The holidays are often spent traveling to visit family, and many cannabis users prefer to keep their weed use discreet when doing so. Some are concerned that family and friends will not understand or have negative preconceived judgements regarding weed. (If interested in having conversation with friends and family about using cannabis, check out our blog How do I Tell My Parents That I Use Cannabis & CBD?) Or maybe it’s that cannabis use is simply personal and you’d prefer to keep it that way.
Going home for the holidays doesn’t mean one has to sacrifice their weed routine. While we can’t make it any less awkward to sleep in your old twin bed, we can help you discreetly (and respectfully) use weed when visiting family.
Not spending the holiday season around the folks? Our tips for traveling with weed and discreet consumption are helpful all year round.
How to Travel With Weed
Pack well.
Don’t blow your cover by showing up to your parents’ house with a suitcase full of clothes that smell like weed. Avoid spilling, broken cartridges, and melted gummies by packing well.
Store your stash in appropriate and secure containers. Double bag all flower, joints and pre-rolls to keep in place and control any odors. Make sure cartridges are separated from their batteries and properly stored to prevent breakage of both the cartridge itself and the prong connector (which can be delicate).
Travel bags specifically designed for cannabis are an effective and easy solution. Cannabis travel bags can be lined with foil and odor absorbing materials. They also often feature pockets and dividers specially designed for weed, cartridges, vapes, and all the accessories. Some also feature locks for extra safety and security.
While it may be tempting to put cartridges or edibles in plain or unmarked packaging, it’s not worth the risk of a nosy family member accidentally consuming. It’s best to keep cannabis products in their labeled and child safe packaging.
Finally, only pack what you anticipate using...and maybe a little extra for sharing.
Flying high.
If planning to travel by air, be aware that cannabis is not allowed. Not even in states where cannabis is legal. Airlines and TSA must comply with all federal laws and cannabis is not yet federally legalized. (Check out this article for more info on flying with weed: Can You Bring Weed On A Plane?)
This doesn’t mean all hopes of a high holiday are lost. If traveling to a legalized state, plan to purchase THC products after landing. If you’re not staying for an extended visit, single use devices are an efficient option. Disposable vape pens are typically filled with 300mg of oil, which is just over half the size of a typical cannabis vape cartridge. Obviously, how long a vape lasts depends on how much it’s used, but most find this to be the perfect size for a long weekend away.
Single use vape pens are also an opportunity to try a new strain or flavor, so take advantage and explore. (P.S. They’re also an awesome stocking stuffer for any weed friendly relatives)
Leave the bong kit behind and go for alternative devices.
A giant glass piece and butane torch isn’t exactly discreet, so pack smaller devices instead.
Dab lovers can still use concentrates on the go with a portable vaporizer such as the Firefly 2+. Simply dab a little onto the Firefly’s wire mesh pad, select the desired temp, and inhale.
Vapes are the ultimate for keeping weed discreet. Small and ultra portable, 510 batteries and cannabis cartridges are an easy way to pack a variety of weed strains. O.pen’s 2.0 Variable Voltage battery is 510 threaded so it can be used on almost any cartridge, and its temp options allow for smaller and more discreet hits.
If traveling with cannabis vapes and cartridges, make sure the battery is powered off and remove cartridges. As mentioned earlier, store cartridges correctly. Also, don’t forget the vape battery’s charger!
Devices such as portable vaporizers and cannabis vape pens are not only more portable, they also avoid creating clouds of smoke and lingering odors caused by traditional smoking.
How to Use Weed Discreetly
How to smoke weed without anyone knowing.
If you really want to smoke, use a bowl instead of rolling papers or lighting a joint. Bowls create less smoke and odor, and sessions are easier to start and stop.
Ensure good airflow to prevent telltale odors. The easiest way to do this is to go outside to consume. If one has to smoke indoors, be sure to open a window, however this will not dispel all the odor.
Typical air fresheners aren’t usually strong enough to eliminate cannabis odors (especially skunk and diesel), and the mingling can often draw more attention to what you’re trying to cover up. Incense is more potent and a classic go-to for masking weed, however incense has become so synonymous with stoners that it's no longer discreet. Instead, use a weed eliminating candle or room spray, which are specially designed with extra oils just for covering up weed or tobacco smells. A variety of scent options can be found online, or check out your local head shop. Be sure to light about a half hour and let it burn another half hour after a session.
If finding time alone is challenging (‘tis the season of togetherness, after all), run some “holiday errands” and take your dose before going back inside. Just be sure to be safely home before lighting up. If you have a cannabis friendly family member, plan discreet sessions together. In addition to helping each other chill during the holidays, it’s a fun time to bond.
Other ways to discreetly consume weed.
Fortunately, smoking isn’t the only way to get high. Here’s some other options to try that are easy and discreet.
Edibles
If you’re usually a smoker, consider trying edibles. If new to edibles, the best advice is to start low and slow. Overconsumption is most common with edibles since digested cannabis takes a while to break down and be felt. Avoid the temptation to immediately “eat a little more” if not feeling anything; give it some additional time to be sure. Edibles take at least a half hour to kick in, but it can take as long as an hour. Also, everyone’s metabolism is different and other foods can influence how fast the body processes THC, so err on the side of caution and give yourself plenty of time to feel the effects.
Edibles are a different experience than smoking. Effects that are often more powerfully felt in the body. Prevent accidental couch-lock by micro-dosing and giving plenty of time between each bite. Make sure to put away after each use to prevent anyone else from helping themselves.
Topicals
THC can be absorbed through the skin, making topicals another option for getting high without getting caught. In addition to oils and lotions, topicals also include transdermal patches as a way to get a consistent dose of THC.
Sublingual Tablets and Pills
Getting the benefits of cannabis can be as easy as taking a vitamin...vitamin THC, that is. Sublingual tablets dissolve easily under the tongue, and both these and pills offer the effects of weed without any odor or taste.
While many cannabis users enjoy the experience of smoking or vaping, tablets or pills can be a solution when other types of weed aren’t an option.
How to Keep Weed’s Physical Effects Discreet
If wanting to keep weed use discreet, think beyond the act of consuming. Keep the physical effects on the down low with these tips:
Now, go enjoy the holidays with the family without losing your holidaze.
