Spots

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Spots (also known as spotting, blades, dots or hot knives) is a method of smoking cannabis, where small pieces of the plant (dots or spots) are placed between two very hot knives, squeezed together and the smoke produced is inhaled. Alternatively, hashish or hash oil can be spotted, though this practice is less commonplace than spotting plant material. The term spotting is native to New Zealand and perhaps Australia, in other parts of the world it is known as Hot-kniving.

[edit] Technique

The knives are generally handled (driven) by a person other than the smoker, who inhales the smoke usually through the mouthpiece of a funnel-like vessel (spottle, bowser or hooter) of some description - commonly a plastic or glass bottle with the bottom removed. However, some people will drive spots to themselves, which affords the added danger of having hot knives near their lips.

Care should be taken to not touch the edges of a bottle with the hot knives when a plastic spottle has been chosen. Vapours emitted by burnt or melted plastic are highly dangerous and carcinogenic.

Spotting knives are easily recognisable, owing to the discolouration they sustain as a result of consistent, long-term exposure to heat. Often, the switch-blade handles are wrapped in insulation tape to minimise heat transferring up the handles, and to reduce the risk of burns to the driver. The most common heat source for spotting knives is a stove-top element. Other heating methods include gas cookers and gas heaters; indeed any other heating device with a grill in which the knives can sit safely can be used when enjoying spots. Toasters are not recommended as this can cause serious injury or death by electrocution.

Note the use of a flattened spoon to reflect heat from the elements back onto the spotting knives. This heat-trapping technique is considered by some to be the mark of a connoisseur. Conversely, many consider it to be unnecessary and an added inconvenience although with a ceramic (flat-topped stove) the reflector serves a useful purpose (Note: ceramic-topped stoves are very easy to scratch and, as such, it is recommended that they be used only where there is no alternative - assuming that "not smoking at all" is an unpalatable alternative).

Also note the knives are "weaved" under the second outermost coil of the element. The effectiveness of this technique is debateable, proponents would argue this ensures maximum heat transfer from the element to the knives, by ensuring a large area of contact with the heating element and it holds the knives firmly in place. But the movement caused by withdrawing and replacing knives may result in occasional visits to your local hardware store to replace the elements as the continual activity will inevitably cause scratching which can increase the resistance of the heating coil. This increased resistance combined with heat can cause the heating element to fail and breakdown but second-hand elements can normally be attained for a modest amount.

[edit] Social implications

Spots are widely regarded to be one of the most minor members of the pantheon of cannabis smoking techniques. Offering someone a spot is sometimes considered parsimonious, though this is notably not the case with students, where low incomes predicate the preservation of marijuana supplies - only a small amount of material is required to make a spot.

It is generally considered that the intensity of the psychoactive effects of spotted cannabis is proportionally greater than the amount of cannabis actually used. This is due to the fact that fewer of the psychoactive THC molecules are destroyed, as the cannabis is as much vapourised as it is burned. Accordingly, some users expound the virtues of having the elements at a moderate heat rather than at the highest heat possible (the default setting). The belief being that a lower heat causes the THC to vapourise whilst the residual plant matter is left behind. Nevertheless, the vast majority of users favour the higher heat as it leaves no doubt that every molecule has been "taken to the head". The "high" attained from spots may be distinguished from the majority of other forms of cannabis consumption by the fact that the cannabis is primarily vapourised rather than being burned (cf joints, bongs etc). Consequently, the "high" experienced can be described as more "trippy", more "intense" and more cerebral. Because of the small amount of cannabis involved (1 gram will result in 10-20 spots) it is easy to underestimate the powerful effects that can result. Nevertheless, as with all forms of cannabis use, an "adverse" reaction can be minimised by fresh air, a glass of orange juice and good company.