What Are Pre-Rolls & Why Are They So Popular?

If you’re asking this, then you are probably new to the wild world of cannabis. No worries, there’s no such thing as a dumb question, and in this post, you will find out not just what a pre-roll is but also a bunch of other random facts about pre-rolls as well!

So, let’s start off right away with a simple definition. A pre-roll is a chalk-stick-sized rolled-up parcel of cannabis purchased from a store ready to consume. They can also contain CBD-only flowers (minimal THC).

What about tobacco? Are there tobacco pre-rolls? Well, not really. See, with tobacco, people usually choose to smoke it with a pipe, or roll their own as needed, or they just buy mass-produced cartons at the store. The closest thing tobacco has to a “pre-roll” are cigars, but those are just called cigars or stogies.

pre rolls vs joints

Individually portioned cannabis, on the other hand, comes in many forms, from spliffs to blunts to the ubiquitous joint. Each form can then be had in a myriad of different materials, including various types of rolling paper made from things like hemp, bamboo, or even rice. Then there is an entire world of crutch or filter options.

Long story short, cannabis geeks love to get geeky about every aspect of consuming it. From the smell to its appearance under magnification to its flavor and “type of high” to, of course, the method of consumption, including pre-rolls, blunts, pipes, water pipes, bubblers, bongs, vaporizers, tinctures, THC syrups, moonrocks or edibles.

What’s the Difference Between Joints & Pre-rolls?

One of the most popular ways to consume the cannabis flower is by smoking just the flower via a joint or pre-roll. Joints usually refer to things you roll yourself, whereas pre-rolls are bought from dispensaries pre-packaged and ready to go.

Joints are usually a little smaller than pre-rolls and are often more tubular in shape, whereas pre-rolls are usually tapered with a fat end to light that narrows to filter or crutch tip. Pre-rolls usually hold a little more weed in them than joints which makes them great for sharing.

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How Much Weed is in a Pre-roll?

Most commonly available pre-roll cones hold anywhere from .75 grams to 1.5 grams of weed, depending on the size of the cone.

Cone SizeAmount of Flower
83mm (Quickie).75g
98mm (98 Special).95g
110mm (Lean).75g
110mm (King)1.15g
140mm (Peacemaker)1.5g
180mm (Emperador)3g
280mm (Supernatural)10g
600mm (Challenge)71g

So, depending on the size you buy, you can get a wide variety in terms of quantity of marijuana. Generally, average frequency smokers will handle anywhere from a .75g to a .95g when out and about.

Anything over a gram usually is consumed by big dogs with high tolerance, or they’re shared with a group of homies.

How to Pre-roll?

Well, if you mean how can you make a pre-roll yourself, then you’re probably thinking of a joint. They serve the same function in terms of being highly portable and versatile in terms of how much ground flower they hold, but they’re different than typical pre-rolls.

If you are a home grower and want to make a small number of pre-rolls but too many to manually roll yourself with your hands, there are cannabis grinder/pre-roll filling appliances that work like handheld blenders that grind your bud and then funnel it down a shoot you can use to fill things like bowls, pipes, and of course, pre-rolls.

The most popular brand on the market is Banana Bros with their electric Otto “smart herb and spice grinder,” as they say on Amazon, although don’t get it twisted, this is most popular with a very specific group of herb lovers.

Electric Smart Herb and Spice Grinder - OTTO by Banana Bros with Pollen Catcher
  • OTTO BY BANANA BROS: OTTO is the first and only automatic milling machine. At the touch of a button, it mills perfectly every time. OTTO provides a superior experience...
  • ELECTRIC SMART GRINDER: The battery-powered OTTO AI mimics human grinding and senses density and consistency to expertly mill instead of grinding. There’s no mess or...

Now if you want to make a bunch of pre-rolls as you buy in a dispensary or heck, maybe you ARE the dispensary, then yes, there are tools out there that help you to bulk fill pre-rolls. These, surprisingly enough, are called pre-roll fillers!

Yes, from very simple jig-tray style manually shaken cheap options all the way to automated electric-powered pre-rolling filling machines, there are many options on different scales. Futurola is one of the best-selling bulk cone-filling solutions used by growers to mass produce pre-rolls for sale.

Not only is their product massively popular and highly reviewed, but they also make pretty damn captivating product advertisements as well!

Herb CEO Summary

Well, you probably only came here with a simple question, and if you’re reading this, then you’ve probably learned more than you were originally planning; at least, that was our goal!

If not, well, we’re sorry. Go buy yourself a nice 1.15-gram pre-roll or some fruity-tasting weed from your local dispensary and chill out!

What is the difference between a blunt and a pre-roll?

Blunts are much larger than pre-rolls and can hold multiple grams of weed, and are often wrapped with a tobacco leaf. Pre-rolls are usually smaller, ranging from .5g to 1.5g, and use hemp, rice, or bamboo-derived papers to hold the weed inside.

How long do the effects of a pre-roll last?

Smoking cannabis is one of the quickest ways to feel the effects, but it can also dissipate quicker than other forms as well, such as edibles. As such, you can expect to begin to feel less and less high after the initial 30-45 minutes, with the most noticeable effects tapering off within 2hrs of consumption.

How much of a pre-roll do I smoke?

As much or as little as you are comfortable with! You can always extinguish your pre-roll and light it back up again later, although it won’t taste as good. In terms of size, .5g pre-rolls are considered single-serving, while 1g and greater can be challenging to finish in one go, but everything depends on the individual’s tolerance and comfort level!

Last update on 2025-02-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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