How to Calculate How Much THC is in a Joint?
The average amount of THC in a joint can range anywhere from 0.03 grams to 0.20 grams (30mg to 200mg), with some packing even more of a punch. The variance from one joint to the next, and one cannabis strain to the next, is simply that wide.
While packaged pre-rolls have the THC content listed right there on the label, rolling up joints at home calls for a little more investigation to find this number.
That’s why learning how to calculate the THC content in your joint can be helpful in telling you what sort of experience you’re going to have.
We’ll teach you how to calculate how much THC is in a joint when you roll it yourself. Plus, we’ll go over other factors that determine how THC can impact each individual differently.
How Many mg of THC are in a Joint?
The short answer? It depends. Everything from joint size to the potency of the strain used can affect the amount of THC in a joint. You’ve also probably noticed that some people roll fat joints while others roll skinny, cigarette-like ones. So clearly, the idea of an average joint size is up for interpretation.
The strain of weed inside the joint makes a huge difference, too. For these reasons, it can be difficult to know the average THC in joints. That hasn’t stopped researchers from trying to narrow down the number, though.
One study found the average amount of cannabis per joint is 0.66 grams. However, a separate study put it at 0.43 grams. We’ll split the difference and assume the average amount of cannabis in each joint is around 0.50 grams.
Based on those numbers, every gram of weed contains 150 milligrams (mg) of THC. Based on our estimate, joints have around 0.50 grams of cannabis, there could be roughly 75 mg of THC in a joint.
Weed Math: Calculating the Amount of THC in a Joint
Preparation & Materials
You’ll only need a handful of items to get an accurate THC calculation for your joint.
- Papers
- Grinder
- Filter
- Calculator
- Cannabis flower
- Pen
- Kitchen weight scale
Got everything you need? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to measure the THC content in your joints.
5 Steps for Calculating the THC in a Joint
1.Weigh the Paper and Filter
The first thing you’ll do is weigh your joint paper and filter together on your kitchen scale. Write down that number, and zero out the scale so it doesn’t impact the following flower weight.
2.Roll the Joint
Grind your desired amount of bud and add it to your joint and roll it up. Haven’t mastered your rolling skills yet? We’ve created a step-by-step guide for how to roll a joint.
3.Weigh the Joint
Now weigh your rolled joint on the kitchen scale. Write down the weight in milligrams.
4.Check Your Flower’s Content
As we mentioned, each strain is different and there’s really no such thing as a “normal” THC percentage. Look at the label on your packaging to find the Certificate of Analysis. This is where you’ll see the percentage of THC in that particular lot.
Once you have that number, you have all of the numbers you need to calculate the THC in your joint. This is why it is important to buy cannabis products from legal dispensaries like ours to ensure you know the information of what you are consuming.
5.Calculate
The formula to calculate the THC in your joint is: Weight of your joint x THC % = total THC mg in your joint.
For example: Imagine you have a 0.6-gram (600 mg) joint that’s 25% THC.
So:1 gram (1,000 mg) of cannabis x 0.25 = 0.15 grams (150 mg) of THC
How Your Consumption Method Affects Your High
How many mg in a joint will get you high? In many cases, it will depend on your preferred method of enjoying cannabis.
There are two main ways to enjoy THC: inhaling it and ingesting it. You can inhale it through things like joints, bowls, and vapes, and ingest it through a range of products from edibles to beverages. Both of these delivery systems produce very different highs.
Edibles have to travel through your stomach and liver before entering your bloodstream, and eventually your brain. So, it takes longer to feel the effects of edibles than inhaled cannabis. Generally, it can take 30 minutes to two hours for edibles to kick in.
However, once the effects appear, they’re stronger and typically last longer. Alternatively, when you smoke marijuana, the THC gets into your lungs, causing a nearly instant high. But because it doesn’t pass through your liver like edibles, the high doesn’t last as long.
The delivery system is a major indicator of how THC affects your body. Understanding the different ways you can introduce THC into your system, and how each one has a different effect, will help you choose the right products for your desired outcomes.
