If you’re the type of person who likes to smoke two joints in the morning, afternoon, and night, you’ll want to be able to roll the best joint possible. Joints are one of the most iconic and popular ways to smoke cannabis and provide several benefits: they’re portable, they’re convenient, they hold a lot of material, and they leave behind no evidence once they’re gone, as even the rolling papers disappear. Even experienced rollers can benefit from a review of joint rolling, so let’s jump right in. 


What Is the Perfect Joint?


The perfect joint smokes smoothly and evenly. It should never “canoe”, where one side burns faster while the other side stubbornly refuses to light. This can lead to wasted cannabis, so it’s the main thing to avoid.


The perfect joint should be packed firmly, but loose enough that smoke can flow through it and it is easy to puff on. It’s a fine balance, and many of the full-gram joints sold in dispensaries try to pack just a little bit too much in the paper, leading to difficulty lighting and smoking, along with the side-burning issue called canoeing. 


To avoid this, you’ll want to select the right amount of cannabis first. For normal-size papers, about a half-gram should be perfect. If you’re using king-size or larger papers, about three-quarters of a gram should be a good amount. 


Many would consider the perfect joint to require a filter, which helps you hold it, along with cooling and filtering the smoke. You can buy pre-constructed filters, or roll a small piece of the cardboard off of the rolling paper’s packaging or elsewhere into the right shape.


Choose your rolling paper

Standard rolling papers, like Zig Zags, are 1 ¼ inch long. You can purchase larger sizes, but this is a good standard to start with. Papers can be made out of various materials, and come in thin or standard sizes. Cone-shaped papers are also a good option for beginners and can hold more cannabis than other papers. 

Grind your cannabis

Choose the amount of cannabis you will be using, and use a grinder, scissors, or your hands to grind it into small, fine pieces. You’ll find that grinders offer the best utility and are inexpensive. The finer your grind is, the better the joint will be - it will be consistent, smooth, and burn evenly if the cannabis is finely ground into shake. 

Add a filter

Filters on joints are often called “crutches”. They aren’t a requirement, but as stated above, they provide some important benefits like making the joint easier to hold and cooling the smoke. To make one, fold a small piece of cardboard into an accordion-like shape, and roll it into an approximate thickness of the joint, then place it at the end you will be smoking out of. 

Add your cannabis

Now is the time to add your cannabis onto the rolling paper. Make sure it is spread evenly and will roll into the right shape. You’ll quickly get the hang of choosing the right amount, and when it’s on the paper, you can begin gently molding it into a rounder shape.

Rolling the joint

This is the first step that can be a little tricky and require some practice. There are multiple ways to do it, including rollers that do it for you. Most prefer to do it by hand, however. 


Begin by continuing to mold the joint into a round or cone shape. Roll it between your thumb and index/middle fingers, being careful not to spill anything. This should take about a minute of rolling to get the cannabis into the right shape. 

Seal the joint

This is the most critical part of rolling a joint - your rolling papers will have a small area you can lick, like when sealing a letter. Carefully tuck the other side into the edge and roll it in, leaving a flap sticking out. Using a small amount of saliva, start at the bottom and work your way up, then press it down to seal it. 

Pack and twist the joint

The top of your joint should still be open. Using a small, straight implement like a pen, push the cannabis down firmly, but not so tight that air won’t be able to get through it. Twist the end tightly to seal it, using a small amount of saliva if necessary to help it seal. 


Now, you’re ready to go! Cannabis is a unique and beautiful plant with very few side effects and many medicinal properties, and its effects are desirable and beneficial to millions of people worldwide. After a few practice tries, you should be able to perform these steps reliably and easily and roll a perfect joint within a few minutes. 

Happy rolling, and don’t forget the most important step - getting out and enjoying your relaxed, enhanced, and peaceful state of mind or delving deeper into hobbies, music, or anything else you enjoy.