Hemp wick is a thin cord of hemp twine coated in beeswax that you light once with a lighter, match or candle and then use like a tiny candle to light a bowl, joint or blunt, so the lighter’s flame never touches your cannabis. Smokers like it for its small, controllable flame and for avoiding the taste of lighter fuel. Claims that it is much healthier than a lighter are not backed by research, because the smoke from burning cannabis is the main exposure either way.
Hemp wick has been a fixture of pipe culture for decades, and The Weed Street Journal has written about it several times, including hands-on reviews of beeswax-coated wicks and glass wick holders. This guide combines that experience into one page: what hemp wick is, how it compares with a butane lighter, how to use it, and what it can and can’t do.
What Is Hemp Wick Made Of?
Hemp wick is twine spun from hemp fibers and coated in wax, usually beeswax. The wax makes the wick burn slowly and steadily, like a candle, instead of flaring up and burning through in seconds. Hemp is a strong, fast-growing fiber crop with a long history of use in rope and textiles; our guide to what hemp is used for covers its other uses.
Hemp wick contains no meaningful THC and does not get you high. You are burning fiber and wax, not cannabis flower.
Things to look for when buying:
- Beeswax coating. Most quality wicks use beeswax. Avoid wicks that don’t say what wax they use.
- Organic hemp. Some brands use certified organic hemp and locally sourced beeswax. That matters to some buyers, though there is no evidence it changes the smoke.
- Thickness. Brands sell thinner and thicker wicks. In one line we reviewed, the thicker “full flame” wick was half a millimeter wider than the “fine flame” version, burned slower and gave a larger, more robust flame. Thin wicks give a pinpoint flame for cornering a bowl.
- Length. Wick comes in spools from about 10 feet up to 200 feet. A small spool lasts a casual smoker a long time.
Hemp Wick vs. Butane Lighter
| Factor | Hemp wick | Butane lighter |
|---|---|---|
| How it lights cannabis | With a small, candle-like flame from burning wax and fiber | With the flame from burning butane gas |
| Flame control | Small, steady and easy to aim; good for cornering a bowl | Larger flame; easy to torch the whole bowl at once |
| Taste | Many smokers say the first hit tastes cleaner; some notice a light beeswax note | Some smokers report a fuel taste, especially when the flame is held close |
| Convenience | Needs a lighter or match to start; must be put out after use | Instant and one-handed |
| Wind and outdoors | Blows out easily | Works better in wind, especially torch lighters |
| Cost | A few dollars for many sessions | A few dollars per disposable lighter |
| Health | No research shows a meaningful benefit | No research shows meaningful harm beyond the cannabis smoke itself |
Is Hemp Wick Healthier Than a Lighter?
This is the claim that sells most hemp wick, and it deserves a straight answer. Older articles, including earlier pieces on this site, said hemp wick lets you avoid “inhaling butane.” In practice, a lighter burns its butane in the flame, and the main thing you inhale is smoke from the cannabis itself. We could not find any published study comparing the health effects of lighting cannabis with hemp wick versus a butane lighter.
What is well established is that smoke from burning cannabis contains many of the same irritants and harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and regular smoking is linked to bronchitis symptoms such as cough and phlegm. Switching your lighting method does not change that. If lung health is your concern, a dry-herb vaporizer or a smoke-free method makes a much bigger difference than the lighter. Our guides to vaporizing marijuana and consuming weed without smoking cover the options.
The honest case for hemp wick is simpler: better flame control, less wasted flower and a taste many smokers prefer.
How to Use Hemp Wick
- Pull out a few inches. If your wick is wrapped around a lighter or stored in a holder, unwind or pull out about 2 to 4 inches.
- Light the end with a lighter, match or candle. It catches in a second or two.
- Hold it like a candle. Let the flame settle into a small, steady glow.
- Adjust the flame by tilting. Tilting the lit end downward lets the flame climb the wick and grow larger; tilting it upward makes it smaller.
- Light your cannabis. Touch the flame to the edge of the bowl and inhale. A small flame makes it easy to corner a bowl so every hit is fresh.
- Put it out. Blow it out, pinch it with wet fingers or press the tip into an ashtray. Make sure it has stopped smoldering before you set it down.
- Trim the used end occasionally so the next light is clean.
Hemp wick works for pipes, bongs, joints and blunts. For joints and blunts it lights the tip evenly and avoids scorching the paper. Our guides to rolling a joint and rolling a blunt cover the rest.
Hemp Wick Holders and Storage
Most people wrap hemp wick around their lighter, leaving the tail free to light. It is cheap and keeps everything in one place. Others prefer a holder: small glass dispensers with a cork or cap that let you pull out wick as you need it, or pocket dispensers in plastic or metal. In our past reviews, hand-blown glass holders held a large amount of tightly packed wick and fed it out smoothly, but a lighter wrap works just as well.
Store wick somewhere cool so the wax doesn’t soften, and keep it dry.
Safety Tips
- It is an open flame. Treat it like a candle. Never leave a lit wick unattended, and keep it away from curtains, bedding and papers.
- Watch for drips and embers. Melted wax and glowing tips can burn skin or furniture. Use an ashtray.
- Don’t wrap a lit wick back around a lighter. Make sure it is fully out first.
- Keep it away from children and pets, along with lighters and cannabis.
- Mind your smoke alarm. Hemp wick adds a little smoke of its own. Ventilate, and never cover or disable a detector; see our guide to smoking without setting off a smoke detector.
Where to Buy Hemp Wick
Head shops, many licensed dispensaries and online retailers sell hemp wick, since it is an accessory and contains no cannabis. Look for beeswax-coated, clearly labeled products. If you are in Washington or Oregon, browse licensed stores in the Washington and Oregon directories.
Hemp Wick FAQ
What is hemp wick used for?
Lighting pipes, bongs, joints and blunts with a small, steady flame, so the lighter flame doesn’t touch the cannabis. Some people also use it to light candles or cigars.
Is hemp wick better than a lighter?
For flame control and taste, many smokers think so. It is less convenient, and there is no research showing it is meaningfully healthier.
Does hemp wick get you high?
No. It is hemp fiber and beeswax with no meaningful THC.
Do you still need a lighter with hemp wick?
Yes, or a match or candle, to light the wick itself. After that, the wick’s flame lights your cannabis.
How long does hemp wick last?
It depends on how much you burn per session. A few inches per session means even a 10-foot spool lasts a casual smoker a long time.
Can you use hemp wick to light a joint?
Yes. Rotate the tip of the joint through the flame for an even light without scorching the paper.
For adults 21+ in legal states. General information, not medical advice.