What to Know About Smoking Cannabis Stems

Health Line

10-07-2025

The negligible amount of THC in stems isn't worth the unpleasant effects and risks to your lungs that come with smoking.
These are wild times, so it's not that weird that you're looking at your bowl of stems and contemplating smoking them. Waste not, want not, right?
As nice as it is to reduce waste and be resourceful, smoking stems isn't the solution.
For starters, they don't contain much THC
If stems are all you have left, then you've already smoked the good stuff. Stems contain almost no THC. What little may be in there doesn't even come close to being enough to produce a high.
Smoking them can also lead to some uncomfortable side effects
Inhaling smoke harms your lungs. It doesn't matter if it's bud, seed, tobacco, or burning wood.
Toxins and carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) are released from the combustion of materials, even stems. This damages your lungs and increases your risk for cancer, heart disease, and lung disease.
Smoke effects aside, smoking stems can cause:
headache
sore throat
coughing
It'll also taste like you're smoking wood chips.
Some people on Reddit and other forums who admit to having smoked weed stems also reported uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea and abdominal pain.
What about smoking the seeds?
Nope. You shouldn't smoke those either.
Cannabis seeds aren't going to get you high, no matter how many you crush and smoke. There's just not enough THC in the seeds to produce any effects.
Lighting them up will create a lot of snap, crackle, and pop. The acrid smoke will irritate your throat and damage your lungs like other smoke. But that's about it.
You don't necessarily have to throw them out, though
Stems and seeds aren't worth smoking, but that doesn't mean they're entirely useless. You may be able to use lingering stems and seeds. Exactly whatyou can do with them depends on how many you have.
If you just have a few seeds kicking around, you could plant them and try growing your own stash (if you live in an area where this is permitted, of course).
Do you have an abundance of stems and seeds to play with? You might consider eating them. Here are some ways to make them appetizing.
Brew some stem tea
Bake the stems on a baking sheet for 45 minutes at 225°F (107°C). When done, let the stems cool, and then grind them up.
Put your ground stems in a tea diffuser and let them steep in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you don't have a diffuser, you can steep your ground stems in a pot of boiling water and then place a coffee filter over your mug and pour so it strains your brew.
Make stem butter
Bake your stems in the oven at 225°F (107°C) for 45 minutes and let them cool before grinding.
Place some butter in a pan and melt over low heat. Once the butter's completely melted, add the ground stems and let simmer for around 30 minutes, stirring often.
Cheesecloth works best to strain it. Secure the cheesecloth over a glass jar with a rubber band, and slowly pour the butter over the cloth. Let the butter cool, and voilà — stem butter!
The bottom line
Smoking weed stems and seeds won't do much other than give you a wicked headache. It's also pretty harsh on your lungs. That said, they're not a total waste, either. You can use them if you get a little creative.
Keep in mind that cannabis can be addictive for some people. If you think you might have a problem, there are a few places you can turn to for guidance or help.
Here are some options: