It’s common for your throat to burn when you smoke weed. Fortunately, it can be avoided. To figure out why it’s happening and what you can do about it, you must consider the three main things that typically lead to a burned throat:

1. The quality of the flower you’re smoking
2. The quality of the piece you’re using
3. The temperature of the smoke you’re inhaling

Keep in mind, that it could be a combination of the three. Explore each area below to see which one might be causing your throat to burn when you smoke weed

1. The Quality of the Flower

The quality of the flower you smoke plays a huge role in how harsh your hit is and how much your throat burns. Flower that was overly fed with nutrients while growing can produce thick, heavy smoke that can make your throat burn no matter how light of a hit you take.

In the same vein, if the flower wasn’t properly dried before it was cured, the excess moisture can lead to the growth of mold or unwanted organisms. These can cause a harsh feeling in the throat when burned and inhaled, and they can also negatively impact the flower’s flavor. 

Fortunately, with legalization, it’s easy to find quality flowers at most dispensaries. Be sure to ask your local budtender which brands they recommend. Usually, they’ve tried the flowers on their shelves and can tell you which brands take proper care of their plants.

2. The Quality of Your Pipe or Papers

Another factor that could make your throat burn when you smoke weed is the quality of what you’re using to smoke. Bleached rolling papers are known for their harsh hit, and cheap pipes made of thin glass don’t really insulate or cool the smoke before it enters your mouth.

If you prefer to smoke joints, consider using hemp paper as opposed to bleached wood pulp, flax, or rice paper. Hemp papers provide a smoother, more even burn that doesn’t hit as harshly as bleached papers.

If you prefer to smoke using a pipe, try the MAZE-X pipe. The body of the pipe is made of medical-grade silicone (one step above food-grade) that provides excellent heat resistance. Its bowl is made of borosilicate glass which is a thermal-shock-resistant glass known to resist extreme temperature changes and withstand high heat. And, most importantly, its patented cough-less technology reduces smoke temperature, which leads us to our final point.

3. The Temperature of the Smoke

The temperature of the smoke when you inhale it into your lungs is the biggest culprit behind your throat burning when you smoke.

Obviously, you can’t control the temperature of the flame you use to light your bowl. There is a technique some seasoned smokers use that might help a bit—hold the smoke in your mouth for a beat before you inhale it into your lungs, giving it a chance to cool off before it hits your throat. But even with this technique, the smoke won’t be cool enough to not cause irritation.

The MAZE-X pipe solves this problem. Its unique internal maze design effectively cools the smoke before it reaches your mouth while simultaneously removing hot resin and tar. And for extra protection, you can add a charcoal filter to the mouthpiece for even greater filtration.

Essentially, the MAZE-X pipe addresses two of the three reasons your throat burns when you smoke weed. It’s a quality pipe, and it reduces smoke temperature. All it needs is some quality flower and you’re on your way to a pleasant smoking experience that doesn’t leave you coughing with throat burn.