Hemp Wick is Mother Nature’s Lighter

Hemp wick is the natural way to produce a slow-burning flame for a pleasurable smoking experience.

So what is hemp wick? It is a length of hemp cord with a coating of beeswax. Hemp wick burns slow like a candle, comes from an environmentally sustainable source, and doesn’t result in any plastic waste, as is the case with lighters.

Hemp wick is especially useful to those who use pipes or bongs. The slow-burning wick provides a solid flame that can be easily applied to a bowl without zapping the life of a lighter. Furthermore, with hemp wick, the flame burns at a lower temperature when compared to a lighter or matches. This slow-burning effect comes from the fact that hemp contains many compounds that don’t combust easily.

Hemp is a remarkable material with a multitude of uses, and hemp wicks reflect this. The beeswax coating ensures that hemp wicks are waterproof, meaning they are a reliable companion outdoors.

It’s also of use to those on outdoor adventures such as camping trips and wilderness hikes, where it’s often a useful tool in starting fires in suboptimal conditions.

The Advantages of Hemp Wick

Hemp wick advocates sing the product’s praises as the cheap and clean slow burner that saves both money and the environment.

Hemp is Sustainable

Made from a natural source, hemp wicks are a much more environmentally-friendly solution than the plastic typically used in lighters. While consumers still require a source for the flame, by using hemp wicks properly, patients will drastically extend the life of any lighter they use. This drastically reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill sites. And raising awareness of this may be reason enough for many to make the switch.

Avoid Unhealthy Butane

Butane is a commonly used lighter fuel, but it’s toxic in high concentrations to humans. In the edible market, that’s the reason why strict laws apply around purging butane — the commonly used extraction solvent in concentrates.

According to one study published in the Saudi Medical Journal (2017),^[1]Almulhim K. N. (2017). Fatal butane toxicity and delayed onset of refractory ventricular fibrillation. Saudi medical journal, 38(12), 1250–1254. doi:10.15537/smj.2017.12.20811the inhalation of butane replaces oxygen in the lungs and can eventually lead to hypoxia.

While many proponents of hemp wicks cite the lack of butane as advantageous, no studies exist on the likely small amount of butane typically inhaled from a lighter. When burned, butane converts into two compounds, H20 and C02, both of which are harmless. Hemp, on the other hand, combusts into over one hundred compounds. Which is the healthier option is open to debate, but in the latter, patients won’t inhale anything they wouldn’t otherwise inhale. Hemp is cannabis after all, and there’s something special about lighting herb with herb for many.

Lower Temperatures Means Smoother Tokes

The flame produced in butane lighters burns at a much higher temperature than that of hemp. A butane lighter burns at around 3500°F, while hemp wick burns at half the temperature, somewhere between 1500-1800°F. This means that hemp wick often provides a smoother smoking experience, coupled with enhanced preservation of the flavor of the bud.

An additional advantage that many cite is that bud burns slower at reduced temperatures, something that results in less wastage.

Cornering The Bowl Just Got Easier

When you swap out the lighter and clumsy fingers for the precision of the hemp wick, breaking this cardinal rule in smoking etiquette becomes a lot less likely. When sharing a bowl with others, it’s important not to blaze the ‘green’ as a courtesy to fellow companions. Hemp wick makes this easy, and the experience all the more enjoyable for all.

Where To Buy and What to Look for in Hemp Wick

Hemp wick is now incredibly popular. Dispensaries and any establishments selling cannabis paraphernalia will likely stock it. Hemp wick comes available in sizes as short as one foot to as long as 250 feet, in a variety of widths.

A uniform coating of beeswax is essential for that slow burn. Some cheap forms of hemp wick have inconsistent coatings, where part of the wick remains bare, with other parts clumpy. This results in random flare-ups and a suboptimal user experience.

In addition, because consumers may inhale part of the smoke coming from the hemp wick, it’s important to ensure the use of a natural product. Avoid any bleached or dyed hemp wicks.

Other Uses for Hemp Wicks

Hemp wicks have a variety of uses away from cannabis circles. Commonly used to light incense, camping stoves, and fires, it’s always a useful addition to carry along.

Hemp wicks also attract the attention of creative people. The rich rustic color, coupled with the strength of the fabric makes it ideal for use in jewelry. Gardeners also avail of its strength properties, where it’s of use in tying plants. The waterproof wax coating ensures a durable solution that will stand up to the elements even outdoors.