Other Factors That Affect THC Potency in a Joint
1. Quality of the Flower
It all starts with the cannabis itself. The strain you choose makes a huge difference. Some are naturally higher in THC, giving you a stronger effect.
But it's not just the strain; how it’s grown, harvested, and cured can also affect the potency. Cannabis that’s well-cared-for and grown in the right conditions will always deliver more THC. Learn more about curing cannabis step-by-step.
2. Grind Consistency
Believe it or not, how you grind your flower can impact your joint’s potency. If the pieces are too chunky, they won’t burn evenly, meaning you won’t get a consistent hit of THC.
On the other hand, grinding it too fine could make the joint burn too fast, wasting some of that THC before you can even enjoy it.
Additionally, how you grind your flower can greatly affect the potency and smoothness of your joint. To ensure the quality and purity of each grind, it is essential to always keep your grinder clean, as residue buildup can compromise flavor and consistency.
3. Rolling and Packing Techniques
A loosely rolled joint burns faster, which can lead to wasted THC while a joint that's packed too tight makes it hard to get a proper hit. Finding that perfect balance lets you get the most out of the THC in your joint.
4. How You Inhale
If you like to enjoy your weed by inhaling, how you take your hit can change the experience. Long, slow inhales allow more THC to be absorbed, compared to quick, shallow puffs.
So, take your time and enjoy it. The way you smoke has a big impact on how much THC you actually feel.
Now that you know how to calculate how much THC is in a joint and what factors affect THC potency, you can try STIIZY’s premium cannabis products, bursting with flavor and loaded with cannabinoids.
Shop Premium Cannabis Products from STIIIZY
With our STIIIZY products, you won’t need to calculate how many mg of THC in a joint. For the days you want to skip the calculations, we have high-quality pre-rolls and blunts with THC values on the labels. We specialize in high-potency products, so the average THC in a pre-roll from our website is 40 percent.
We’re dedicated to delivering the highest quality cannabis in all of our products and curating a diverse range of items that make marijuana accessible to users with every need and preference. From premium flower and edibles to extracts and our famous pods, we have a selection of carefully crafted products that let you experience cannabis your way.
Explore our collection of premium cannabis products or visit one of our dispensary locations today!
FAQs
Unfortunately, there’s no way to give a set answer to this. The THC content in a joint, whether it's rolled with an indica or sativa strain, depends on that specific strain's THC concentration. Indica and sativa strains can vary pretty widely when it comes to THC content.
Cannabis is still not legal at the federal level, so THC regulations will vary from one state to another. Wondering how much THC is in a joint in your state? The Defense Information Systems Agency keeps an updated database on the state-by-state legal status of cannabis and has a directory of cannabis regulation resources for each region.
THC does not impact everyone in the same way. In fact, you’ve probably had the same edible as a friend where one of you felt very high, while the other felt nearly nothing. Bioavailability played a role in that. Bioavailability refers to how much of any given substance, like a supplement, medicine, or drug your body absorbs. Factors including age, weight, and health can impact bioavailability, which is why the same edible can affect you differently than it affects someone else.
Yes, weed can go bad. If stored properly, cannabis loses a noticeable amount of THC over time. On average, you can expect around 16-20% of the THC to degrade within the first year.
If it’s not stored in the right condition like in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, the loss can be even higher. Read our expert guide on weed preservation.
You’re not getting all the THC from a joint when you smoke it. Only about 20-30% of the total THC makes it into your lungs.
Some of it burns off in the smoke between hits, and some just don’t get absorbed through combustion.
Humidity is a big factor in maintaining cannabis potency. If it’s too humid, the flower can degrade, and you lose some THC. If it’s too dry, the THC can break down quicker and give you a harsher, less potent smoke.
We recommend keeping humidity between 59-63% to stop your cannabis from getting too dry or too moist. Use humidity packs or moisture-regulating containers to help control the levels.
