (Note: it is recommended to store the tincture for as long as possible. A few weeks or a month is an optimal range. If you do store it for more than 24 hours be sure to shake up the mixture daily.)
• Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a wide container.
• Pour the liquid over the cheesecloth. Strain twice.
• Using a funnel, pour the mixture into amber tiny glass vials or dropper bottles. Hint: the darker the bottle, the longer the shelf life!

Make Smoothies

Prefer to sip your weed? With decarboxylated stems, the possibilities are endless.

Cannabis stems can be used to make yummy fruit smoothies full of potential health benefits. And it’s super easy!

Prepare your desired flavor of smoothie as normal. Then simply add a few drops of cannabis tincture (see the recipe above) into your drink. And voila.

Pro tip: you can also add a few drops of tincture to your favorite alcoholic beverage. Nothing says relaxing like a tincture infused martini.

Use In Compost

Feeling green? You can always reduce waste by adding your weed stems to your compost pile.

This won’t get you soaring high in the cannabis clouds but it’s a win for Mother Earth and awesome for the environment.

If gardening is your thing, cannabis stems also make a great mulch!

Use In Art & Crafts

Consider yourself more of a creative type? This one’s for you.

You don’t have to smoke stems to make use of them. Why not use stems to make weave baskets instead?

You can also strip off the outer fiber of the stem, separate the strands, and twist them to make thin twine. Twine is great for jewelry!

Stems can be used to make paper too. First, you need to fashion a vat. This can be done easily by taking a metal fly screen and stapling it to a wooden frame.

Next, you’ll mix equal amounts of paper and stems into a blender. Then, slowly add water, blending until the mixture is turned into pulp. Lastly, spread the mixture onto your vat, drain, and let dry. After a day, you should be able to peel off a sheet of paper. Then simply hang it to dry.

Wrapping Up: The Weed Stem & Cannabis Flower

Cannabis plants are incredibly useful!

From stems to seeds, every part of the plant can be turned into something new. While not all parts of the plant contain enough THC to get you high, and smoking stems isn’t recommended, there’s a lot more to marijuana than smoking bud.

The final product is completely up to you. While smoking weed stems might not be your jam, with a little inventiveness, no part of the cannabis plant needs to go to waste.