Learn How To Roll A Joint Like A Pro In 6 Quick Steps
Some call it a rite of passage, others call it a social ritual but one thing is certain, knowing how to roll a joint is a very important part of your weed journey.
Doesn’t matter if you are new to the world of marijuana or a long-time stoner who already knows their preferred strain, being able to roll a joint is like acquiring a badge of honor.
Although it definitely takes a lot of grams and rolling paper to become the unofficial joint roller for the group, you can start by learning how to roll a joint for yourself first.
Besides, knowing how to roll a joint can make your solo sessions more chilled, and it can serve as brownie points for a 420-friendly date.
But before we get to the fine art of knowing how to roll a joint, there are a few key things you need to know about joints.
What Is a Joint?
Before we talk about how to roll a joint, we need to know what it is.
A joint is cigarette-like rolled-up marijuana for consumption by smoking. It is often mistaken with spliffs and blunts, which have some differences.
Unlike a joint, which only contains marijuana, a spliff is a form of joint that contains both cannabis and tobacco, and a blunt is a cigar that is emptied of its tobacco content and filled with cannabis.
What Makes a Good Joint?
Before you get to roll a joint, you need the following three things; the right strain, the best rolling paper, and a good crutch.
The Crutch
A crutch is any small tube-like mouthpiece that is placed at the beginning of a joint and it can be made with thin cardboard or thick paper.
The main purpose of a crutch is to keep the weed away from your mouth while smoking so it sort of filters the content of the joint and ensures that only the smoke is passed.
You don’t want to stop mid-smoke to deal with a piece of crushed weed that escaped from the joint to your tongue.
The Rolling Paper
Using the right material and size of rolling paper for a joint helps you manage the weed quantity and the ease of rolling the joint.
It can also determine how many people would ideally get a satisfactory hit from the joint. Depending on the material of the rolling paper, you also get a better or worse flavor experience from your chosen strain.
The most common materials for rolling papers include rice straw, hemp, and cigarillo wraps (made from tobacco leaves), with hemp papers like the Raw Hemp Classic Rolling Paper as the more popular choice because of the bonus of an entirely cannabis-derived joint.
There are also flavored rolling papers made from hemp paper and flavoring like the Juicy Jay Flavored Rolling Papers, which have over 15 flavors, to add an extra dash of enhancement to your strain.
Sizes of rolling paper also range from the single wide, which is perfect for beginners, to king slim, a great fit for pros.
Most experienced stoners and smokers already know their preferred material and size of rolling paper but, seeing as you are just learning to roll a joint, it is advisable to use hemp paper.
The Strain
Cannabis is the main character in a joint. The cannabis flower is ground up to fill a joint and you can use a grinder, which is easier and faster, or you can use your fingers to loosen up the flower and get rid of seeds.
There are hundreds of cannabis strains and, for a joint, you can simply use the cannabis flowers of your chosen strain. But, to pack a harder punch, some consumers add cannabis concentrates like kief or oils to their joint before rolling it up.
If you want to buy weed in Canada, you can check out our online dispensary to find a strain that suits what you need or you can make your choice from our recommended strains.
The most important thing when picking out a strain for your first joint is the quantity. It is always advisable to start with a small amount to make it easy to roll.
A joint should typically contain only about 0.3 grams of weed but the good thing is, when you learn to roll and you understand your ‘high’ and overall experience better, you can decide the volume and elements of your joint.
Now that you know what goes into a joint, let’s get to the part where you actually roll the weed.
How To Roll a Joint
Ready to make your first hand-made joint?
Here’s what you need:
- Cannabis flowers (a strain of your choice)
- Grinder
- Rolling tray (optional -you can use a clean flat surface or regular tray)
- Rolling papers
- Crutch
- Chopsticks or similar-shaped items (read on to find out why)
And now for the actual instructions:
Step 1: Start By Grinding
If you are using a grinder, place the cannabis in the top part (with the short spikes) and crush the flowers to transform them to an even consistency.
But you have to be careful because, if your weed turns out too well-ground, it can make it difficult to light and smoke.
At the same time, if it remains too coarse, you may have to deal with canoeing, which is when the joint doesn’t burn evenly.
If you are using your fingers, grind the cannabis flowers with your fingers till the seeds drop and they feel somewhat smooth.
Step 2: Position The Crutch
To make your crutch, fold a ½ inch rectangular piece of thin cardboard or thick paper into a cylindrical shape to form a tube.
Then take your rolling paper between two fingers of one hand and use the other hand to place the crutch at either end of the paper while holding the paper firmly, or lay the paper on the rolling tray to make the placement easier, and form the mouthpiece of the joint.
The position of the crutch should be within ⅓ of the paper away from the adhesive side, with the adhesive side of the paper facing upright or facing you, like a burrito before it gets wrapped.
Step 3: Fill In The Cannabis
Starting from where your crutch stops in the paper, sprinkle the ground weed evenly on the rolling paper with the hand that is not holding the paper.
You can use your hand to move the weed into place and ensure that it follows the same line from the crutch but don’t worry if some fall out (you’ll get back to them shortly).
Step 4: Roll It Up!
If burritos are your munchies of choice, you should have the visuals to help with this part. Using the thumbs and index fingers on both of your hands, pinch down the paper to cover the crutch on one end and tuck the rest of that side to cover the weed.
Then roll it forward towards the adhesive side of the paper while shuffling the weed to make it more even and cylindrical. Lightly -emphasis on lightly- lick or wet the adhesive to activate the gum and then slowly seal the joint.
Step 5: Quantity Check
You can use a pen or chopstick to press down on your joint and ensure that the weed is packed towards the mouthpiece. If you had any weed fall out during step 3, you can add them back into the joint at this step.
Alternative to the pen method, you can hold down the crutch/mouthpiece part of the joint and lightly hit it on the rolling tray or a flat surface to move the weed downwards.
Step 6: Close It Off and Light It Up!
Lightly but firmly twist the open end of your rolling paper to seal and secure your joint.
Once it feels firm, nice, and looks smokeable, you’re off to a great start with your first joint!
And if you aren’t sure about how to light it up, here’s a quick guide:
How To Light a Joint
- Direct the ignited lighter to the twisted end of the joint.
- Ensure that the fire rounds the area.
- Keep the fire on for a few seconds to get an even burn.
- Inhale and enjoy!
There you have it, a great first joint all set for a quick session.
Recap
- Knowing how to roll a joint is an art -don’t rush it.
- The right paper, crutch, and strain are what make a joint great!
- Lick the adhesive lightly, don’t wet it too much or it won’t seal.
Conclusion
Remember that your first joint doesn’t have to be perfect (though you can get lucky enough if you are a natural at rolling weed) -no one expects you to know how to roll a cross joint or a pinner joint just yet!
If this is your very first time trying weed, you can check out our recommendations of the best songs to add to your perfect high.
At BudExpressNow, we offer all the essentials that you need to learn how to roll a joint.
In addition to our vast catalog of cannabis flower strains, we offer concentrates to give your joint that extra ‘oomph!’ and transform your experience.
