Spoon pipes are a traditional way of smoking medicinal herbs. Legal medicinal herbs and herbs prescribed by a naturopathic doctor can be smoked out of rolled paper, but inhaling burned paper has negative health effects. Smoking from a clean spoon pipe prevents you from inhaling anything except your medication.
Pick a spoon pipe made from glass, wood, or metal. Metal pipes hold heat and can sometimes burn your hand, while wooden pipes will decay over time from use. Both of these have health hazards associated with them. Glass pipes can be cleaned, will not wear down with use, and do not expel chemicals for you to inhale.
Smoke only legal herbs and herbs prescribed by a naturopathic doctor. Herbs such as lavender can be smoked for medicinal reasons.
Grind your herbs with a mortar and pestle or an herb grinder into small pieces half the size of a pea. Grinding the herb to a dust will cause you to inhale it, and larger pieces will not burn evenly.
Fill the bowl of the spoon pipe with your ground herb. Fill the bowl 3/4 of the way full, then push the herb down into the bowl gently with your thumb.
Hold the pipe in your left hand. Cover the hole on the side of the bowl (the carb) with your thumb, holding the bowl with your other fingers.
Place the hole at the end of the stem of the pipe to your mouth. Light your lighter with your right hand and place it near the bowl of the pipe, inhaling gently. The herb will light and burn when the flame hits it.
Turn off the lighter and remove your thumb from the carb. Inhale the smoke that has collected in the pipe. Fresh air will follow, clearing the pipe.
Hold your breath for a few seconds to allow medicinal herbs to enter your lungs and blood stream. Exhale through your mouth and inhale a new breath of fresh air.
Stop smoking when the herb in your spoon pipe turns to ash. Tap the ash out gently by tapping the plastic end of the lighter to the bottom of the bowl and then refill your pipe. Clean your pipe with hot water after every use.