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The unwritten social etiquette rule of taking two puffs and passing a joint to the next person in a circle.
Puff puff pass is the foundational social rule of sharing cannabis in a group setting. The etiquette is simple: take two puffs from the joint, blunt, or pipe, then pass it to the next person in the circle. This ensures that everyone gets an equal share without any one person holding onto the cannabis for too long.
The rule likely developed organically in cannabis circles as a practical solution to fair sharing. When cannabis is expensive or limited, having a clear social contract about rotation ensures nobody is left out. The two-puff guideline strikes a balance between getting enough to feel the effects and not monopolizing the communal supply. The direction of passing (typically to the left, sometimes called left is law) adds another layer of structure to the ritual.
Additional social norms have developed around the puff puff pass framework. Do not hold the joint while telling a long story (called babysitting or bogarting). Do not wet the end of the joint with saliva (called fish-lipping). Corner the bowl when smoking a pipe so everyone gets a green hit. And the person who rolled the joint or packed the bowl traditionally gets the first hit (called roller's rights). While these rules are informal, they reflect the cannabis community's emphasis on sharing, respect, and communal enjoyment.