Most of us have heard ‘sharing is caring,’ but what happens when we share more than we mean to? Passing a joint around with your homies is one of the purest rituals of youth but one thing many don’t realize is what they’re sharing during a sesh, beyond the bud. It can be a little gross to think about, but sharing joints means sharing saliva and sharing saliva means sharing germs. If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s to be more conscientious of how germs and illness are spread. So let’s five in to find out if you can really get sick from passing a joint, and discuss a few ways to keep yourself safe and healthy.
How We Get Sick
While it’s true that sharing saliva means sharing germs, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll always get sick, even if you smoke with someone who is sick. Though the likelihood that you’d catch a homie’s cold does increase if sharing a joint is involved, it really depends on the type of illness you’re exposed to and how it’s most effectively transmitted, or passed.
There are two ways we get sick: direct and indirect transmission. Some illnesses are so contagious, they can be caught without coming in direct contact with the sick person. One example of this is airborne transmission. This means, a person can laugh or cough or sneeze, leaving the air teeming with microscopic droplets from their nose and/or mouth. They can leave the area they infected and a healthy person who walk in behind them inhales the droplets and gets sick.
Direct transmission requires direct contact with a germ host. Kissing, sharing drinks, and other saliva sharing activities, like, you guessed it, sharing a joint, are some of the most common ways to direct contact illnesses are spread. Sharing a joint means sharing saliva on the tip of the joint, and, most likely, whoever rolled your joint used saliva to seal it, meaning there’s not just germs and spit on the tip, it’s literally all over and inside the J!
Tips for Staying Safe
This is uncomfortable and, honestly, a little gross, we get it! It may even have you asking, ‘is it safe to pass a joint?’ We don’t blame you! If you’re ready to swear off joints forever after this, we don’t blame you either – and have plenty of goodies to help you transition off smoking if that’s what you want to do. Before you make any rash decisions, check out some of the things you can do to protect yourself.
Don’t Sesh if You’re Sick
The number one thing you can do to make sure sharing a joint is safe for everyone around you is to never join a sesh when you’re sick. We know it can be a tempting thing to want to jump in, but stoners are notoriously friendly and they’re not going to side-eye you if you don’t their joint and puff on your THC-P Disposable instead. In fact, they’ll probably be grateful there’s one less head on the joint!
Skip the Joint and Go for the Glass
One of the biggest drawbacks to sharing joints or blunts is that there’s not just spit on the tip, it’s all over the place! One way to cut down on the spittiness (spittiness?) of a sesh is to opt for something that’s not rolled. Glassware can be wiped clean between hits so the next person has a clean surface to start from. Dab rigs, bongs, and even disposable vapes are super easy to wipe clean, and even pipes, though smaller and a little messier, can be cleaned in-between hits.
If you really don’t want to give up joints, we get it. Try a glass crutch in your next joint to help keep the sesh sanitary. They work just a paper crutch, except it’s glass that won’t absorb saliva and can be clean super easily so the next person can always enjoy a nice dry joint when it’s their turn.
Vapes Over Pre-Rolls
Vaping is another option that helps cut down on the germs being passed around with the joint. Vapes don’t need to be rolled and can also be wiped clean between uses, though they tend to not get as drippy with saliva as joints would.
One of the biggest benefits of vaping is that you can simply put the device away when you’re done using it. Gone are the times of not being able to finish your sesh, therefore wasting your pre-roll.
Skip the Sharing and Smoke Your Own S%!@
Passing joints are cool and all, but, have you and your homies ever each faced your own joints during a sesh? It’s a little unconventional, but let’s be honest, a big reason to share weed back in the day was because it way more difficult to get than it is today.
Nowadays, we have the luxury to slide into a dispensary or buy from an online retailer like Eighty Six, pick up a pack of mini pre-rolls, and pull up on the homies with a little something for everyone. This way, everybody gets a little higher, can smoke at their own pace – we’re looking at you, joint hoggers – and everybody keeps their germs to themselves.
Not All Germs are Created Equal
One important thing to keep in mind is that not everything that looks or sounds like a contagious illness is one. There are plenty of illnesses that look and sound like colds but aren’t. Seasonal allergies are one the biggest culprits. People who deal with severe seasonal allergies suffer from runny noses, coughing, and congestion that sometimes looks like a cold that will never end. Smokers’ coughs, which are common among cannabis smokers, can also sometimes look and sound just like a cold. So if you think one of your homies might be sick, just ask them! And if you’re still not comfortable, just puff on something personal and skip the sesh!
