Are Aluminum Metal Smoking Pipes Safe To Smoke Out Of?

Smoking pipes made of metal often get a bad rep due to their negative stigma. Some metals can indeed be dangerous to human health. Some metals even emit toxic fumes when exposed to high temperatures. However, there are many non-toxic metals used to craft the very best cannabis pipes currently available. As for smoking from aluminum pipes, anodized aluminum is among one of the safest and most accessible metals to smoke from. 

For a sleeker and safer smoke, learn more about weed pipes crafted from anodized aluminum, like DART's one-hitters and metal smoke pipes. But what exactly is the difference between anodized aluminum and regular aluminum foil? And can either of these aluminum cause risk to human health? Below, we will discuss the clarifications between aluminum foil, anodized aluminum, and the official toxicity statuses of both kinds. Continue reading to learn more!

What Metals Are Safe To Smoke From? 

There is a lot of talk in the cannabis community on which metal materials are safe and which are unsafe to use when looking for a pipe that smokes weed. Research shows that several metals can harm the health of frequent smokers, such as damage to the lungs and respiratory systems. These non-biocompatible metals exhibit toxicity toward humans, primarily when they are held to heat or caught on fire. The high temperature of a flame can cause some toxic metals to emit poisonous fumes. 

However, plenty of metals exhibit no toxicity towards humans whatsoever. In fact, the modern consensus is that most of the highest quality cannabis pipes currently offered are made from various metals. But, with so many different types of metal out there, it can be challenging to remember which of them are safe to smoke with and which are toxic to use. The non-toxic metals listed below are all good materials to choose from when shopping for a metal pipe or one-hitter. 

Brass 

Brass is a metal alloy consisting of many different components, meaning that it does not occur naturally in nature. Brass metal is non-toxic to humans and emits no toxicity when exposed to a flame's heat. Brass is tough and not easily subject to wear and tear, which allows the appearance of the pipe and function to remain in good shape for a long time. 

Brass pipes are often thick and heat resistant, providing the cannabis smoker with a slow-burning bowl for more hits over an extended period. Brass is not the most commonly used material to build metal pipes, but it is a premium choice for sure. Often, brass weed pipes come made with a lid to cover the bowl's opening. 

Titanium

Extracting naturally occurring titanium dioxide from ore and processing it chemically produces titanium metal. Titanium is a biocompatible metal, meaning that it is non-toxic to humans. In addition to this metal exhibiting no toxicity, titanium is a great material for one-hitters and pipes due to its lightweight and heat-resistant nature. The only downside to titanium pipes is that they tend to dent quite easily over time. Lacking the "heavy metal" durability of other metal-made smoke pieces, titanium is a good option for a weightless portable pipe to puff on the go. 

Anodized Aluminum 

Anodized Aluminum is all the rave regarding more modern metal marijuana pipes. Many members of the cannabis community agree that the endurant, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant capabilities of anodized aluminum are unbeatable when crafting the perfect metal cannabis pipes. The innovative DART One Hitter, DART Plus, and DART Pro weed pipes are all thoughtfully crafted using anodized aluminum for the very best smoke possible.  

Whether you are a busy individual with a tight schedule or a reliable member of a local weekly smoke sesh, load up quickly and easily with DART's anodized aluminum one hitter chillums and other weed pipes.

What Metals Aren’t Safe To Smoke From?

Smoking From Anodized Aluminum VS Aluminum Foil

There are many differences between smoking out of an anodized aluminum pipe and smoking from a homemade aluminum foil pipe. Aluminum, on its own, can cause harmful effects on humans when used in the smoking process. According to a New Jersey Department of Health fact sheet discussing hazardous substances, aluminum produces poisonous gases when exposed to fire. These Aluminum Oxide fumes can cause permanent damage to those with frequent exposure to the burning foil. But if aluminum is toxic, what about anodized aluminum makes it non-toxic? And how are we able to smoke from it safely? 

Anodized aluminum pipes are non-toxic due to the anodic oxidation of each one. Anodic oxidation is an electrochemical conversion that produces a highly resistant biocompatible film on the surface of a metal. This chemical conversion allows for the non-toxic and astoundingly efficient use of anodized aluminum pipes for cannabis consumption. So when it comes to smoking with aluminum, avoid foil and become familiar with your anodized options. For the perfect metal pipe, safely sealed with chemistry, use DART's anodized aluminum weed pipes.

