5 Ways To Get High Without Inhaling Smoke

As marijuana gains traction as an actual medical option for some, more and more of the health-conscious among us are taking another look at cannabis. But the idea of smoking may still be a hurdle. So what if you want to smoke weed, but you don't actually want to... smoke? Well, you've got options.

To be totally clear: The evidence we have suggests that, overall, smoking weed definitely isn't as bad for your lungs as smoking cigarettes.

That said, this is a surprisingly complex issue, and there's not much conclusive research out there. What we do know is that smoke created from combusting any plant material contains harmful compounds, and inhaling smoke of any kind can irritate your lungs. There's also evidence that regularly smoking marijuana for an extended period of time may have long-term effects on your lung and cardiovascular health.

The other thing to keep in mind, of course, is that ingesting marijuana in different ways can have vastly different effects on your body. For instance, edibles provide a high that lasts way longer at a much lower dose than smoking — and doesn't give you the chance for a severe coughing fit. So, especially if you're interested in using cannabis for medical reasons, smoking it isn't necessarily the best way to go.

Luckily, cannabis users are a pretty creative bunch and have come up with a bunch of other ways to get high without inhaling smoke. Ahead, we've collected five of the techniques you might want to consider.

This month we’re celebrating High January by leaving our stoner stereotypes behind. Instead, we’ll take long-time smokers and total newbies through all the various complexities of the current cannabis world. It’s 2017 and we’re ready to blaze a new trail.

(Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity and would like to remind its readers that marijuana usage continues to be an offense under Federal Law, regardless of state marijuana laws. To learn more, click here.)