Roll a Joint

Smoking marijuana joints is one of the most popular methods to consume cannabis. Passing a joint is part of the social aspect of cannabis use and learning to roll the traditional way is a cultural initiation for many people. Rolling a joint may be a highly personal, delicate process, but with just a few easy actions, even an inexperienced user can produce their own. Continue reading to learn about the art of rolling marijuana cigarettes.

What is a joint?

A joint is a hand-rolled cannabis cigarette that’s typically smoked by one person. Some dispensaries provide prerolls, or joints rolled in-store for customers to purchase, saving time. A spliff is a cannabis joint with both marijuana and tobacco fillings, whereas a cigar hollowed out and filled with cannabis is a blunt. Rolling cannabis in the same kind of thick, dark tobacco papers used for cigars might produce blunts.

What you need to roll a joint

You’ll need the following items to roll a cannabis joint:

• Cannabis, usually about a third of a gram per joint
• Grinder
• Rolling tray
• Rolling papers (more below)
• Filter or crutch, or material to make one (more below)
• Chopstick, pen, or similarly shaped item

To make a joint, you’ll need your favorite cannabis strain, a grinder, a rolling tray, joint paper, and a filter/crutch.

How to roll a joint step-by-step

Time needed: 5 minutes.

Grind the cannabis

Begin by grinding the flower with a grinder. A grinder ensures a smoother, more uniform smoke by producing consistent size and texture. If you don’t have a grinder, use your fingers to pick the bud apart. Take care not to damage the cannabis trichomes while removing any stems or seeds, and make the pieces as similar in size as possible.

Make a crutch

Although pre-made crutches may be used as the mouthpiece of a joint, most smoke shops sell them already built. While crutches aren’t required, they do help to strengthen the mouthpiece and make holding a joint simpler. Crutches also improve the airflow through a joint and minimize the risk of your lips burning or inhaling marijuana fragments while smoking.

Grab a piece of thick paper or cardstock and cut off a rectangular strip about half an inch wide (¾ inch if you’re using king-size papers). Fold the majority of the material into an accordion form, then wrap the final bit of paper around the accordion part. Business cards are also excellent for making crutches. Crutches made of glass and wood are excellent alternatives to paper and can be found in tobacco shops, head shops, and some dispensaries.

Crutches are known by a variety of names, including tips or filters. They’re sometimes referred to as roaches, although that term refers to the last remaining burned section of a smoked herb.

Load the joint

Lay the rolling paper on the tray with the adhesive side facing you. Sprinkle marijuana over the paper in a row parallel to the crutch, then place the crutch where you want the mouthpiece to be. Spray cannabis evenly throughout the joint and avoid jamming it full of flowers.

To make a cone joint, sprinkle less cannabis near the mouthpiece and more toward the tip, tapering away as you proceed.

Roll the joint

It’s time to get started. Pick up the cannabis-filled paper, making sure the adhesive-coated side is away from you. Pinch the paper into a taco shape with your thumbs and index fingers, sifting the paper back and forth to distribute the bud evenly and compact it down a bit. It’s fine if some flower falls out; you can put it back in later. Work the cannabis into a cylinder form without letting it fall out too freely or severely restricting air flow.

To make a joint, start by rolling the weed on the non-adhesive side of the rolling paper. Tuck in the bud as you go and roll it towards the adhesive side with your thumbs. Support the outside with your index fingers and roll using your thumbs. Start at one end of the sticky adhesive and seal the joint bit by bit as needed or desired.

When the lid is on, grab a chopstick, pen, or another long, cylindrical object to push down the cannabis towards the mouthpiece. This is where you can put any marijuana that may have fallen out during rolling.

Seal the deal

To finish, curl the remaining paper around the joint to seal everything tight.

Enjoy!

Finally, it’s time to light up your joint and breathe through the mouthpiece. Have fun!

How to choose rolling papers

Rolling papers are usually constructed of fibers obtained from non-wood sources such as flax, hemp, sisal, rice straw, esparto grass (a hard vegetation), and others. The best rolling paper for a joint is something that each individual prefers. Cannabis smokers who smoke pipes and spliffs frequently have their own preferred rolling paper. Preferences may be influenced by how easily a smoker feels he or she can work with a specific type of paper when rolling joints, the flavor of the smoke, or how well a smoker thinks certain types burn.

Hemp rolling papers are popular among cannabis consumers, since they ensure that the entire joint is a cannabis-derived product. Some marijuana smokers prefer to use cigarillo wraps — which are made from tobacco leaves — to roll and smoke blunts.

When it comes to picking the best material for your joint paper, it’s a balancing act. You’d want the thinnest paper possible so that the amazing strain you’ve chosen can be seen. However, if you’re learning to roll, an ultra-thin paper isn’t ideal. As a result, start with a hemp paper that is simple to work with. After that, try rice papers that burn slowly and smoothly. Clean smoking papers such as ultra-thins are at their finest when used by expert smokers but they shred in the hands of novices.

Another alternative is flavored paper. Just be sure it fits with your chosen strain and isn’t packed with chemicals.

Rolling papers come in a variety of materials and sizes. The following are the most popular options:

• Single wide — the joint version of a table for one
• 1¼-inch — a popular size, makes a joint for up to a trio of smokers
• 1½-inch — larger than a regular cigarette, seats a party of four
• Double wide — not that popular, high paper-to-weed ratio
• King — bigger and longer burning, handles a party of five easily
• King slim — as long as a King, as wide as a 1¼-inch, best left to experienced rollers

You may also save time by buying just some cone-rolling papers — pre-rolled cone-shaped papers with a filter already in place — and dropping in some bud, twisting the end to close, and lighting up.

Tips for easier joint-rolling

• Select the proper paper size. While king-size may appear simple, it’s in fact quite difficult. On the other side of the spectrum, single-wide is equally as problematic. Until you’ve mastered 1¼-inch paper, most experts recommend starting with that size.
• Consider how thickly you want to roll it. Rolling a great doobie is within the capabilities of anybody with a good paper source and some rolling experience. However, if you’re just getting started, stick with a thicker paper. Hemp papers are excellent choices as well. You may eventually work your way up to something so thin that it’s barely perceptible after enough practice.
• Start with the crutch. Firmly grip the filter end between your index finger and thumb. It gives the whole thing stability, puts your hand in the proper position, and serves as a good starting point to wrap your arm around.
• Take it easy. Before you start rolling, study the row of cannabis in the newspaper. Is it distributed evenly? Did you wiggle the paper back and forth to compact it a bit? If not, take some time to adjust before beginning.
• Don’t commit too soon. After you’ve rolled, don’t immediately lick and seal the joint. If you haven’t found the right spot after rolling, unroll and try again. Even if you waste paper and need another one, it’s preferable to having the entire thing come apart while smoking or passing it.
• Lick with a light touch. There’s no need to slobber all over the thing or, heaven forbid, eat the whole joint when you’re ready to seal your connection. Just a little moisture along the glue strip will enough to close up the gap.
• Twist and squeeze. After you’ve filled your joint with cannabis and rolled it up tightly, give the paper at the open end a little twist and push it gently. This will seal in the bud and ensure that it’s well-packed to burn evenly when you fire it up.
• Practice. It takes some practice to get the hang of rolling a perfect joint. Don’t be afraid to sit down with a few papers and roll until it feels more natural for you. Perhaps try it on your own before offering to roll for a crowd. Have some patience and you’ll be creating joint art in no time!