How to Roll a Joint: Step-by-Step Guide

A joint is ground cannabis rolled in a thin paper. It takes 4 items and about 2 minutes. A 1¼ paper holds about 0.5 g. A king size paper holds about 1 g.

joint rolling tips for a tight pack

What you need

• Cannabis flower, 0.5 g to 1 g
• A grinder
• Rolling papers
• A paper filter or a strip of card for a crutch
• A hard, flat surface

Step 1: Grind the flower

Break the buds into pieces the size of a peppercorn. A hand grinder does this in 10 to 20 seconds. Pull out stems and seeds. Fine powder pulls through the paper and burns hot. Large chunks leave gaps. Gaps cause runs.

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Step 2: Make the crutch

Tear a 2 cm strip from a card. Fold it back and forth into a zigzag, like an accordion. Roll the folded strip into a cylinder about 1 cm wide. The crutch holds the paper open and keeps resin off your lips.

how to roll a joint without a grinder

Step 3: Load the paper

Hold the paper with the gum strip at the top edge, facing you. Put the crutch at one end. Spread the flower along the paper in a log shape. Make the layer a bit thicker at the far end. A cone shape burns better than a tube.

Step 4: Roll and tuck

Pinch the paper between both thumbs and index fingers. Move the flower back and forth to form a cylinder. Fold the near edge of the paper over the flower. Press the edge down with your thumbs. Roll the paper forward with the tips of your thumbs. The flower stays in place.

Step 5: Seal the joint

Lick the gum strip. Saliva activates the gum. Roll the joint closed. Press the strip down with your thumb. Twist the far end or fold it flat.

Step 6: Pack and light

Tap the joint on a hard surface with the crutch end down. This settles the flower. Light the tip with a flame. Pull air through the crutch. Rotate the joint to burn the tip. Take short puffs at the start to keep it lit.

Problems and fixes

• Run: one side burns down the length. Gaps in the flower cause this. Pack more flower into the low spot.
• Canoe: the joint burns on one side only. Rotate it and wet the faster side with a fingertip.
• Loose draw: too little flower, or a weak tuck. Add flower and roll tighter.
• No draw: flower is packed over the crutch. Poke a hole through with a paper clip.

Paper sizes

• Single wide: 70 mm. Holds about 0.3 g.
• 1¼: 78 mm. The most common size in the US. Holds about 0.5 g.
• King size: 110 mm. Holds about 1 g.

Paper weight runs from 10 gsm to 24 gsm. Thin paper, 12 gsm to 14 gsm, burns fast. Thick paper, 24 gsm and up, adds more paper to each puff.

Storage

Keep flower in an airtight jar. Add a humidity pack to hold 58% to 62% relative humidity. Dry flower crumbles and burns fast. Wet flower will not stay lit.

Legal note

Cannabis laws differ by state. Check your state limits before you buy or carry flower. Federal law still lists cannabis as a Schedule I drug.