What is a Marijuana Grinder & How Do You Use It?

Do you dream of rolling the perfect joint? This rolling-rite-of-passage is within your reach in a few easy steps with the aid of a joint roller, which can give you the perfectly rolled joint every time. Find out more about the simple, yet ingenious device and how to use a joint rolling machine.

What is a Joint Roller?

A joint roller is a small device that helps you roll a uniform joint, since it distributes the cannabis evenly in a rolling paper. Joint rollers are made from metal or plastic and have a holding chamber and two rollers in a frame. The device is ideal if you haven’t yet developed the skills or patience for hand-rolling or if you want to quickly crank out a couple of joints.

What are the Different Types of Joint Rollers?

Joint rollers come in various designs and sizes that cater to different needs and preferences. Here are the four most common types of joint roller machines:

• Thumb rollers, or manual rolling machines, are the most common and budget-friendly.  
• Injectors, also called rolling machines, load cannabis into empty cigarette tubes. 
• Cone fillers are also an injector, which adds ground cannabis to pre-rolled cones. 
• Electric rollers automate the rolling process. Press the button, and the automatic joint roller does the rest.

What Materials Do You Need? 

Here are the materials you need before you start rolling: 

• Cannabis flower
• A grinder
• A filter (optional)
• Rolling paper

How to Use a Joint Roller [6 Steps]

Wondering how to roll a joint with a joint roller? Follow these 6 easy steps to roll the perfect cannabis joint:

Step 1: Grind the Flower 

Use a grinder to break down 0.5 to 1.5 grams of cannabis flower into a fine, even consistency.

Step 2: Load the Joint Roller 

Open the rolling machine and evenly spread the ground cannabis in the holding chamber. Don’t overfill the chamber if you need to leave space for the filter. Plus, overfilling the joint with cannabis results in an uneven burn.  

Step 3: Add the Filter (Optional)

If you want to use a crutch or filter tip, place it at the end of the groove. The filter acts as a mouthpiece, preventing the cannabis from falling out.

Step 4: Close the Rollers

Close the rollers and turn them toward you a few times to pack the cannabis snugly in the joint space. 

Step 5: Insert the Paper

Insert a rolling paper with the adhesive strip at the top and facing you between the rollers.

Step 6: Roll the Joint

Roll the closest roller toward you so the paper can wrap around the cannabis. Continue rolling until you can see only the adhesive strip. Lick the glue strip and complete the roll to seal the joint. Open the roller and remove your joint.

Expert Tips for Using a Joint Roller

Want to ensure you get the most out of your rolling machine? Follow these top expert tips:

• Spend the Money - Investing in a quality joint roller ensures durability and a better roll than a cheap machine. A device with vinyl rolling sheaths rolls either too tightly or unevenly, causing the joint to canoe and making it challenging to draw. A high-quality roller will close firmly, preventing your cannabis from flying out with a loose close. 
  
  
• Don’t Overfill - It’s difficult to close the roller when it’s overfilled with cannabis. Plus, it may tear the paper, meaning you’ll have to start at step 2 again. 
  
  
• Choose the Right Papers - The machine can only roll joints with a rolling paper that matches its size. Talk to your budtender if you’re unsure about the right paper for your joint roller.

FAQs About Joint Roller Machines

If you have more questions about joint roller devices, check out these frequently asked questions from other canna-connoisseurs:

What size joint will a roller make? 
Joint roller machines can make a standard 1¼”, 5” (blunt-sized), or king-sized joint.       

Do I need filters or tips for a roller? 
You don’t need to use a filter with a joint rolling machine. However, a crutch or filter tip can improve the structure of the joint and prevent the cannabis from falling out of the joint or entering your mouth.  

Does the roller compact the joint tight enough? 
The roller can compact the joint tight enough, but this depends on the user and how evenly the cannabis is spread in the groove.  

Are joint rollers reusable?
Absolutely! You can use your joint roller over and over again. 

Are joint rollers easy to use for beginners?
Joint rolling devices streamline the rolling process, making them ideal for beginners.

Using a Joint Roller

Making a joint with a joint roller is quick and easy, whether you are a seasoned cannabis enthusiast or new to the scene. Experiment with different materials and techniques to find what works best for you, or chat with your budtender if you have more questions. Happy rolling! 

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Please consume responsibly. This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.  State laws impact what dispensaries can and can’t sell to recreational customers and medical marijuana patients. Not every type of product, consumption method, dosage form, or potency mentioned on this blog will be permitted in all locations.

If you’re a cannabis connoisseur, you know all about how blunts are an OG classic with their own culture. Or, you may be new to the scene and wonder “what is a blunt?”. In this guide, you’ll learn everything there is to know about blunts, blunt wraps, and the differences between blunts, joints, and spliffs.

What is a Blunt?

