jason-crawford

Medically Reviewed by
Jason Crawford

Article Last Updated on January 16, 2023

Imagine this scenario, you’ve bought some dank weed from the local dispensary and you can’t wait to try it at home. After you’ve ground up your weed in the grinder, you realize that you’ve forgotten to buy rolling papers. Now you have good weed, but nothing to smoke it with so you’re trying to find a convenient way to smoke cannabis that doesn’t involve you leaving the house.

Fear not, we’ve got you. If you’re a person who likes to drink fizzy drinks, you’re bound to have some soda cans lying around in your house. The cans can be used to make two cannabis-smoking devices – a basic pipe and a water pipe. We’ll explain how you can make both below.

Common Cannabis Smoking Devices

Before we go into how you can make a homemade pipe from a soda can, we’ll go over the most common cannabis smoking methods and devices.

Blunts and Joints

Blunts, joints, and spliffs are the most common and the most popular method of consuming weed all over the world. All you need to make a joint or a blunt is rolling paper or tobacco paper, your ground-up weed, and you’re ready for an unforgettable smoking experience. To make a spliff, you need to add a bit of tobacco together with the weed, and some people even add concentrates, moon rocks, kief, or other extra ingredients to increase the intensity of the high.

Vaporizers

Vaporizers, or vape pens, are marketed as the healthiest way to consume cannabis. Vapes are used to vaporize the cannabinoids (THC and CBD) at a temperature between 140°C and 205°C (285–400°F), which is lower than the combustion temperature of a joint, so vaping doesn’t burn as much of the cannabinoids as smoking does. Moreover, marijuana vapor apparently has less toxins and carcinogens than marijuana smoke, which is why a lot of cannabis users prefer this consumption method.  

Bongs or Hookahs

Smoking weed out of a bong is another preferred method of weed consumption which gives users a faster onset of the effects of weed. You can choose from various materials like glass, ceramic, plastic, etc, and different designs like percolator bongs, straight-tube bongs, carburetor bongs, gravity bongs, and others. Some use hookahs or shisha as cannabis smoking devices, so this is another way in which cannabis can be smoked.

Pipes

Pipes are also one of the most commonly used cannabis smoking devices. You can choose between classic pipes, steamroller pipes, or one-hitter pipes to find the one that suits you best. All that’s left after you purchase your pipe is lighting it up, covering the carb hole before inhaling, and releasing it as you inhale to get an exhilarating high.

Bubblers

A bubbler is the transitional cannabis smoking device that’s between a glass pipe and a bong, but unlike the two it’s a portable smoking option for cannabis users on the go.

Dab Rigs

Dabbing is a favorite consumption method among marijuana users who are fans of cannabis concentrates and looking for a more intense high than what smoking a joint can give you. Since dabs are the most potent extracts from the cannabis plant, seasoned users prefer their dab rig to a joint any day.

How to Smoke Weed With a Soda Can?

While various cannabis devices can make smoking weed an easy task, sometimes you find yourself in a position where you don’t have your favorite bong on hand, and you’re not about to go to the store to get rolling papers. Hence, the homemade soda can pipe which is the preferred “do-it-yourself” cannabis smoking device.

The Basic Soda Can Pipe

To make a basic pipe at home you’ll need a 12 oz soda can, a needle, and a screwdriver to create small holes. Follow this easy method to make your own pipe:

  1. Take your aluminum can, rinse it well, and dry it before moving to the next step.
  2. Make an indention on the side of the can with your thumb, and the top side will become the mouthpiece part.
  3. Poke small holes where you made the indention with a needle and create a grate-like pattern to support unrestricted airflow.
  4. Poke a large hole on the side of the can using a screwdriver which will become the carb.
  5. Remove the tab of the aluminum can.
  6. Place your weed on the indentation and your mouth on the mouthpiece, and cover the carb with your thumb. Light the weed, inhale in order to fill the can with smoke, and release the carb once you’re ready to inhale the marijuana smoke.

The Water-Pipe

To make a bong-style water pipe, you’ll need:

  • Two 12 oz cans;
  • Tape;
  • Can opener;
  • Scissors;
  • A trumpet mouthpiece or glass slide;
  • Water.

Follow the next steps to make your homemade water pipe by using soda cans:

  1. Rinse and dry two 12 oz soda cans and remove both ends of one can and only the top of the other can with a can opener.
  2. Bend the sharp edges and cover them with tape.
  3. Poke a hole on the side of the can with a screwdriver and round out the edges of the hole (the hole should be large enough to fit a mouthpiece).
  4. Attract the mouthpiece and connect it with tape.
  5. Tape the top soda can to the bottom to create the full chamber of the water pipe.
  6. Add water to the pipe to the point where the stem of the mouthpiece is slightly submerged inside the water.
  7. To start smoking, you just need to fill the mouthpiece with your weed, light it, and inhale through the top of the can by removing the mouthpiece after the chamber fills with smoke.

Smoking Weed With Other Homemade Smoking Devices

If you’re into DIY methods of smoking weed and don’t have a soda can on hand, you can try using some other household items you have lying around your home. 

You can use some leftover apples to make an apple pipe, use toilet paper to make your own TP steamroller, roll your weed in rose petals instead of rolling papers, or even use the hot knives technique to heat and squeeze cannabis buds and inhale the intoxicating smoke. 

Another popular homemade weed-smoking device is the gravity bong or water bottle bong, which makes use of leftover plastic bottles and turns them into a cool homemade smoking machine. Other household items can also be used as a marijuana vessel including milk cartons and fruits like watermelons and cantaloupes – so the only thing limiting you is your imagination.

Final Words

Smoking cannabis can be very easy if you have all your cannabis paraphernalia lying around. The tricky part is getting high with nothing but weed, household items, and your imagination. 

This article simplified the process of making a DIY pipe and a DIY bong by using leftover soda cans and a few other tools you can easily find at home.

So next time you’re short on rolling papers, find creative ways to use what you have around the house so you don’t have to take another trip to the dispensary.

A passionate advocate for the benefits of cannabis. Fraser Horton, who has a background in botany and a strong love of nature, has spent years researching how cannabis affects the body and mind. He established Leaf Nation in 2020, where he has devoted himself to educating people about the legalisation of marijuana and its safe and responsible use. Fraser is committed to highlighting cannabis’ potential for improving wellness and working to dispel the stigma associated with its use.

Disclaimer

The information presented on this page is provided as a public service to aid in education and is derived from sources believed to be reliable. Readers are responsible for making their own assessment of the topics discussed here. In no event shall Leaf Nation be held reliable for any injury, loss or damage that could happen if using or abusing drugs.