Cannabis Etiquette From Around The World
In the U.K., there’s no such thing as bogarting. 
Few cultural rituals have as much history as cannabis etiquette. Surrounded by bearded men only wearing saffron colored loin-cloths, I was asked to bring the pipe to my forehead and proclaim, “Boom Shiva.”
“Pipe to my forehead?” I asked, feeling intimidated.
“Not pipe,” came a rumble from the group, “Chillum.”
I pause and take catalog here. In Rishikesh, India a pipe is called a chillum, and before smoking, the process is sanctified by announcing to Shiva and the other Sadhus that the chillum is being smoked.
For Sadhus, smoking comes entwined in ritual. But marijuana rituals aren’t just for the religious. There are lots of common practices that occur in all parts of the world. The stigma attached to marijuana often prevents a real study of those customs with the same interest reserved for other cultural expressions.
These cultural norms reveal a deeper significance when inspected closely. Some showcase ancient religious context while others may give privy to a society’s notions of property sharing. For example, in parts of the U.S., friends smoking in a circle are participating in a cipher. A cipher, while seemingly just a circular formation of people, is a ritual based on fraternity and the equal sharing of coveted goods.
In fact, most marijuana-related customs beam with civility. In New Zealand, the puff-puff-pass rule is often cited to ensure everyone gets their fair share. Similarly, in parts of the U.S. and Canada, hogging the goods is called bogarting, harking back to silver screen legend Humphrey Bogart and the cigarette eternally dangling from his lips.
But what’s okay in one place can be taboo in another.
In the U.K., there’s no such thing as bogarting. Here, the process lingers with stories and conversation as integral components of the session. The smoker takes plenty because the joint almost never makes a second round. Anyone who disturbs the ritual with impatience may be faulted and lose their turn.
The Spanish way symbolizes a more festive approach to smoking. The most popular method involves lots of people and el melón, or the melon. A watermelon, multiple joints, a straw and copious participants make this a tradition dependent on group synergy. Similar to the apple bong, holes are poked in a watermelon and several joints are stuck through them. A straw is inserted into the melon’s side and the joints are simultaneously lit.
Too much of anything (even el melón) may not be a good thing. In Costa Rica, if you’re not steady, you’ll become pálida or blanca--white in the face!
In France, customs extend to hierarchy structures. As a showing of respect, the person who rolls sparks first. The person who brought the goods goes second. This is called qui roule bamboule, qui fournit suit or who rolls starts, who provides follows.
Marijuana’s cultural rites are often a fundamental part of the smoking process. Like any other aspect of society, marijuana has various rituals that are reflective of a culture’s values and nuances. Amazingly enough, the thing most locales have in common? A general consideration for the participants involved.
Boom Shiva!