A blunt is a marijuana roll made with hemp wraps or tobacco wrappers. Consumers may also hollow out little cigars or cigarillos and replace all the tobacco content with crushed cannabis, and this is how blunts used to be smoked in the mid-1800s¹.

There are various theories about why blunts became so popular at the time. One theory suggests that people in the Caribbean at that time had to get creative about how they smoked cannabis because the tools cannabis enthusiasts have today - e.g. pipes, bongs, etc. - weren’t available then. Other theories propose that blunts allowed people to smoke more marijuana at once, and the cigar wrappers helped mask the smell of the herb. The use of a cigar wrapper also added to the flavors when smoking a cannabis-filled blunt.

Why is it Called a Blunt?

In the late 19th century, companies started making rolled cigars using one leaf or a continuous wrap, which had a rounded, broad tip. These cigars were called blunt cigars to distinguish them from their cousin cigars with a tapered, pointed tip. Pennsylvania became the blunt-making hub, with brands like Phillies, White Owl, and Dutch Masters producing these machine-made cigars.

In today’s cannabis culture, a blunt refers to marijuana rolled inside tobacco paper, a hollowed-out cigar, or hemp wrap. If you are purchasing a blunt from your local, state-licensed dispensary, these products will be almost exclusively wrapped in hemp paper.

What is a Blunt Wrap?

Blunt aficionados know choosing the right wrap is at the heart of the blunt experience. So, a blunt wrap refers to the wrapping material used to make a marijuana blunt. The wrap can be made from multiple tobacco leaves, a single leaf, herbal blends, flavored paper, or hemp. 

A blunt wrap can also be made from glass, and glass blunts (as they’re called) are reusable smoking devices that mimic the traditional blunt-smoking experience. Similarly to self-rolling, glass blunts put you in the power seat as you control how much cannabis goes in the blunt.

Do Blunts Have Nicotine?

The nicotine in “traditional” blunts is present in the wrapping material (the cigar leaves) since the filling is cannabis, not tobacco. For example, if a blunt is made using a cigar wrapper, the total nicotine content² ranges between 1.2 milligrams to 6 milligrams per cigar. However, if you buy a blunt at a cannabis dispensary, it won’t contain nicotine since these products are rolled in hemp leaves or non-tobacco wraps.

Blunts vs Joints: What’s the Difference?

Blunts and joints require rolling cannabis to smoke it, but different rolling or wrapping materials are used. Blunts are a cannabis flower rolled in tobacco leaf, cigar, cigarillo wraps, or hemp leaves. However, joints require the cannabis to be rolled in a light rolling paper made from hemp, rice, wood pulp, or flax. These flavored or colored rolling papers can be in loose-leaf or cone form. The rolling/wrapping paper affects the overall experience and flavor.

Joints and blunts also look different. Blunts are bigger, burn slower, and hold more cannabis, so they are more potent. Joints may also have a crutch or filter that keeps the cannabis in the joint and not in your mouth. 

Blunts vs Spliffs: What’s the Difference?

The main difference between blunts and spliffs is what’s inside. While spliffs are rolled using rolling paper, similar to joints, the contents contain a mix of marijuana and tobacco. Consumers can adjust the ratio of cannabis to tobacco, and spliffs usually have more tobacco than a blunt.

A blunt may contain tobacco and cannabis, but that depends on the wrap. Hemp-wrapped blunts, for example, only contain cannabis, while cigar-wrapped blunts contain small amounts of tobacco.

FAQs About Blunts

Your budtender can answer all your blunt-related questions, but if you can’t wait, here are a few questions consumers frequently ask:

Can I roll my own blunts?

You can totally roll your own blunts, but there’s a bit of a learning curve if you are new to rolling. Follow an easy “how to roll a blunt” guide, ask your buddies for help, and keep practicing until you perfect the blunt-rolling process.

How much marijuana is in a blunt?

A blunt typically contains 1.5 times³ the amount of cannabis as a joint does. So, if a joint contains between 0.5 grams and 1 gram of marijuana, a blunt will have 0.75 grams to 1.5 grams of cannabis, but it can contain more.

Are blunts stronger than pre-rolls?

A blunt can be more potent than a pre-roll because they simply contain more cannabis flower. However, the potency is always going to depend on the type of flower used. That being said, infused pre-rolls can be stronger than blunts as they contain both flower and a concentrate.

Purchasing Blunts

You can buy blunts at most dispensaries in the country. They stock sativa and indica-dominant blunts with a range of flavor profiles so you can find the product you prefer most. Or, chat with your budtender to help you find what’s right for you.

