From dangerous situations to minor inconveniences, summer's heat challenges cannabis users

Summer heat is finally here, and whether you love the hot weather or are already counting down the days until fall, we all have to navigate it together. Here are three tips for cannabis users trying to make it through and stay cool.

Only you, says Smokey

Where there's smoke, there's fire, and where there's fire there can be wildfire. According to the National Interagency Fire Center and AccuWeather, smoking is the fifth-leading cause of wildfire on Forest Service lands since 2006. The last thing this region needs is to see any more of our beautiful forest burned to a crisp, and the last thing you should want is to be responsible for it the next time that inevitably happens.

If you're thinking our exceptionally wet spring will dampen the fire season this year, think again. On April 8, back when it was still cold and rainy, a brush fire on the West Plains forced evacuations. The spark? A man smoking THC oil. If you're going to be stoned in nature this summer, smoke before you go.

Protect your meltable edibles

If you ever left a candy bar in a car as a kid, you know exactly what this section is about. Chocolate and gummy edibles will start to melt around 90 degrees, a temperature the Spokane region will continue hitting all summer. Which means it's not just the hot car to be vigilant about. Anywhere outside, even in the shade, your edibles could melt, as could indoor spaces without air conditioning. Fortunately, melted edibles will remain edible after a few hours in the heat, and it won't do anything to their potency. However, longer term exposure to heat or higher temperatures, like being left in a hot car all day long, can affect the flavor and, over time, the edible's edibility itself.

Cold smoke

There's iced coffee and iced tea, so why not iced smoke? On sweltering days like those we've been having, there's no good reason to subject yourself to the pain of a big, hot bong rip. Head shops, dispensaries and even some convenience stores around the region sell ice catcher bongs, which allow users to drop a few ice cubes down the neck to cool the smoke as it is being inhaled.

Even if you don't have an ice catcher on your bong, you can still cool your cannabis smoke with ice. Just make sure to take care when sliding the ice down the neck, and do so slowly, or you'll risk breaking the downstem.