The joint is many cannabis users' favorite format of smokable. It's light, portable, disposable, discreet. Joints also biodegrade. If vape cartridges, plastic-packed "troches," and dab rigs are the Teslas of weed, the joint is the bicycle, a perfect technology with little room for improvement.
There are a few different kinds of joints, all of which have their pros. "Pinners" are short and thin, able to hide in your pocket. Spliffs are augmented with tobacco for more kick and greater frugality. L’s use two papers to hold more greens. Some also favor terms such as "doobie" or "bone."
However, most cannabis users are likely to share a mental picture of the ideal joint: a tapered baseball bat with a little cardboard filter (or "crutch") at the smoking end and a fun twist at the lighting end. Most pre-rolls at head shops and dispensaries stick to this format, and many who roll their own aim for this Platonic ideal.
So what goes into the perfect J? Different people may have their own tricks, but a decent joint comes down to a couple of relatively simple factors.
Papers
Obviously, a good rolling paper is the foundation of any joint. A variety of brands, among them EZ Wider, JOB, OCB, and Zig-Zag, sell standard papers, but many are rolling out unbleached or hemp-fiber papers to compete with brand RAW.
While the brand itself isn't that important, size can matter. Papers that are standard length (around 77mm) run from single-wide (34mm or wider) to double-wide (70+ mm), while some favor a king-size paper, especially for sharing.
More length equals more smokeables and could be seen as a good thing. More width, though, can mean more "canoeing" (that annoying thing when your joint only burns along one side). For that reason, we recommend sticking to narrower papers or folding and tearing away a small strip along the side of the paper without adhesive. Wider papers may be better for beginners, but they tend to canoe, burn more harshly, and taste more like burning cellulose than your favorite strain of kush if you roll a thinner joint with them.
Grind
The easiest way to fill up your doob is to pre-grind your weed. It's important to avoid pesky stems that can puncture a hole in your paper. If you use a grinder, separate your bud from the stems by hand and pick out any stiff or sharp pieces. If you separate by hand, make sure to do the same while crumbling your bud into pieces small enough to burn as you smoke (rather than falling smoldering to the ground).
An even grind or even crumbling will help your joint burn more smoothly and is also an important "hedge" (see what we did there) against canoeing. Yet perhaps even more important than grind is…
Density
Too much density = too hard to smoke. In other words, don't roll your joint too tightly! Some grinders can reduce weed, especially if it's dry, into powder. If your weed is finely ground, you want to make sure not to roll it up so tightly that it sticks together.
Once you've chosen your paper and broken up your bud, you'll want to sprinkle it in so the small pile is about twice as wide as it'll be post-rolling. A good rule is to use about a pinky finger's worth. Spread it evenly — the baseball-bat shape is less about density than how you align the rolling-paper glue and twist up your finished product. You also want to avoid using too much weed — remember, you can add some into the top after you finish twisting up.
(Pro tip: if you're new to rolling or tend to make a mess, fold a Post-It or other small paper in half. Break your weed up into this so you can "pour" it into your paper all in one go.)
To crutch or not to crutch?
While some people like rolling Js with weed all the way down — that way, you have a roach you can save for later — others prefer the crutch method. This creates a more stable bone and also ensures you can smoke everything rolled up in one session without getting tar on your fingers.
Many rolling papers now come pre-packaged with "tips" or "filters" (though it's unlikely they filter much). However, if you don't have any, you can always use a small piece of your rolling-paper packaging or tear off a small piece of cardboard. It's probably better to avoid glossily printed cardboard so there's less likelihood of inhaling plastic or wax residue.
Crutches work best when the strip you make them from is at least as wide as your paper laid flat. That way, when you roll it up tight, there's no opening big enough to let you suck down stray weed crumbles while you take a hit.
Rollin' rollin' rollin'
The actual rolling part is the most challenging. We recommend a simple five-step process:
Poke your crutch into the end where you want it, likely the side closest to the palm of your rolling hand
Gently twist the filled paper between your fingers so the weed is lightly compressed into a cylinder
Twist the joint a little more tightly so the paper's end tucks itself in around the crutch
Lick across the paper's adhesive — be careful not to get it too soggy or your joint may not smoke evenly
Roll at a slight angle so that, as the glue sticks, it forms the roughly baseball-bat shape of your finished product
If you're done but still have some ground herb left over, you can use a thin, blunt object (e.g., the cartridge of a ballpoint pen) to poke the weed in your J down and sprinkle any leftovers on top. You can also pinch together the open ends of your paper and gently shake toward the crutch end to help the cannabis settle.
Lastly, finish off your joint with a little festive twist. This is actually a functional part of the process — creating a dense twist of paper helps ensure a centered "cherry" or ember as you smoke, mitigating the dreaded canoe and helping ensure a consistent burn. It's also marginally easier to light.
Etiquette
Lastly, it's time to enjoy your J! Smoking is the simplest part of this. Just remember, in the U.S., the rule is typically puff-puff-pass, i.e. take two hits and send the joint to the next smoker, often the person to your left if sitting in a circle. Some people also give the roller "greens" (or first toke), while others prefer to give first dibs to the person who provided the weed.
A good joint should burn evenly, taste smooth, and get you nice and high without too much coughing. If at first you don't succeed, roll another one! Once you get your personal technique down, you're likely to be the belle of the ball where bud is burning — just make sure you don't bogart the bone this 4/20 Saturday!
