Can You Smoke Weed Leaves? Can Leaves Get You High?

Can you smoke weed leaves to get high? This burning question is a hot topic among tokers. Many people only consider consuming the buds, but a weed plant’s foliage may offer additional applications.

Leaves have many crucial roles in the cultivation of cannabis. They’re responsible for photosynthesis and supplying energy from the root system to the aboveground plant. This part of the vegetation also provides indications of your crop’s health.

Many cannabis enthusiasts discard all foliage post-harvest and only consume the buds, but are they wasting valuable resources? There are multiple reasons to keep more than just the plant’s flowers. 

Some people even eat leaves in their raw, fresh form, claiming it provides various possible health benefits. What about toking them when dry? Do they provide psychoactive effects?

Read on to learn about the different types of cannabis leaves and discover if smoking them gets you high.

Let’s get rolling!

Can you smoke weed leaves?

Can leaves get you high? Technically yes, but before you start rolling, it’s essential to understand the different forms of marijuana foliage.

Cotyledons, fan, and sugar leaves are the three primary types you see on cannabis plants. They all provide unique functions during cultivation and offer significantly different applications post-harvest.

A cotyledon is the first type of cannabis leaf you see when a seedling emerges. The initial foliage is crucial for the development of a root system and further growth through the process of photosynthesis.

This mechanism of capturing and converting light into energy is essential for most plants and other organisms. When a healthy root system forms and the cannabis seedling enters stable growth, new foliage replaces the cotyledons.

Fan leaves develop as vegetation begins, providing the recognizable five to seven-finger variety people associate with weed. They grow from the stem and work in symbiosis with the root system to support all aspects of plant development.

Although you can smoke weed leaves, I wouldn’t recommend using the fan variety. This foliage type can taste unpleasant and typically contains insignificant levels of THC at around 0.1% or less.

You’re unlikely to enjoy smoking the fan variety, but sugar leaves on cannabis plants offer much more. These smaller types grow from the buds and often have significant trichome and cannabinoid development.

Can you smoke a sugar leaf to get high? Absolutely. This variety has much less THC than buds but enough to cause psychoactive effects.

While marijuana fan leaves aren’t much use post-harvest, dry sugar leaves are smokeable and offer various other applications.

Alternative uses for cannabis leaves

Wondering what to do with weed leaves to maximize the plant’s offerings? Let’s explore the various applications of foliage containing THC:

• Many tokers grind a dry sugar leaf and smoke it alone or mix it with bud in joints. The extra material is handy when supplies are running low.

• Vaping is an excellent option for consuming sugar leaves. The lack of combustion lessens the harsh taste while delivering mild effects.

• Some tokers prefer spliffs (joints containing bud and tobacco). Mixing weed leaves that have THC with bud and reducing the amount of addictive nicotine is a healthier method.

• Many use sugar leaves to create cannabutter, a fundamental ingredient in baked stoner food and other edibles. People also utilize cannabinoid-rich foliage for making beverages like weed tea.

CBD is becoming an enormous industry, but its content is minimal in most cannabis strains. There are unique cultivars with high percentages of this compound. The sugar leaves of these variants and industrial hemp are excellent sources for extracting this famous cannabinoid.

Sugar leaves are also worth keeping for making extracts, as you can separate THC and CBD from plant matter. These cannabis products vary from mild oils to highly potent concentrates.

Another way to experience how weed leaves can get you high is by learning how to make kief. The cannabinoid-covered foliage is part of the shaking process to separate trichomes from plant matter. This powder-like collection of crystals is highly potent to smoke.

My personal experience of smoking weed leaves

In my own experience, smoking weed leaves has pros and cons. I find the taste somewhat harsh, as it catches the back of my throat. The best way I can describe it is like toking bud before it’s properly dry.

While you can smoke weed leaves from any cultivar, I notice significant differences between strains. Varieties like White Rhino are my favorite due to their generous trichome development. The nugs and foliage are extraordinarily resinous and sticky.

When I smoke sugar leaves from especially shiny strains, the taste is less harsh than other cultivars. It reminds me of sweet hash and goes down smoothly rather than the burning sensation in my throat.

You can smoke weed leaves from any strain, but I recommend varieties with above-average trichome development. The crystals contain the majority of cannabinoids and terpenes, so it’s logical that foliage with more tastes and feels better.

I highly recommend avoiding smoking leaves before they’re dry. They taste hot and harsh, with a damp and unpleasant flavor. Always ensure you smoke fresh weed.

The high from smoking sugar leaves without bud is mild, but I have a high tolerance. Trichome-covered foliage may feel potent if it’s your first time or you’re out of practice.

Weed leaves can be surprisingly pleasing

While they don’t come close to actual buds, you can smoke weed leaves and get high. Even if toking isn’t your preference, don’t let valuable vegetation go to waste. There are plenty of other ways to consume and utilize trichome-covered foliage.

Are you interested in cultivating cannabis and watching the beautiful leaves and flowers develop? Nurturing a plant is a wholesome and gratifying experience with delicious rewards.

Check out the Homegrown Cannabis Co. store and explore our fantastic range of premium cannabis seeds. Discover the best strains to suit your preferences and start your cultivation journey today.