Knowing how to put a joint out to save for later might seem simple, but it requires a gentle hand and storage know-how. 

 Particularly for the lonely stoner with a taste for j’s, it’s common to want to save part of your joint for future smoking. Whether you’re pacing yourself or just not feeling it right now, the careful art of extinguishing your joint and saving it for later use is as important of a skill as rolling the joint itself. Use this article as a guide for preservation—for gently putting your joint out and storing it for later enjoyment. 

How to put a joint out to save for later

Learning the best way to save a joint for later is an essential skill in the stoner’s arsenal. There will come a time when you just don’t want to finish a joint. Whether you want a little taste or just want to smoke half, putting out your joint gently without damaging it is vital to ensuring you’ll have some left to smoke later. 

How to put a joint out

 Step 1: Lightly tap your joint to get off the excess ash. This step will leave you with a clean cherry to prevent mess when stubbing out. 

 Step 2: The next step can look a few different ways. Put out your joint by stubbing it out, lightly grazing it, or flicking off the cherry. 

 To stub out your joint, briefly press the lit end of the joint to a hard, flat surface. Continue briefly pressing the joint to the surface until the cherry is extinguished. If you do choose to stub your joint out, make sure you hold your joint close to the light end when you stub it out. This precaution will lower the risk of compromising the shape or integrity of the joint. 

 Another option for extinguishing your joint without damaging it is to graze your joint against the side of your ashtray. To effectively use the grazing method, hold the joint securely in your fingers. Turn the joint horizontally and lightly graze the lit end against the walls of your ashtray. The cherry will break apart and fall away, and you’ll be left with an extinguished joint. Grazing requires less pressure than the normal stub-out but still requires you to be gentle with your joint to avoid damage. 

Another effective method is simply flicking the cherry off the end of your joint. Hold your joint over the ashtray and lightly flick off the lit portion of your flower. Make sure to do this gently so as to not rip or damage the rest of your spliff. 

 Step 3: If you choose, or if your joint is still a little bit lit after stubbing it out, you can also leave your joint to extinguish itself. Though this method is effective, it is not the most popular approach, as the weed will continue to burn slowly while the joint goes out (which some might consider a waste of a valuable hit). 

 If you’re choosing to let the joint go out on its own, be sure to double-check that it is in a safe, non-flammable area away from pets. 

 Step four: Find a safe place to save your joint for later. While you could leave it chillin’ on your ashtray for future you, leaving your joint exposed to the elements could cause damage. Finding a decent container for your half-smoked joint will help you preserve it for whenever you’re ready to smoke it again. 

Expert Tip

If you're tired of worrying about how to put out a joint, you could consider a reusable cone. This works just like a paper joint, but it's made of metal and is easy to take on the go. 

How to save a joint for later

 While it’s not unheard of to simply leave your joint in the ashtray for later, this method leaves your joint vulnerable to air and light. As such, leaving your joint in the ashtray should be done only when you plan to come back to it quickly. Otherwise, exposing your joint to natural air and sunlight could cause damage. 

 The best way to prevent ruination by the elements is to store your joint in a container. 

 A doob tube is a thin container specifically made for holding doobies. These tubes are often made of titanium or plastic. They are designed as a discrete, portable way to transport a joint or blunt. Nevertheless, a half-smoked joint will likely shift around in the tube while you’re moving. This movement might leave the joint a little beat up, but it will remain protected from unwanted elements. 

 A glass jar, like a mason jar with a lid, will keep your joint protected from the air around it. Mason jars are known for being air-tight and, as such, will reduce your joints' exposure to oxygen, humidity, and other temperature differences that might dry out your joint. For maximum protection, look for dark or opaque glass to keep your joint out of damaging sunlight. 

How to avoid destroying your joint 

1. Hold it with purpose. When stubbing your joint out, use your fingers to support the body of the joint. Place your fingers as close to the ignited tip to avoid putting pressure on the body of the joint. Press the tip deliberately onto your hard, flat surface and support its body to avoid crumpling or damaging the joint. 
2. Use gentle pressure. Be deliberate but mindful. Recognize that your joint doesn’t have the same structural integrity as a cigarette, and adjust your pressure accordingly. 
3. Avoid plastic bags. When storing your joint for later, avoid putting it in the quintessential plastic baggie. Baggies do essentially nothing to protect your weed from the light, heat, air, and moisture. Plus, their static often pulls away valuable trichomes—which hold the terpenes and cannabinoids of the cannabis plant. 

To sum it up

Sometimes, smoking an entire joint just isn’t practical. As such, knowing how to put out a joint to save for later will prevent you from damaging your joint or leaving it for the elements to damage it for you. 

For best practice, use gentle but sturdy pressure. Whether you’re flicking off the cherry or stubbing it out, stay wary of the joint’s vulnerable structure, and avoid putting too much pressure on the body of the joint. Once it’s extinguished, find a glass or titanium container to protect your precious cargo from light, air, moisture, and other elements that might compromise your flower.