Can You Smoke Weed Leaves? Which Part of the Plant Actually Gets You High

The part of the cannabis plant people smoke is the flower: the dense, resin-coated buds of the female plant. That's where trichomes, and with them THC and CBD, are packed tightest. Leaves carry far fewer cannabinoids, so while you technically can smoke them, they're better put to work in edibles, hash, drinks or topicals.

Bottom line: the parts worth smoking are the ones with the highest cannabinoid concentration, and that means buds. Below we break down what each part of the plant is good for, why the leaves usually end up somewhere other than your bowl, and how many of them you'd actually need to feel anything.

What to do with cannabis leaves: uses and benefits

Why cannabis leaves matter

Cannabis leaves tend to get ignored, especially by newer growers, who zero in on the buds because that's where the cannabinoids, the compounds behind the effects you're after, are concentrated.

But leaves have cannabinoids too, just less of them, and that makes them useful. Instead of tossing them in the compost, you can put them to work in a bunch of ways, as long as you dry and process them properly. Here's a rundown of what you can do with cannabis leaves, from extractions to cosmetics to the kitchen.

How to dry and prep cannabis leaves

Before you use the leaves for anything, you need to dry them right. Just hang them upside down somewhere cool, dry and dark. Drying makes them easier to handle and crumble, which helps with pretty much every use below.

Keep in mind that the small leaves closest to the buds, known as sugar leaves, usually carry the most trichomes, the tiny resin glands that produce cannabinoids. Those are the ones worth saving.

Making hash and resin extracts from leaves

Cannabis leaves can be used for resin extractions, which is how you make hash. Buds are the main source of resin, but leaves can still give you a decent amount, especially the sugar leaves around the buds.

There are plenty of extraction methods. BHO (butane hash oil) has been one of the most popular lately, though it works best with trichome-heavy leaves, and butane extraction is a fire hazard that belongs in a proper closed-loop setup, not a kitchen. If you don't grow your own, ask a grower friend for their leaves: plenty of people just throw them out.

Cooking with cannabis leaves

Cannabis leaves work in a huge range of recipes. Brownies, cookies, cannabutter, even pizza: your imagination is the only limit. Go easy on the dose, though, because eaten cannabinoids hit harder and last longer than smoked ones.

Leaves have less THC than buds, but they can still bring on relaxation or a bump in appetite.

Cannabis leaf drinks

Beyond food, cannabis leaves make good drinks. The classic is a simple weed tea, but you can also brew infused beers, wines and sodas.

With the CBD boom, lots of commercial drinks now contain cannabis extracts, and you can make homemade versions using leaves.

Cosmetics and balms

Cannabis is popular in personal-care products. Leaves can go into creams, balms, body oils and more, and people often use these products for the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties attributed to cannabis.

For CBD-rich cosmetics, your best bet is leaves from low-THC, high-CBD strains, although you can also use leaves with both cannabinoids depending on the effect you want.

Can you smoke cannabis leaves?

You can smoke cannabis leaves, but it's neither common nor a great idea. Plenty of smokers say leaves give them a headache, a scratchy throat and a nasty taste. Leaves can also hold more fertilizer residue than buds, which doesn't do the smoke any favors.

In a pinch, some people mix ground-up leaves with their buds to cut back on tobacco, but that also dulls the flavor and aroma of the flower. In general, skip smoking leaves, though it's an option if there's truly nothing else around.

The takeaway on cannabis leaves

Cannabis leaves are weaker than buds, but they still have a long list of practical uses. From the kitchen to cosmetics to hash making, they're worth keeping. So next harvest, don't trash the leaves: save them and see what you can do with them.

How many cannabis leaves does it take to get high?

Cannabis leaves do contain some interesting cannabinoids, but usually not enough to produce a noticeable high. Here's why you'd need a lot more leaves than you think to feel anything, and what makes their potential vary.

How much THC and CBD is in cannabis leaves?

Cannabis leaves, especially the big fan leaves far from the buds, usually have much less THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) than the buds themselves.

THC and CBD content in leaves can range from 0% to around 4%, depending on the plant and on which part of the leaf you're looking at. In other words, you'd need a huge pile of leaves to get a meaningful dose of cannabinoids.

Trichomes on leaves vs. buds

Leaves do have trichomes (the glands that produce cannabinoids), but fewer of them and less concentrated than on buds. You can often see trichomes on leaves with the naked eye, just not in the numbers or quality you'll find on a bud. Those trichomes are what produce THC and the other cannabinoids, and on leaves their concentration is generally low.

How strain and leaf type change potency in cannabis leaves

The cannabinoid profile of leaves varies a lot depending on the strain, where on the plant the leaves grew, and the growing conditions.

Some leaves, especially the ones closest to the buds, can be a bit more potent, but still not enough for a strong experience. Your own tolerance also plays a big role in how much you'll notice from cannabis leaves.

Can you get high off weed leaves?

Because their cannabinoid concentration is so low, it's really hard to get a significant high from leaves alone. Some people try using leaves recreationally, but the effect is usually pretty weak compared to buds or concentrates.

Between how much cannabinoid content varies and how different everyone's tolerance is, it's hard to say whether, or how much, weed leaves will get you high.

Bottom line: leaves won't do what buds do

Long story short: cannabis leaves have far less potential to get you high because they're low in THC and CBD. They're still useful for other things, like making extracts, edibles or even some cosmetics. If you're after a stronger experience, buds or concentrates are the way to go, since they pack a much higher concentration of cannabinoids.