Ever since humanity discovered marijuana, it has been used to treat medical conditions, enhance tribal rituals, and used recreationally to have fun and relax. Marijuana is typically smoked, although many other ways of ingesting cannabis exist.
Still, people overwhelmingly smoke marijuana, and understanding the difference between joints and blunts is paramount to maximizing your experience. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned marijuana smoker, you will want to know more about the different looks, smells, tastes, medical uses, and euphoric effects that are provided by joints vs. blunts.
What is a Joint?
A joint is simply dried marijuana that has been thoroughly broken up into small pieces and then rolled up in specialized thin rolling papers, into a cigarette-like joint. When done properly, a joint is evenly rolled and about the same size as a typical cigarette or very small cigar. Joints are the most popular way for people to smoke cannabis around the world. There are 2 main things that make a high-quality joint:
1. The strain and quality of the marijuana being used
2. The type of rolling papers used to roll the joint
There is a level of skill and creativity involved with properly rolling a joint. In some places like Jamaica, rolling a perfect joint is part of the local culture, and people learn the art of joint rolling as youngsters.
How to Roll a Joint
Rolling a joint is easier than you might think. All you need to do is get your marijuana broken down to small crumb-like pieces.
Then, get your favorite rolling paper and get out 1 sheet. You will see that one of the edges has a sticky strip that runs along the full length of the paper. Hold the paper evenly in one hand, while you evenly lay the ground cannabis down into the paper. Slowly begin to roll the paper between your thumb and index fingers from one end, making sure that the joint closes properly at the other end.
Finally, wet the sticky strip, which turns it into an adhesive. Secure the sticky edge onto the joint evenly. That’s it. You just rolled a joint!
What is a Blunt?
A blunt is like a joint but uses much more cannabis and is constructed using cigar papers and a cigar leaf, which is important to quality blunt rolling. The differences between joints and blunts are apparent at first glance, since a blunt is typically brown or tan in color and has a veiny tobacco leaf that wraps around the paper and secures the blunt in place. Blunts are much larger in length and girth than joints. There are three main characteristics that make an excellent blunt:
1. The strain and quality of the marijuana being used
2. Type of cigar and tobacco leaf utilized
3. The level of humidity where the cigar paper was stored
Since blunt wraps are significantly more fragile than joint papers, you will want to handle them with care, and ensure they are stored at the proper humidity. Being too dry will cause the blunt paper and the tobacco leaf to crack and completely ruin the blunt you are trying to roll.
How to Roll a Blunt
Rolling a high quality blunt is more difficult than a joint. You need to be mindful that you are purchasing a good brand name cigar to start with. Phillies Blunt cigars, Swisher Sweets, Garcia Vega, and White Owl are popular cigars to use when rolling a blunt.
Start out by wetting the outside of the blunt completely. Some people use their mouths to wet the outside of the cigar, while others simply use water. Once wet, use your fingernail to find the edge of the tobacco leaf and unwrap it from off the cigar completely. Carefully store the whole tobacco leaf because you will need it later.
Next, split the cigar paper open right down the middle and let all the tobacco fall out until you are just left with the paper itself.
Then, fill the paper with broken down, ground marijuana. Wrap up the paper and secure it with moisture on the edge where the paper meets itself after being completely rolled up. Finally, take the wet tobacco leaf and slowly wrap it around the cigar paper and secure it with wetness, as well. You are now done rolling a blunt!
Burn Times Between Joints vs. Blunts
One of the most significant differences between joints and blunts is the burn time each has, respectively. While joints burn quickly, blunts burn more slowly and can last for 45 minutes or more, when smoked properly. It isn’t even close. Although some rolling papers like Raw Natural Brand can burn slower than conventional rolling papers, blunts still burn much slower. This is due to the nature of the rolling papers, themselves.
Rolling papers are made from thin manufactured paper that burns fast by design. The idea is that the rolling paper is simply there to hold the form of the joint and allow it to be easily smoked. It is designed to avoid inhaling a lot of paper, like you would if you smoked thick rolling papers on your joint. Thick papers don’t exist, by the way.
Blunts, on the other hand, are rolled using natural tobacco papers and a thick, wetter tobacco leaf wrapped over the paper. This double wrap, combined with the thicker paper and tobacco leaf, make blunts smoke so slowly that you can invite a bunch of friends, and everyone gets to enjoy.
Medical marijuana patients may be able to get enhanced relief by smoking blunts, opposed to joints, because a blunt will burn significantly longer and thus, may provide more relief.
Does The Look, Feel, and Smell Vary in Joints vs. Blunts?
Yes! The rabbit hole of differences between joints and blunts goes deeper because you can find many variations in flavors, colors, and even smells, when choosing the rolling paper or blunt wrap that’s best for you. These days, you will find dozens of different types of joint wraps and blunts available at gas stations and smoke shops near you.
Many well-known brands offer flavored joint and blunt wraps that come in great tasting flavors like grape, strawberry, blueberry, lemonade, cotton candy and many more. It is fun trying all the flavors that appeal to you, in combination with different strains of marijuana.
Wrapping it Up Thoughtfully!
While there are many ways to ingest cannabis, such as smoking pipes, using a bong or vaporizer, edibles, and cannabis oils, smoking marijuana remains the most popular way to experience it. If you are new to cannabis and are wondering whether smoking a joint vs. blunt will be better for you, there is no better way to find out than to try them both.
You can choose from so many brands, flavors, colors, and smells, that it can seem overwhelming at first. Don’t worry; the best thing to do is jump in with both feet and try one that appeals to you. If you like it, or even if you don’t, you will be on your way to enjoying smoking marijuana enhanced by the rolling paper or blunt cigar you choose.
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