There’s nothing like a handmade, flavourful cannabis cigar. Here are all of the steps you need to take to make your own Thai Stick at home.
For those lucky enough to live in region that is cannabis-friendly and allows home grow options, the changing of seasons brings more joys than just colorful outings and berry-picking. Here in Ontario, for example, the harvest has already been cut down and cured, and many are looking toward the quiet winter ahead. There will be smoking and tincture making and edibles to line the freezer, but what about something new this year? How about making your very own Thai stick – otherwise known as cannabis cigar? These are the perfect treat for those with a lot of cannabis, a little patience, and an appetite for long smoke sessions.
History of the Thai Stick
Thai sticks are some of the most potent cannabis cigars, originating in Thailand among the hill tribes of the northeast. In the 70s, these tribes used silk to hold the cannabis cigar together, rather than fan leaves or bamboo sticks.
Today, the sticks are made by binding bud to a bamboo stick, dipping in hash oil (or cannabis oil), and then sealing with cannabis fan leaves. The cannagar is a potent treat that is big in flavor.
At the time of the entry of the cannabis cigar into Western culture, cannabis was prohibited across the Americas. Very little cannabis was grown locally due to is illegal status, but also as a result of the time/space needed to have a successful grow out of the prying eyes of the authorities.
Interestingly, in the illegal markets, The Sticks were attractive due to the ease of transport (as opposed to brick packing). High Times gives a great piece on the Thai Stick, describing key pieces from the book Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade. The authors outline how surfer draft dodgers moved Thai sticks out from farms in Northeast Thailand across the United States. In fact, these smugglers devised one of the most complicated (and successful!) smuggling routes in history.
How to Make a Cannabis Cigar at Home
Your own Thai Stick can be made from any sticky, quality bud that’s already been cured. This is not a project for dried out buds! Once you have quality bud, gather the rest of your ingredients:
- Bamboo Skewers (or cannabis stems)
- Hemp Binding Twine
- Cannabis Oil
- Fan Leaves from the Cannabis Plant
- Patience
Instructions for Making Cannabis Cigar (Thai Stick)
- Carefully trim your buds, trying to leave them as intact as possible.
- Firmly press the buds around the skewer, packing tightly to maintain the shape. There’s a little balance here where ‘too tight’ will cause problems with the burn. But, don’t worry too much because the air flow will be helped by the tunnel left when the skewer is removed.
- Once you are happy with the shape, use hemp twine to bind the buds in place. This will be removed before lighting up, so don’t be shy about application.
- Finally, securely wrap your twined bud in parchment paper and store in the fridge for a few days. This step will harden up the Thai Stick and can take 3 to 7 days.
- After the proper time has passed (no less than 3 and no more than 7 days), retrieve your cannabis cigars from the fridge and carefully remove the twine.
- Now it’s time to wrap the sticks in leaves. Sounds easier than it’s going to be. This is where the patience comes in, and believe me, it’s about to be tried. Essentially, you are going to use cannabis oil as glue (no licking!) to coat the leaves evenly along the length of the stick. Lightly coat the bud in oil and wrap the leaf around it. Then coat the leaf in oil (lightly). Finally, move to the next section.
- Continue on down the stick until the buds are completely wrapped in fan leaves.
Now You’ve Got to Do That Again (Patience!)
- Rewrap with twine.
- Store in an air-tight container for two more days.
- Repeat the leaf application/retwine process at least two (or three) more times. How will you know it’s the final application? The bud stick will be completely covered in leaves and secure – like a cigar.
- Now, leave your cannabis cigar to cure 10 more days. The longer the cure, the smoother the smoke.
Enjoying Your Homemade Thai Stick
This is definitely a special occasion cigar (as you can appreciate from all of the effort you just put in!) and typically involves more than yourself in the smoke session.
Due to their density, cannagars burn very slowly and each puff is very potent. The rate can be as slow as a quarter inch an hour! When you get started, treat it like a standard cigar in that you should completely light the end before inhaling.
How Much Does a Cannabis Cigar Cost?
If you’re looking to buy instead of make, the price range is wide. Starting at about $50, cannagars can get up to thousands of dollars. Diego Pellicer, a cannabis shop in Seattle, sold one for $3600! Mind you, it had an ounce of cannabis and seven grams of hash, but still, pricey.
Ideally, grow your own cannabis for this project! And choose a strain that is known for being stickier than the rest – like White Widow or Gorilla Glue.
While the cannabis industry is constantly churning out new technology and unique ways to enjoy cannabis, for the discerning customer, there’s nothing classier than the art of the Thai Stick. It takes time, love, and final boss level patience. Enjoy!
