A chillum is an ancient (and very fun) way to smoke cannabis that dates back thousands of years. Simple, elegant, and timeless, it’s a tool that couldn’t be easier to use. Below, learn everything there is to know about chillums, including:
- What’s the difference between a chillum and a pipe?
- What can you smoke in a chillum?
- How do you use a chillum?
We answer these questions and more, along with the chillum’s history and cultural significance in cannabis.
What Is a Chillum?
Most of the cannabis accessories you use today are fairly new. After all, it’s hard to imagine merchants in an ancient Middle Eastern hookah den firing up a new silicone dab rig with a tight-etched quartz banger. But cannabis and hash have a long and storied history, and before there were water pipes, rolling papers, or blown-glass hand pipes, there was the chillum.
At its simplest, a chillum is a slender, conical pipe with a mouthpiece on the narrow end and a chamber on the wider end for holding a small amount of cannabis or hash. Its use dates back to 1700s India, though it may be even older, as the history of cannabis cultivation is rooted in the Indian subcontinent, and it dates back at least 2,000 years.
As cannabis and hash became popular commodities, the chillum spread west alongside them. It has been used in Africa since at least the 19th century when King Mtesa of Buganda—inside present-day Uganda—owned a particularly renowned chillum carved from ivory.
But the chillum’s greatest fame came closer to home. When the Rastafarian religion first arose in 1930s Jamaica, the chillum became an indispensable part of celebrations and the meetings known as “reasoning sessions.”
Is a Chillum the Same as a Pipe or Bong?
Aren’t chillums the same as one-hitters? Sort of. But while they serve similar purposes, a one-hitter typically comes as a wooden or bamboo “cigarette,” often packaged in a little “dugout” box designed to hold a small amount of weed. A chillum is not only more cone-shaped, but it’s usually made of clay or some other ceramic. These materials lend themselves to decoration in the form of delicate filigree or curved, swooping lines.
While chillums can be quite compact compared to standard pipes—measuring only a few inches from bowl to mouthpiece—longer ones serve a dual purpose. First, the increased surface area allows for greater artistic license regarding decorative touches. Second, a longer draw tube gives the smoke a chance to cool somewhat before it’s inhaled.
One question we’re often asked at our dispensaries is: “What’s better, a bong or a chillum?” While they’re both ancient cannabis-smoking devices—the bong can trace its origins to the shisha, another device that dates back at least to 18th-century India—there are crucial differences between the two.
While the chillum is designed to be portable, a bong isn’t. Even the most compact bong involves a water chamber, and if you’ve ever spilled used bong water on anything, you know it’s pretty much game over for whatever it touches.
Functionally, a bong does something fundamentally different than a chillum. Since it uses a water chamber as a filter, the smoke from a bong is somewhat smoother and gentler than that inhaled from a chillum or other hand pipe. That said, neither approaches the gentle smoothness of the cooling mist emitted by a modern vaporizer.
What Can You Smoke With a Chillum?
If you love interacting with fresh, fragrant cannabis flower, there are few better ways than with a chillum. Since the design is so simple, it’s a great way to get up close and personal with your herb.
Here’s what you can smoke when using a chillum:
- Flower: Cannabis flower is the first and most natural choice for smoking through a chillum. Simply break off a fragrant little nug and place it carefully within the chillum’s hollowed-out end. While grinding it fine is best for joints and pipes with screens, you may find that keeping your flower whole prevents burning flower from being drawn through the pipe. Of course, everyone has their preference; try both, and let us know which technique works best for you.
- Hash: While hash may lack the extreme potency of modern concentrates, it’s an incredibly flavorful and exotic-tasting smoke, and its history is inextricably linked with that of the chillum. In ancient India, chillums were used to smoke charas, the primitive (but flavorful) hand-rubbed hash made before wire sieves ushered in the modern age of hash production. Today, you can replicate the experience by breaking or slicing off a tiny chunk of hash to pack into the bowl of your chillum. Remember that it’s quite potent, so go slow and draw gently.
How to Use a Chillum: Step-by-Step Guide
Now we come to the fun part: how to use a chillum. To get started, you’ll need a chillum, some flower or hash, and a source of fire.
Step 1
Pinch or break off a small amount of flower or hash and pack it into the bowl. You’ll want a reasonably tight fit, but not so much that it impedes airflow.
Step 2
If you want to enjoy a traditional chillum experience, hold the chillum vertically in one hand and slide the mouthpiece between your pinkie and ring fingers of the other one. Then, cup both hands together to form an airtight “cavern,” as though you’re warming your hands in the cold. The chillum should look like a chimney sticking up from your cupped hands if done correctly.
Step 3
Prepare for ignition! If you have a friend handy, ask them to spark up the bowl for you. If not, carefully bring a lit match or lighter to the bowl and start drawing. You may be able to get a fire going before returning your hands to the “cavern” shape before drawing. If not, don’t sweat it. You can still draw through it like a one-hitter or hand pipe.
How to Clean and Maintain Your Chillum
Since it’s such a simple tool, a chillum hardly requires maintenance. However, to ensure optimal performance, it should be cleaned regularly with a moistened swab or a pipe cleaner soaked in isopropyl alcohol.
If resin deposits are truly stubborn, try the salt-washing technique:
- Place your chillum in a resealable plastic bag
- Add enough coarse salt to surround it
- Pour in enough rubbing alcohol or white vinegar to submerge the pipe completely
- Seal the baggie, then start gently rubbing the salt and alcohol mixture around the chillum with your fingers until the majority of the resin has been scraped off
- Allow the chillum to soak for a couple of hours before removing it, agitating the bag periodically
- Rinse with water and allow it to air-dry
Note: Clay chillums can be fragile, so be gentle with this cleaning technique. Quick but regular cleanings will save you from having to do more intensive ones later.
Ready to Try a Chillum for Yourself?
When it comes to genuinely ancient ways to enjoy cannabis or hash, you can’t beat a traditional chillum. Simple to understand and use, it’s similar in spirit to the modern “one-hitter.” Using a chillum isn’t vastly different from using any other hand pipe, though you can try making the classic “cavern” shape with your hands to enjoy a more traditional experience.
You can find the best chillums at a Mission dispensary closest to you, along with water pipes and every other kind of accessory you can imagine to enjoy cannabis, hash, and more.
Want to deepen your cannabis knowledge even further? Check out our cannabis blog, where you’ll find in-depth articles on all aspects of cannabis culture, from hot new strains to the science behind the plant to fun how-to guides on how to make your own cannabis edibles.
If you still have questions about chillums, the best chillum techniques, or any other cannabis-related questions, visit any of our dispensary locations and ask your friendly budtender for more information. See you soon!
