Are the size of marijuana joints shrinking? That appears to be the conclusion of a recent study from Spain examining “the standard joint unit.”
According to the research, released online before being published in the July issue of journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, basic rolled joint contains 0.25 of a gram of dried marijuana.
If you think that sounds on the small side, you’re not alone. Just last year, another study said the normal weight was 0.66 grams. A federal government study arrived at 0.43 grams being the standard weight.
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Now, by this point, some of you may be wondering why are researchers getting paid to figure out the cannabis-Zig Zag ratio. Well, there is a reason. Determining how much cannabis is in a typical rolled marijuana cigarette helps law enforcement and drug prevention groups assess the scope of the industry.
“It turns out to be a critical number in estimating how much marijuana is being consumed [nationwide], how much [of the drug that] drug-trafficking organizations are putting on the market and how much states might expect in revenue post-legalization” said Greg Ridgeway, an associate professor of criminology and statistics at the University of Pennsylvania, who conducted his own study last year. (Ridgeway’s analysis concluded that 0.32 grams is the typical weight of a joint.)
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Simple math tells you that 1 gram of cannabis should yield four standard-sized joints. But if you ask anybody who has rolled one they would certainly seem unlikely. Most experts will suggest that two or three joints per gram is more like it. In many retail stores where cannabis is sold legally, pre-rolled joints usually have 0.5o to 0.75 grams of cannabis.
Of course, personal preference plays a large role in the roll. Do you prefer a “pinner” or a “phatty”? Is this for personal use or will you be sharing with one or more people? And how well do you grind your bud before the roll?
