How To Roll A Joint The Right Way
There are certain rites of passage that every aspiring stoner must achieve before they can say they’ve really seen and smoked it all. I’m talking about the first time you smoke out of whatever fruit or vegetable you happen to have in your kitchen at the time. The first time you underestimate the power of a proper bong rip. And yes, the first time you roll a joint for yourself.
It can be a little tricky for many at first, but the truth is that there’s nothing to it. All it takes is a little practice and muscle memory, and you’ll be puffin’ away in no time!
Here’s What You’ll Need
Rolling Papers
When it comes to picking out the type of rolling papers you will use, there are a couple of factors to consider. The size and material of the paper are the two main elements that set your options apart from each other.
Hemp is the most common material for rolling papers. However, rice and wood pulp papers are standard as well. Raw Classic Rolling Papers and Juicy Jay’s Rolling Papers are among our most popular hemp wraps.
Regarding size, 1-1/4 size papers are the most commonly used (think of these as your standard, cigarette-length joint). But for when you need something more elevated, many brands offer a “king-size” option, which is exactly what it sounds like. These bad boys are large, loaded, and perfect for a shared group session.
Filters
Using a filter tip (sometimes referred to as a crutch) isn’t necessarily necessary, but it will make your life a lot easier. Filters are thin, cardboard-like materials that are rolled up into the mouthpiece-end of the joint. This not only helps give your joint some structure and sturdiness, but it also minimizes the amount of ash or bud you inhale when taking a pull.
You can find packs of filter material that you roll yourself or ones that are already pre-rolled and ready to, well, roll! Other options include cotton or even bamboo & reusable glass filter tips.
Grinder
When rolling a joint, having a good grinder for your herb is essential. You’ll want something with sharp, consistent grinding teeth that will evenly grind your herb without obliterating it.
A grinder with four chambers is preferable as it will also catch your kief in the bottom chamber to spice up your joints. The Santa Cruz 4-Piece Herb Grinder is a top-of-the-line grinder with a reputation for getting you the perfect grind every time.
Dry Herb
Really no explanation needed here; just grab your finest favorite bud and get to rolling! If you are in need of a stock-up, Cheeba Cheebas offers SAME DAY local delivery and can be combined with your order at Mary Jane’s HQ. To combine orders, simply leave a note with your order number from both Cheebas and MJHQ at checkout, and we’ll get it right out to ya!
How Much Weed Is In A Joint?
If you use regular or 1-¼ sized papers (the most common sizes), we’d recommend about half a gram of weed to get a nice, full joint. This will net you a good-sized joint that would give you or a couple of friends an excellent little session.
Of course, how much weed is in your joint is entirely up to you! You could use quite a bit more with king-size papers or even roll yourself smaller quick-hitter joints for on the go! To give you a standard point of reference, when you purchase pre-rolled joints at a dispensary, they usually contain one full gram of bud.
How To Roll A Joint
Grind Your Herb
Step one is to get your flower ready to roll. Make sure your cannabis is dried just right (not too moist, not too brittle), and break it down in your grinder.
If you do not have a grinder, you can use household tools like a pair of scissors to break the herb down into flakes. You will want to get the ground flakes to be a consistent, even texture and size throughout. Improperly ground weed will lead to problems like your joint not staying lit and improper airflow when you inhale.
Prepare Your Filter
Time to grab that filter! Make sure it is rolled nice and tight but with plenty of room to allow airflow if you made your own. Roll it to be roughly the size of a cigarette filter tip.
Place your pre-rolled or homemade filter at one end of the rolling paper while allowing the rest of the joint to sit open, facing up. This is the section you will fill with your herbs.
It would be helpful to lightly roll the paper and filter between your fingers so that the paper begins to form the rough shape of the joint.
Pack Your Joint
Once you have your herbs ground and your filter & paper ready to go, it’s time to pack the joint. Fill it up so that you have enough weed to pack it all in nice and tight (more on this below).
Once you have enough, pinch the joint between your fingertips and gently roll it back and forth to form the shape of the joint within the paper. Be sure to keep it as even as possible throughout.
Roll it & Keep It Tight (But Not Too Tight!)
It’s time to finish off your joint. Now that you have it loaded and formed, it’s time to roll the joint fully. Continue to roll the joint between your fingertips, making sure to pack it uniformly tight throughout. A loose, baggy joint will not smoke very nicely- but neither will one packed so tight no air can flow through it.
Roll the paper around the joint so that the edge with the glue side is the last part to be rolled. Before you have it fully rolled up, give the glue edge a lick and tightly finish off & seal the joint.
If all went well, you should have a nice, even joint in front of you! You may want to twist the open end closed to keep things neat, but that’s up to you!
Top It Off Baby
If you took our word regarding the benefits of a 4-chamber grinder above, you likely have at least a light dusting of kief in the bottom chamber of your grinder. If you really want to make your joint special, give it a very light lick (just need a little moisture, don’t soak it!) around the sides. You can then sprinkle or roll your joint in kief on it and give it a little extra potency!
Extra Credit!
Rolling Machines
If rolling your own joints sounds a little… involved for your preference, we don’t blame you. It’s not like anyone ever heard of a lazy stoner, after all. Rolling machines such as the Raw Rollers or the Zen Rolling Machine could not make rolling a joint simpler. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to bridge the effort gap.
Simply load the machine with your filter tip & herbs, close it up, and roll a paper through it from the top, and you’ve got yourself a joint in under 30 seconds!
Pre-Rolled Cones
Still too much work?? Wow, ok, fair enough. If you want to have a joint as quickly as possible with the most minimal amount of effort, you’re going to want to reach for the pre-rolled cones.
Exactly as the name implies, pre-rolled cones such as the RAW Classic Pre Rolled Cones or Vibes Cones come as an empty cone pre-rolled around a filter tip. All you gotta do is dump the weed in, pack it down, and light it up. You totally got this.