Hemp Wick Safety Tips: How to Light a Bowl Without Burns

Hemp Wick Safety: The Short Answer

A hemp wick is safe when you treat it like any other open flame. Trim the charred tip, hold the wick at an angle away from your face and clothing, keep it clear of anything that can catch fire, and snuff it out the second you finish lighting the bowl. Almost every hemp wick burn traces back to one of three things: a tip left too long, a sleeve or curtain near the flame, or a burning wick set down and forgotten.

what is cannabis hemp wick used for

Before You Light

1. Burn a one inch test piece over a sink and smell the smoke. Beeswax smells like honey and hemp. If it smells like plastic, the braid has a synthetic coating. Throw the spool out.
2. Inspect the braid for loose or frayed strands that can catch and flare.
3. Cut the charred end off so about a quarter inch of clean braid sits past the wrap or holder.
4. Wrap the loose end around a lighter body or clip the wick in a metal holder so your fingers stay behind the flame.
5. Clear the table. Move paper, dry flower, alcohol wipes, and hand sanitizer out of reach.
6. Set a snuffer, a glass ashtray, or a damp towel within arm's reach before you strike a flame.

While the Wick Is Burning

1. Hold the wick at about a 45 degree angle so the flame leans away from your hand.
2. Tie long hair back and push loose sleeves up.
3. Touch the flame to the edge of the bowl and draw gently. Pulling hard drags the flame down into the herb and toward your face.
4. Keep the burning tip a few inches from your skin, your clothes, and any curtain or bedding behind you.
5. Relight between hits instead of letting a long flame burn the whole time.
6. Never leave a lit wick resting in an ashtray, on a table, or in your lap.

Putting It Out

1. Press the tip against the rim or floor of a metal or glass ashtray until the glow stops.
2. Or drop a metal snuffer over the tip and let it sit for a few seconds.
3. Check the braid for any orange glow you missed.
4. Wait a few seconds for the tip to cool before you touch it or coil the wick back up.

Storing Hemp Wick

• Keep the spool in a closed jar or tin so dust and lint stay out of the braid.
• Store it away from stoves, heaters, and direct sun. Beeswax softens in heat and the coating can smear through the wrap.
• Keep wicks, lighters, and torches out of reach of children and pets. Lighters sold in the US must be child resistant under federal rule, but a hemp wick carries no such safeguard.
• Replace the spool when the braid frays badly or the coating flakes off.

When Hemp Wick Is the Wrong Tool

• Dabs and concentrates need a torch. A hemp wick will not reach the temperature a quartz banger needs, and holding it under the nail long enough to try invites a burn.
• If anyone in the home uses supplemental oxygen, skip open flames. Oxygen makes fabric and hair catch and burn far faster.
• Do not light up in bed or while drowsy. Falling asleep with a burning wick is a common path to a house fire.
• If you do get burned, cool the area under running water for at least ten minutes, cover it loosely, and get medical care for anything larger than your palm, any blistering, or any burn on the face or hands.