Joints & Blunts

Combusting cannabis flower rolled in paper and inhaling the smoke is perhaps the oldest form of cannabis consumption. Also known as joints and blunts, these methods remain among the most popular today. Rolling papers and blunt wraps are used to smoke cannabis by filling the paper with flower and rolling it up into something that resembles a cigarette.

While joints and blunts are primarily rolled with cannabis flower, experienced consumers may also sprinkle in some concentrates on a joint or blunt. For in-depth coverage of all things Cannabis Concentrates, be sure to check out our corresponding guide.

What are Joints?

Joint smoking was popularized during the hippie generation of the 1960s, but they were fairly common before that as well. Joints are even more portable than handheld pipes. Passing around a joint can be seen as a communal experience to enjoy with a group of friends.

Some more eco-friendly rolling papers are made from plants like hemp, rice, and bamboo. However, cheap rolling papers are made with who-knows-what. Today, the market for cannabis joints is mainly focused on pre-rolls, as this billion-dollar market will only continue to rise as legalization spreads.

Pre-rolled joints you buy at dispensaries and retail locations come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and potencies. From the most elaborate, beautifully crafted joint wrapped in gold leaf pressed paper, to the classic doobie, there is no shortage of options to choose from when it comes to your pre-rolls.

There are also items called cones, which are cone-shaped, as the name implies, rather than the straight and narrow form of a standard joint. A cone is straight and thin at the bottom and becomes increasingly wider as it gets to the top. Most cones come with filters, which prevent your cannabis flower from falling out of the bottom.

What Are Blunts?

Most historians agree that cigars were first invented by the Ancient Mayans. These people wrapped tobacco in leaves from trees, mainly palms or plantains. Archaeologists have discovered 10-century clay pots that depict Mayas smoking the first cigars.

One of the first American-made makers of fine cigars was called the Philadelphia Cigar Company, founded circa 1910. These fine cigars were nicknamed “Phillies” (no relation to the Philadelphia baseball team), and the brand eventually adopted the name. Today, the term “Phillie” is used to describe the hollowed-out wrapper of a Phillie blunt, filled with cannabis flower.

The outermost layer of a cigar, known as the wrapper or the leaf, is the most expensive part of the cigar. A blunt leaf will largely determine the quality of flavor and the smoothness of its smoke. As such, a blunt's wrapper is used to roll cannabis.

The inner layer of the cigar wrapper is known as the binder, which contains thinner, more elastic leaves that help act as an adhesive and binding agent during the rolling process. The inside of a cigar is called the filler, which is the tobacco.

For cannabis smokers, flower is spread on blunt paper and smoked like a traditional cigar. Products called blunt wraps are also sold in tobacco smoke shops and gas stations, which are similar to joint paper, with the only difference being the blunt paper comes from tobacco.

Because blunts come from tobacco leaves, they are both harder to roll and potentially more harmful to your respiratory system. Blunt wrappers are considerably more expensive than joint papers, and blunts are longer and more girthy. This all adds up to more skill being required to roll a blunt than a joint.

Always Use a Grinder

Lastly, it’s important to “break up” your cannabis flower before attempting to roll a joint or a blunt. If you choose to roll a joint and don’t have a grinder, it’s time to get one!

Many smoke shops sell affordable grinders. Using a grinder instead of our fingers to break up flower will make for a better smoke. This is because the oils on our skin can degrade the potency of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids of the cannabis flower.

What We Learned: Joints & Blunts

Since flower is still the most popular cannabis product, it’s no surprise that smoking joints and blunts tends to also be arguably the most popular – and perhaps the oldest way to consume. Here’s what we learned in this chapter:

• Joint smoking was popularized circa the hippie generation of the 1960s, but they were fairly common before that as well.
• Joints are even more portable than handheld pipes. Passing around a joint can be seen as a communal experience to enjoy with a group of friends.
• Some more eco-friendly rolling papers are made from plants like hemp, rice, and bamboo.
• Pre-rolled joints you buy at dispensaries and retail locations come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and potencies.
• Archaeologists have discovered 10-century clay pots that depict Mayas smoking the first cigars.
• The Philadelphia Cigar Company, founded circa 1910, made some of the first American cigars, known then as Phillies. Today, the term “Phillie” is used to describe the hollowed-out blunt wrapper, filled with cannabis flower.
• Because blunts come from tobacco leaves, they are both harder to roll and potentially more harmful to your respiratory system.
• The oils on our skin can degrade the potency of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids of cannabis flower – so always use a grinder with your cannabis flower.

Even though some cannabis consumers view joints and blunts as old school, perhaps even antiquated, at HashDash, we appreciate the classics. Because while taking small doses of edibles may be safe for daily consumption, smoking anything every day is likely not so safe. For this reason, enjoying a joint or a blunt every once in a while can be a real treat for any cannabis lover.

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