The Rise of the Glass Weed Pipes – Cannabis History 101
It is remarkable to think just how long cannabis has been around; there are reports of cannabis dating as far back as B.C. The marijuana plant has evolved year after year due to fine-tuned growing methods, supreme breeding techniques, and odd marijuana laws. Developing side-by-side with marijuana, are the methods of cannabis consumption. In particular, glass weed pipes drastically adapted over time. The glass weed pipes we know and love today have not always been available. It may seem crazy to us modern-day stoners, but the market for glass weed pipes just took off over the years.
Before the Glass Weed Pipe
Before we had glass weed pipes, there were some old-school ways of consuming marijuana. The first clay chillum originated out of Asia and slowly spread around the world. The clay chillum has been around for thousands of years and was an integral part of the culture. Since the art of glass blowing did not come about until approximately 30 B.C., the primary forms of pipes were clay, stone, or wood. They were the most accessible materials to gather and work with during this period. While there may have been some glass available, it was costly and rare.
Methods of Smoking Before Glass Pipes:
- Clay Pipes
- Stone Pipes
- Wood Pipes
- Coconut Pipes
Keep in mind; until the rise of tobacco, not many smoking pipes exsisted. Due to some interesting archeological finds, we have found trace amounts of hashish and tobacco resin in pipes thousands of years old. That said, smoking was a part of many cultures, and it was not all about the quality of the product or the experience. Practicality used to be everything. The plethora of glass weed pipes we now have available today is partially due to the high demand consumers have for better products.
The History of Glass Weed Pipes
To produce glass weed pipes there first needs to be glass. The first recording of glass as a material dates back to 3000 B.C in Mesopotamia. Nevertheless, they were not producing glass pipes yet. Most glass produced during this time was for jewelry or art pieces. It was not until 30 B.C did the art of glass blowing take hold in Rome. The technique of shaping glass by blowing into the pipe, while it is hot, is still widely popular today. It was not until this point did large glass pieces become a reality.
Timeline of Glass Weed Pipes:
- 30 B.C. – The glass-blowing technique became popular.
- 1492 – Christopher Columbus came across Native Americans who were all about smoking tobacco pipes. The pipes were made of wood and other accessible material.
- 1559 – Jean Nicot, a French diplomat brought a tobacco pipe back to France, and it quickly became a hit within the local culture.
- 1600 – Clay pipes came about and became widely accepted amongst the English culture.
- 1800 – The wooden tobacco pipe became popular and widely used for tobacco and hashish.
- 1960’s – Using glass to produce extravagant pieces of art to display and smoke out of, grew extremely popular in our society.
- 1977 – The first glass pipe patented.
- 2003 – The Feds ran a sting operation on head shops and smoke shops to pull drug paraphernalia from being sold.
- 2010 – There are a plethora of glass weed pipes available. Glass-blowing techniques are fine-tuned, and production is taking off.
- 2018 – Glass weed pipes is one of the largest ancillary cannabis sectors.
Ever since the first glass weed pipe received a patent, the ancillary sector began to blow up literally. Glass blowers hit the ground running and curated a unique market with a ton of potential. Art has always been a big part of our history. Glass weed pipes are its own art form which is a big reason why consumers adore glass pipes. There is rarely a replica of a glass weed pipe. Many glass weed pipes on the market today are original and locally blown. Glass blowing techniques vary per artist, and the number of unique blasting methods makes for an innovative product every time.
Types of Glass Weed Pipes Available Today:
- Chillums
- Bowls
- Bubblers
- Bongs
- Percolator Bongs
- Party Bowls
- One-Hitters
Check out what glass weed pipes your local head shop offers, here!
