What is a hotbox?
It’s not really a person, place, or a thing, but a practice. Hotboxing is a creative technique used for smoking cannabis that has been enjoyed by tokers for years.
When you think about a hot box, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a car with rolled-up windows filled with smoke.
When it comes to hotboxing, there’s actually much more than meets the eye.
A hot box is a picture-perfect way for cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy their weed in the least discreet way possible. Not to mention that it’s a great way to share your weed and elevate your sesh to the next level.
So What Is Hotboxing?
Hotboxing is the act of smoking or burning cannabis in an airtight enclosed space like a small room, a car, or an apartment to achieve an even greater high.
When people hot box a small enclosed space, the smoke lingers and becomes trapped in the area, eventually being inhaled by whoever is in it. The idea behind hotboxing is to get more high and spend some fun time with your friends. That said, does hotboxing really get you higher?
Can Hotboxing Get You Higher?
Why toke once at a time when you can breathe it in all the time?
That is the underlying logic that many people use to describe how hotboxing works. In theory, it may sound reasonable; however, we’re not so sure. In 2015 John Hopkins University ran an experiment that tested the possibility of acquiring a contact high through the inhalation of secondhand smoke.
The experiment had two groups of six participants: one group who did not smoke cannabis and another who did. The team of researchers also utilized a specially designed room with ventilation controls for the two rounds of their tests.
For one hour, the cannabis smoking group was given a selection of high THC joints to smoke with the non-smoking group in the room.
The first experiment utilized a non-ventilated room where the smoke could collect and form a haze, making it hard to see what was going on in the room. Due to the confined space and a large amount of cannabis smoke, the non-smoking group tested positive for THC in their blood after the test.
The second experiment followed the same procedure, except the participants were now in the same room with proper ventilation. That said, the cannabis smoke was able to filter out of the room successfully. By the end of the hour, the researchers found that the non-smoking group did not have detectable levels of THC in their blood.
When comparing the results, the researchers found significant differences in both non-smoking groups. As it turns out, contact highs through the inhalation of second-hand cannabis smoke do exist. However, they can only exist in extreme circumstances where the participants are in an airtight space.
Is It Safe To Hotbox?
A hotbox is not recommended as a habitual way to consume your weed, and it probably shouldn’t be either. Treat it like sparking up a cigar for a special occasion or popping open a bottle of champagne for a particularly memorable night.
Using a hotbox is not the best idea for your respiratory health. When inside a hotbox, smokers breathe in whatever smoke is in the air, whether it’s fresh from the joint or exhaled by the person next door. When you are enclosed in such a tight space with little to no ventilation, you limit the amount of oxygen in the air, which in turn limits the amount you inhale.
This creates a strange sensation where exiting the hotbox into an area with fresh air causes the psychoactive effects of cannabis to hit harder. That said, this can be a dangerous path to take if you’re not regularly going out for breaths as you are depriving your brain of oxygen while inside the hotbox.
When it comes down to it, hotboxing can be safe if the right precautions are taken. If you’re having trouble breathing during your hotbox session, step outside and get a breath of fresh air.
Besides, there are far more efficient methods of smoking the herb, even in groups. These methods include vaping weed with a THC vape pen, or if you are up for something a bit more unique and fun, you can also make a DIY gravity bong to really take it to the next level.
The hotbox is largely meant to be a celebratory means of smoking your herb, not a daily ritual!
How To Hotbox A Room
The hotbox is simple and easy to create.
Step 1
For starters, you’ll want to round up a bunch of your friends since enjoying a hotbox is a group activity. In this case, the more, the merrier. Once you’ve got your friends ready, it’s best to use a room that has no ventilation, or you’ll run the risk of the hotbox not working. If you’re using your car, find a discreet location near the home where you can leave the car overnight. Whatever you do, do not drive after hotboxing.
Step 2
Choose your favorite weed strain, get everybody in the room/car and start rolling up. If you’re in a place with a slight gap between the bottom of the door and the floor, we recommend using a towel to seal the space.
Step 3
Spark up the joints, make sure everything’s sealed off and enjoy!
Is Hotboxing Right For You?
While hotboxing may not necessarily get you much higher than smoking a joint or hitting a bong would, it can still catapult you to astronomical levels of euphoria if done right. It is also a fun way to spend time with your friends and celebrate something special. Treat it like sparking up a cigar for a memorable evening.
If you do decide to try hotboxing a room or your car, remember to make sure you have access to fresh air at all times. If you start to feel lightheaded or dizzy, then it’s probably time to take a step outside.
Happy hotboxing!