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Sources

1. “The Tightly-Rolled History of the Blunt,” thrillist.com, August 21, 2020, https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/what-is-a-blunt-history-origins-timeline

2. “Does marijuana "blunt" smoking contribute to nicotine exposure?: Preliminary product testing of nicotine content in wrappers of cigars commonly used for blunt smoking,” pubmed.com, September 9, 2016, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27639129/

3. “Blunts versus joints: Cannabis use characteristics and consequences among treatment-seeking adults,” National Library of Medicine, March 14, 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6467739/

Use of Marijuana Concentrate may lead to: Psychotic symptoms and/or Psychotic disorder (delusions, hallucinations, or difficulty distinguishing reality); Mental Health Symptoms/Problems; Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) (uncontrolled and repetitive vomiting); Cannabis use disorder/dependence, including physical and psychological dependence.   Please consume responsibly. This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.  State laws impact what dispensaries can and can’t sell to recreational customers and medical marijuana patients. Not every type of product, consumption method, dosage form, or potency mentioned on this blog will be permitted in all locations. 

Pre-rolls are one of the most popular products sold at dispensaries around the country. A simple yet enjoyable creation, pre-rolled joints make marijuana flower more accessible to cannabis shoppers. In the guide, we’re going to explain the ins and outs of this fan favorite. 

What is a Pre-Roll?

It’s all in the name! A pre-roll is a ready made cannabis joint that you can purchase at a dispensary. Pre-rolls contain the same items as a regular joint - flower, rolling paper, crutch - but it has already been put together. No need to learn how to roll a joint on your own.

Pre-Rolls vs Joints: What’s the Difference?

The difference between pre-rolls and "regular" joints is that a pre-roll has already been packed and rolled for you. While you could roll your own joints at home, pre-rolls are often the more convenient option–especially if you are new to cannabis.

Pre-rolls are typically made in bulk by the cannabis product wholesaler, which means they offer consistency in each joint, as well as packaging that preserves freshness so you can enjoy your pre-roll over several sessions. You’ll also be able to sample more strains than you would if you were purchasing large quantities of cannabis flower and rolling your own joints at home.

Pre-Rolls vs Blunts: What’s the Difference?

The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are major differences between pre-rolls and blunts. Blunts that you can purchase at a dispensary are rolled with hemp paper and contain much more cannabis flower. (Blunts were traditionally rolled with tobacco leaves or cigar paper, but dispensaries aren’t permitted to sell tobacco products.) As a result, blunts can be much stronger than pre-rolls.

Pre-Rolls vs Infused Pre-Rolls: What’s the Difference?

Pre-rolled joints contain ground cannabis flower, but an infused pre-roll contains flower plus a cannabis concentrate. When it comes to which concentrates are used to infuse the joint, there are plenty of options–anything from solventless concentrates like kief or hash or extracts like wax, THC distillate, and even moon rocks.

What’s Inside of a Pre-Roll?

Pre-rolls are known for their simplicity, and their contents reflect this: flower, rolling paper, and sometimes a filter. 

• Flower: Pre-rolls are all about the flower, the strain, and the experience. You can choose the strain you want and enjoy its flavors and aromas, with or without infusions.
  
  
• Rolling Paper: The rolling paper used to make pre-rolls are typically derived from natural materials like paper, hemp, and flax. The paper is designed to burn evenly while not interfering with the experience of the flower.
  
  
• Filter: Also called a crutch, the filter keeps ground cannabis out of your mouth while you're smoking. 

Can I Save a Joint If I Don’t Finish It?

You can absolutely save your pre-roll for later, which is one of the many conveniences of this product. The key to preserving your joint for the next session is proper storage. Your pre-roll may have come in a special tube - playfully known as a “doob tube” - that also serves as an excellent storage container. If not, you can purchase one from a dispensary or use an airtight glass container.

FAQs About Pre-Rolls

If you have questions about pre-rolls, our helpful budtenders are always available. Here are some of the most common queries we hear at our dispensaries:

Do pre-rolls go bad?
Like any natural product, pre-rolls do have a "best-by" shelf life. They can deteriorate over time, but proper storage will help them stay good for longer.

How long do pre-rolls stay good?
Pre-rolls often come with expiration dates. If yours is printed with that, it will stay good to that date. If there's no expiration date, pre-rolls generally don't retain their strength and quality after six months.

Do I smoke the whole pre-roll?
You don't have to smoke the whole pre-roll to get the effects you want. In fact, we always recommend starting low and going slow. If you feel like you've hit your tolerance level, save your pre-roll for later.

Purchasing Pre-Rolled Joints

Pre-rolls are a convenient way to enjoy cannabis without having to purchase additional tools or larger quantities of flower. If you're wondering what pre-roll you will most enjoy, your budtender can guide you to the right product for you.

Find a Dispensary

Use of Marijuana Concentrate may lead to: Psychotic symptoms and/or Psychotic disorder (delusions, hallucinations, or difficulty distinguishing reality); Mental Health Symptoms/Problems; Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) (uncontrolled and repetitive vomiting); Cannabis use disorder/dependence, including physical and psychological dependence.   Please consume responsibly. This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.  State laws impact what dispensaries can and can’t sell to recreational customers and medical marijuana patients. Not every type of product, consumption method, dosage form, or potency mentioned on this blog will be permitted in all locations.