Nickel

As discovered by cancer research, there are hazardous compounds within nickel that are immunotoxic and carcinogenic to humans. In other words, nickel can cause illness and even cancer when consumed. Pipes made of nickel cause major risks to health, so avoid smoking from them unless the metal’s surface has undergone anodic oxidation. Smoking from an anodized nickel pipe is the only instance in which nickel should be used to consume cannabis.

Copper

Copper is not a safe metal to smoke from. When copper is introduced to high temperatures, it gives off harmful fumes and a less than desirable odor. The extended exposure or consumption of copper often results in copper poisoning. Avoid smoking from this metal altogether to prevent the presence of copper poisoning symptoms, such as headaches, diarrhea,  and in some cases, liver failure. 

Smoking Out Of Plastic: Is It Safe?

It is imperative to know that plastic is not a safe material to smoke cannabis from. The inhalation of smoke emitted from burning plastic is incredibly damaging. The plastic’s smoke and fumes contain carcinogenic contaminants that pose a great threat to human health when consumed. Whether you are thinking of smoking from a makeshift water bottle bong or a plastic one-hit pipe, consider the material’s toxicity and find a healthier alternative. 

How To Care & Maintain Your Metal Smoking Pipe

Compared to other materials such as ceramic or wood, pipes made of metal are the easiest to clean by far. But, before purchasing and owning a pipe of any kind, learning to clean a weed pipe properly is absolutely crucial. Cleaning your weed pipe thoroughly and frequently helps your lungs stay fit, and your smoke remains clean and tasty. There are two main methods for cleaning marijuana pipes. Use the soap and scrub method on pipes after each use. 

The soak, shake, and scrub method is used to deep clean glass and metal pieces monthly or more, depending on the amount of weed smoked from your pipe. Continue reading below to learn about these cleaning methods and how to practice them step-by-step on your own. 

The Daily Scrub 

Nothing is more exciting than loading your first bowl and smoking from a brand new pipe! But, even after the first bowl, your pipe has lost its brand new luster. More noticeable than its tainted appearance, unclean pipes usually give cannabis smoke a stale or undesirable taste. Allowing resin and ash residue to build up inside your chillums and pipes can severely increase the amount of tar inhaled while smoking. Which, in turn, can also decrease your high's value. And the dirtier it gets, the sicker you will feel when using it to smoke. 

To reduce the risk to your lung health, give your pipe a light sudsy scrub under the running warm water. Use a small scrub brush or DART's Cleaning Kit for a pristine shine that more than restores its brand-new luster. Lastly, shake away excess water and place the pipe in a warm, bright, and well-ventilated area until completely dry. If a pipe remains moist for too long, harmful bacteria will grow. Clean and dry your marijuana pipes after each use to ensure the best tasting and smoothest hitting smoke every time.  

The Hard Core Deep Clean

Almost all cannabis smokers own at least one filthy pipe or one hitter that deserves tough love and serious grime removal. Luckily the transformative process of deep cleaning gunky pipes is relatively simple. All you need is isopropyl alcohol, coarse salt, a container and lid, hot water, and a small scrub brush for detailed cleaning. After deep cleaning your pipes using the following method, you will hardly recognize them at the end. 

Place your pipe inside of a reasonably-sized plastic container and fill the container with isopropyl alcohol until your piece is fully submerged. Then, add a handful of course salt, close the lid, and shake the container many times to allow the alcohol and salt to enter the pipe and agitate its gunky build-up. Let your smoking piece soak for an hour before returning to shake it again. Carefully observe the pipe and repeat this process as often as it takes for most of the resin to break free from the pipe's inner walls. 

Once you finish with the soaking and shaking step of a metal pipe's deep clean, dispose of the isopropyl and rinse your piece thoroughly many times with hot water. This step is crucial because any isopropyl alcohol left behind on or in the pipe might cause issues to the skin or lungs during its next use. After rinsing it, give the pipe a final sudsy scrub and perform any small detail cleaning necessary. Remember to allow the piece to dry before putting it away fully. Once finished, you will have successfully brought a long-lost pipe back to its prime!

Perks of Cleaning DART Pipes 

The single-hit chillums and marijuana pipes from DART are ultra innovative and ease the constant struggle of keeping smoking pipes clean. With a spring-loaded ashing feature, DART weed pipes save you the trouble of clearing each of your cashed bowls. And DARTCO  maintains a sleek, uncurved design that allows easy cleaning when using a narrow, lengthy scrub brush. For even more inner gunk access, The DART Pro-marijuana pipe disassembles in several places. The pipe's capability to disassemble allows for the easy removal of built-up resin and grime packed into its inner walls. 

