How to Put Out a Joint

It sounds simple enough; you're done with your joint, and you want to put it out, so you twist it against some surface or pop the cherry out and all is well. But what if you want to save your killer filter? Or you want to make sure your fingers don't smell? Or, most importantly, you didn't quite finish, and you want to relight later?

We'll dive into all of these scenarios, and we'll make sure that the next time you put out a joint, you're satisfied with the result.

Quick response on how to put out joints

To put out your joint cleanly, use the pinch the filter method, go for a dip, or clip the tip.

Common methods and their issues

Below we'll list some of the ways people put joints out that we believe have drawbacks that we will explain. These methods can still be used, but we believe there are better strategies.

Pushing the tip into a surface

This is one of the most common ways of putting out a joint. Using a rock or surface near you, you can suffocate the cherry by pushing it against a surface. If you want to reuse the joint, this is not a great option. It compresses the cannabis and causes the cherry to push back into the fresh flower, charring it and wasting cannabis.

Even if you aren't reusing, this method also causes the smoke to become trapped inside the joint since it has nowhere else to go. It then interacts with the filter tip and your hands, causing them to smell more.

Pinching or flicking out the cherry

This method works well for immediately putting out a joint. Always make sure you put out the embers that fell so that they aren't a fire risk. This method is likely to cause your hands to smell, and you risk burning your fingers.

Dropping the joint into a doob tube

If you have a joint tube, this method certainly works. Since the joint is in an enclosed volume, it naturally extinguishes. We strongly recommend not using a plastic tube since this can cause plastic particulates to interact with the joint, especially if you want to smoke it again.

This also makes the doob tube very smelly, and it leaches that smell for days to come. If you have a glass tube, it makes cleaning a hassle.

If you plan on smoking that joint again, this method is not a great option. The ashes and smoke from the joint cover it in debris and cause it to harden since the smoke encapsulates the joint. It won't be a pleasant smoke after pulling it out.

Our recommendations for putting out joints

We're going to split our recommendations into two categories: joints that are done and joints that you'll still smoke. The way you handle each makes a big difference in how you approach putting it out.

Joints that you've finished

"Pinch the filter" method

If you're done with your joint and you have a filter tip that has some give to it, you can turn the joint over an ashtray, pinch the filter tip, and roll it back and forth between your fingers while pinching. This naturally dislodges the flower and causes it to fall out.

Go for a dip

Water immediately stops combustion. But ideally you don't dip into a cup that you use otherwise since it'll make the cup dirty and may be hard to clean. So, for this method, fill up a bottle cap with water and just dip the cherry into that bottle cap. The joint will go out immediately, and your fingers will remain clean.

Joints that you plan on smoking more

Clip the tip

If you want to reuse your joint, you don't want to smash the end, because this will make relighting unpleasant, if not impossible. Instead, if you have scissors or a knife, just cut the end right behind the cherry, with the cherry falling into an ashtray. Your joint is easily stored and won't smell like it's just been smoked.

This is our favorite method because you don't get an ashy taste when you relight. It also allows you to use a pencil or thin object to push the cannabis inside the joint, then re-twist the tip. As good as new.

Toothpick or bobby pin

It's pretty easy to toss a toothpick or bobby pin into your stash kit. With this, when you're done smoking, you can use them to pop the cherry out, along with any charred cannabis, and re-roll the tip. The paper is still burnt, so it may make your fingers a bit smelly from re-twisting, but it's still a great option.

A unique way to extinguish a joint

One method that we've had a friend use in the past blew us away. Ironically, he used a lighter to put out his joint. When he was done with it, he placed the burning end of the joint just inside the ignition end of the lighter, and he turned on the fuel of the lighter without flicking the flint. Since lighters release butane, this suffocates the combustion, similar to water, just gaseous.

Use this method at your own risk. Butane evaporates at room temperature, so it shouldn't get stuck on your flower. However, running a flammable gas over a material presently combusting may not be the best idea.

Important notes

If you plan on smoking your joint again, we strongly recommend that once it's extinguished, blow into the filter tip to expel any lingering smoke. This will make the joint much more pleasant to smoke later.

It's crucial that you keep track of the burning cherry. Make sure you extinguish it fully once it's been separated from the joint.

Wrap up

It might sound simple, but putting your joint out properly can make all the difference at the end of your session. Try out different methods to see which works best for you, and you may be surprised at what you find.

If this was helpful and you enjoy rolling your own joints, check out our reusable filter tips that make rolling and smoking much more pleasurable.