What Is a Thai Stick?

Cannabis is a significant aspect of human history. One of the earliest pieces of evidence of its use is found in Southeast Asia, where it was grown and served as a raw material in various industrial processes. The natives also smoked it for recreational purposes, long before the discovery of America. Ways of smoking MJ, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes, differ from place to place. Some people like it all rolled up while other light cannabis in pipes. Some cultures eat or drink it.

Ever since it hit the world by storm, users have enjoyed toying around with the different ways of consuming cannabis. One of the most recent and attractive forms is the Thai stick.

What Is a Thai Stick?

The most basic definition is the twisting of seedless cannabis buds on a stem. There aren’t many variations of the Thai stick.

As the name suggests, the Thai stick was coined in Thailand. More specifically, the term comes from the cannabis strain that is widely used to make the cigar, which is known as “Thai” or “Landrace.” It is a Sativa strain, and many other strains are known to originate from it, such as the Juicy Fruit, Haze, and Voodoo.

The Thai strain came into America during the 1960s when Soldiers introduced it into the country from the Vietnam War. American soldiers realized that after taking marijuana, they became more open-minded, thus wanted to carry on the experience when they returned home. Also, air travel made more people interact with Thailand natives, and they learned about the Thai stick and its advantages. Surfers, also known as draft dodgers, would smuggle lots of Thai sticks to America. The sticks instantly won the hearts of the Western world because of their undeniable potency and their striking appearance. 

The Modernization of the Thai Stick

By now, you might be wondering, “What happened to Thai Sticks? Where did they go?” although they were starting to become a norm, Thai sticks disappeared from most parts of the globe besides Thailand. Thanks to strict policies and their humongous size, they were among the first types of marijuana products to be kicked out of the US. When the government started going after the illegal importation of weed, there was no way Thai sticks would survive.

Another factor that led to the phasing out of Thai sticks was the rise of homegrown marijuana varieties. Since more states have legalized marijuana, many people are growing it in their backyards. Home growers have established a new way of making Thai sticks using American-grown marijuana. Now that production is increasing in the US, the supply chain is following suit, and thus, there’s no need to rely on MJ from Thailand.

The original Thai stick was made using bamboo. Part of its modernization involves finding new material to use as the skewer. People have also had to invent new ways of layering and solidifying it.

How Do You Make a Thai Stick?

You will need:

1. Buds from your favorite strain
2. Chopsticks
3. Hash oil
4. Parchment paper
5. Hemp string
6. Clean, fresh leaves from a cannabis plant

Step 1

You need fluffy buds to make the sticks because they are easier to compress. Therefore, separate the fluffy nugs from the whole stash. Some people assume that dense buds are ideal because they are more potent, but they will only make the puff too harsh.

Step 2

It’s time to make your chopstick sticky. To achieve this, you may cover it with sugar water or hash oil. Bamboo sticks are the best because there come in various lengths. However, if you can’t get one, use any plant stem or the chopsticks.

Once the stick is sticky, you may proceed to fix the buds using a hemp string. By now, your craft should look all rolled up.

Step 3

At this point, you should be prepared for the most challenging part of the process – waiting. Most good things take a while, and the Thai stick is no exception. It will take about a day to extract. Therefore, rub it in parchment paper and keep it in the fridge for some days. Remove it when all the buds solidify.

Step 4

Once the stick solidifies into one piece or when your patience runs out, you may now detach the string. If you didn’t use enough hash oil, the buds might fall off. That is why it’s better to have excess than insufficient.

Step 5

Upon removing the hemp string, cover the bud with a layer of hash oil and then wrap it in the clean, fresh marijuana leaves. Some experts recommend that you put the string back on and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. That’s up to you. If you choose to do it, make sure you have washed leaves ready to wrap the stick.

To speed up the process, apply some hash oil over the first layer of leaves and then place the second layer. You need to have three layers of the MJ leaves.

Step 6

You can now wrap the stick using the parchment paper and warm it on a hot plate for a minute. The heat helps to warm the oil and spread it under the leaves.

Step 7

Wrap the stick using the hemp string and cover it with parchment paper. Leave it in the fridge to spike the curing process. Curing helps to flavor and preserve the Thai stick. That way, it won’t have decayed before you use it.

Step 8

To complete the curing process, you have two options. You may put the Thai stick inside a plastic bag and bury it underground for a month. It leaves it with a smooth taste. If you aren’t willing to wait for a month, you may vacuum seal the stick and let it sit for a week.

Alternatively, you can smoke the stick right away. However, the Thai stick may not have much flavor.

How Do You Smoke a Thai Stick?

First, remove the string. It is an essential step because the Thai stick doesn’t burn at the same rate as the string. Airflow could also be restricted. We hope you have learned how to make the Thai stick and have an enjoyable time!