Non-Metal Smoking Pipes

Metal pipes are easy to clean, durable, and often sleek or discrete in appearance. However, metal pipes are far from your only option when choosing the best pipe for you and your cannabis smoking preferences. Glass, ceramic, and wood are just a few of the non-metal materials used to craft pipes for cannabis consumption. Each of these pipes owns its own set of benefits and setbacks. The descriptions below offer insight into each of these non-metal materials commonly used for producing smoking pipes, as well as the pros and cons of each kind.

Glass Pipes 

Single hit pipes made of glass are majoritively seethrough, which helps obtain a thorough clean but not quite ideal for sharing with friends. Even after just one use of your glass pipe, missing a soapy scrub is visibly apparent due to resin staining the glass and bits of ash resting in the chillum's smoking chamber. However, some glass pipe enthusiasts say that the unquestionable status of their pipe's cleanliness keeps them motivated to keep it clean after each and every use. Owning glass one-hitters might just become your new pipe preference for those who love to keep their privately used pipes ultra sparkling clean. 

Ceramic Pipes

One of the most significant benefits of ceramic chillums and pipes is their customizable potential. Ceramic weed pipes are often hand-made by talented ceramicists with artistic skill and hyper attention to detail. The result of these artisanally crafted cannabis pipes is mind-blowingly gorgeous. However, the major downside to these pieces is that they are more delicate than most other materials used to craft pipes. Most of the ceramic pipe owners I know keep the beautiful pieces displayed as decor. If you like to collect astounding pipes and bongs, look into the art of ceramic pipes for the full scoop. 

Wooden Pipes

Smoking from wooden pipes dates back farther than 2,500 years. Currently available wooden smoking pipes all share a similar distinguished look commonly associated with luxury. However magnificent the appearance, these wooden pipes often lack practicality and remain unused by most of their owners. If you are searching for an intricate pipe as high-end decor for your space, consider looking into the different types of wooden pipes in today's market. 

“Safe” Smoking Practices 

The combustion of a plant followed by one's inhalation of its smoke is medically proven to cause damage to human health over time. This smoke carries particles of the plant's tar to the lungs, which, especially for frequent smokers, can cause permanent issues to the respiratory system. This health risk is important to remember when discussing the ways to improve smoking safety. It is crucial to practice mindful safety precautions like researching cannabis and the materials used during its consumption. Remain educated on the new and changing methods of cannabis consumption so as not to miss out on even more tips for smoking as safely as possible. 

Innovative staples of the cannabis industry, such as DART co., put the work into informing the cannabis community about the risks of smoking AND offering safer alternatives to many outdated consumption methods. The DART Pro cannabis pipe was built with many special features capable of lowering the risk of lung damage while benefiting from the effects of smoking cannabis. With a built-in mesh screen and a filtration system maintained by easily replaceable and biodegradable paper filters that trap harmful tar particles during the inhalation of weed smoke. 

Learn more ways to incorporate safety into your smoking practices, further your education on substances you consume, and keep up to date with newfound research on the safest consumption methods. Additionally, consider the toxicity of something before using it to craft a makeshift pipe. When you are unsure whether the material is toxic or not, please do not risk it. Instead, do the research necessary to gain complete confidence in the material's biocompatibility. When it comes to experimenting with unfamiliar methods of smoking weed, seeking knowledge and expanding your awareness help ensure a safer smoking experience. 

Learn More from the Dart Co!

• How to Smoke Weed in Public - The Ultimate Guide for 2023
• BEST WEED PIPES FOR SMOKING IN 2023
• #1 Pipe with Built-in Weed Filter: Discover the Best Smoking Experience 
• Ultimate guide to proper bong cleaning 
• Best Weed Containers & Storage of 2023!
• Art of Packing and Smoking with Our 2023 Guide!
• The Most Efficient Ways to Smoke Weed in 2023!
• Explore 10 Smokable Herbs to Try in 2023. 
• How To Make a Pipe: 5 New Ways You Didn't Know About.
• Best Weed Pipes for Smoking in 2024 
• 3 of the Best Smell Proof Weed Canisters That You Will Find Today
• How To Use A One Hitter
• WEED & HERBS | SMOKING PIPES & ACCESSORIES