Jay, doobie, twizzler, Jeffrey—Whatever you call them, joints are the gateway to the cannabis world, and loved by rookie and veteran smokers alike. In this article, we'll teach you three simple ways to roll a joint to help kickstart your cannabis journey.

What Is a Joint?

In case you're a complete cannabis rookie, the word "joint" simply refers to a cannabis cigarette. Joints come in all shapes and sizes, but they're all made up of the same three components: ground weed, rolling paper, and a filter tip.

What’s the Difference Between a Joint and a Spliff?

In many parts of the world, a joint refers to a cannabis cigarette containing only weed, while the term "spliff" refers to a cannabis cigarette containing a mix of both cannabis and tobacco. In some parts of the world, however, joints may contain tobacco. Europeans and Australians, for example, prefer smoking cannabis with tobacco, and therefore include both tobacco and bud in their joints. In most of the rest of the world, however, a joint is a pure cannabis cigarette.

How Much Weed Should You Put in a Joint?

The amount of weed you pack into a joint really depends on your preference and rolling style. According to the 2015 Global Drug Survey, most cannabis users use about ⅓ of a gram to roll a joint. Some users increase this amount to 0.5g or even a full gram, but we recommend using less than this if you’re a beginner.

How to Roll a Joint

Now that you know the basics, it's time to get your hands (or fingers) dirty. Here's a rundown of the gear and method you need to roll a joint.

What You'll Need

• Rolling papers: These come in all shapes, sizes, colours, and even flavours. For beginners, we recommend starting with 1¼ papers, which are slightly wider than regular single-wide papers, making for an easier roll.

• Filter tips: 26mm cardboard tips work great for joints and are a favourite among smokers. Regular cigarette filters will work too, though studies have shown that cigarette filters are effective at filtering THC and other cannabinoids.

• Weed: 0.25–0.5g should be plenty.

• Tobacco or other smokable herbs to mix with your weed (optional)

• A grinder

• A rolling tray or plate: This is optional, but definitely worth it since it'll catch any weed that falls out of your joint as you roll it.

• A pen or skewer: You’ll use this to help pack the joint.

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

1. Sit down in a comfortable seat at a table and place all of your equipment in front of you.

2. Start by grinding your weed until it has a fine texture. Now, dump it into your rolling tray.

3. Take your rolling paper and lay it down flat in front of you so that the gummed edge is furthest away from you and facing up.

4. Prepare your filter tip and set it aside.

5. Spread a fine layer of tobacco or smoking herbs across the paper, leaving some space at the end for your filter. Then, sprinkle a fine layer of cannabis over the herbs.

6. Place your filter tip at the end of your joint.

7. Pick up your joint and roll it back and forth between your index fingers and thumbs a few times. This will help the cannabis and tobacco/herb mix to take on a cylindrical shape to facilitate the rolling.

8. Roll the paper back so that the ungummed edge is in line with the contents of the joint. Slowly start rolling the gummed edge of the paper over the joint, making sure to get a nice, tight roll.

9. Lick the gummed edge of the rolling paper and complete the roll to seal the joint.

10. Gently tap the filter end of your joint against the table or another hard surface to help compact it some more.

11. Use a pen, skewer, or toothpick to pack the unfiltered end of the joint, and twist the remaining paper at the tip to seal the joint, if you don't plan to light it up right away.

Backroll (Inside Out): Step-by-Step

The backroll is a rolling technique that cuts down on the amount of paper in your joints, which allegedly allows for a smoother burn and a tastier smoke. While the name might intimidate you, backrolling just involves rolling a joint with the gummed side of the paper facing the inside of the joint. That way, once the joint is sealed, the excess paper can be burned, leaving behind a joint with a single layer of paper around it.

Here's how to backroll a joint:

1. Gather your gear.

2. Grind your weed and dump it into a rolling tray.

3. Lay your rolling paper down in front of you, but this time the gummed edge should be closest to you and facing down.

4. Prepare your filter, and lay it down at the end of your joint. When backrolling, it helps to use slightly larger filters.

5. Spread a thin layer of tobacco or smoking herbs across the paper, then cover with a thin layer of weed.

6. Like before, pick up your joint and roll it back and forth between your index fingers and thumbs a few times to roll the tobacco/herb and cannabis mix into a cylindrical shape for an easier roll.

7. Roll the gummed edge of the paper (i.e. the edge closest to you) up until it completely covers the contents of your joint, then lick the gummed edge.

8. Complete the roll to seal the joint.

9. Burn, tear, or cut off the excess strip of rolling paper.

10. Tap the filtered end of the joint against the table, pack the other end with a pen or toothpick, and enjoy!

L-Skin: Step-by-Step

L-skin, or double paper joints, are great when you don't have large papers but want to roll larger joints (say at a party, for example). Here's how to roll an L-skin joint:

1. Gather your rolling gear and grind your weed.

2. Take two regular-sized single-wide papers. Place one down in front of you vertically with the gummed edge on the right facing up. Lick the gummed edge just enough so that it will stick to the underside of the other paper. Stick the vertical paper to the horizontal one to form an L. Let it dry for roughly 30 seconds.

3. Prepare your filter tip.

4. Spread your tobacco/smokable herbs and weed across the paper, and place your filter at the end of the joint. With L joints, it helps to pack more toward the tip to give the joint a big, cone-like shape.

5. Roll the joint as you would normally. The gummed edge of the vertical paper will roll diagonally across the rest of the joint, giving it a natural cone-like tip. This is why it helps to pack more weed/tobacco/herbs into the tip.

Joints: Many Routes to the Same Destination

Joints are a classic way to enjoy cannabis. In this article, we've taught you some basic ways to roll joints using three different techniques. But don't stop there! Joints can come in all shapes and sizes, so go out and experiment with other, more elaborate rolling techniques for more creative ways to get lit!