Weed Measurements Guide: How to Know What You’re Buying
This post is part of our Best Dispensaries in San Diego post, sponsored by THC-SD (The Healing Center San Diego).
Even if you know what strains of weed you like, you might not know how much you need. This is why understanding weed measurements is so important. Here’s a handy guide to help you determine how much product to purchase.
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Understanding Weed Measurements
When it comes to weed measurements, there are two main systems — metric and imperial. The metric system, used in most of the world as the standard for measurement, consists of units like grams and meters.
The imperial system is used primarily in the U.S. and consists of units like pounds, ounces, inches, feet, and miles. The smallest amounts of weed are measured by the gram, while larger quantities are portioned by ounces.
How to Measure Weed
Weed can be measured with a ruler, a penny, or even a phone app, but dispensaries typically use digital scales. Because conversions with whole numbers are somewhat approximate, the best methods for how to scale weed involve checking both ounces and grams to ensure the greatest accuracy.
Common Weed Measurements
Even if you have a basic understanding of the relativity of grams and ounces, you need to know what purchasing different amounts of weed looks like in practical terms. How many grams in a half-ounce or a full ounce? What will you get from a gram versus an ounce or a pound? Here are some quick comparisons.
Gram
If you’re looking to try a new strain, you might want to start with the smallest increment in weed measurements. A gram of weed is characterized by one larger bud or 1-2 smaller buds about the size of marbles. From this amount, you’ll typically enjoy 1-2 joints or 2-3 bowls.
Pricing varies widely, depending on factors like location, strain, and quality, but you can expect to pay anywhere from about $5-$15 for a gram of weed. For reference, there are approximately 28g in an ounce.
Eighth
If you want to purchase more than a couple of grams of cannabis, you’ll move into measurements in fractions of ounces. An eighth of an ounce is roughly 3.5 grams, which equates to 6-7 joints or 7-10 bowls. You could pay about $35-60 for an eighth.
Quarter
A quarter of an ounce of weed is about 7 grams, which will yield 12-14 joints or 14-25 bowls. This will cost you about $70-$100.
Half
Half of an ounce is about 14 grams. This will give you 30 joints or 40-50 bowls, and it could cost anywhere from $110 to $180.
Ounce
An ounce of cannabis flower is enough for roughly 60 joints or up to about 100 bowls. It could set you back as little as a couple of hundred bucks or over $500. Pricing will reflect several factors, only one of which relates to the measurements of weed involved.
Pound
Generally, weed measurements available for purchase in a dispensary setting don’t go beyond ounces. The next measurement unit would be a pound, or 16 ounces, equating to around 900+ joints or approximately 1,600 bowls.
Cannabis regulations do not allow for consumer purchases of weed in such high volumes in any U.S. state. Typically, only dispensaries and other distributors can purchase by the pound.
Factors that Affect Weed Measurements
You might notice that a gram or an ounce of one type of weed looks like more or less an amount than a different strain. This is because marijuana measurements are related to weight only, and appearance may vary by factors like strain, density, moisture content, and trimming, for example.
Some strains are denser, while others are fluffier. As buds dry out, they lose moisture content, and this may vary by strain, environment, and process. In other words, it’s natural to see some variation in the size of a gram or ounce.
Different Types of Weed and Their Prices
Marijuana is available in countless strains, but the three main categories are indica, sativa, and hybrid.
Common indica, which produces a whole-body high, tends to be the most affordable, while rarer sativa, with its energizing head high, could cost a bit more. Hybrid prices will depend on the strains involved. Strains with more psychoactive THC are more valuable, while CBD-heavy strains tend to cost less.
How to Choose the Best Weed Dispensary
Finding safe, potent, high-quality products starts with looking for licensed dispensaries. If you also want an expansive inventory of the latest products, a friendly and inviting atmosphere, and plenty of coupons and promos to help you save on purchases, The Healing Center in San Diego has you covered.
As an adult age 21 or over, you can legally buy up to 28.5 grams of recreational marijuana daily in California.
Understanding What You’re Buying
Knowing how much weed you’re buying starts with understanding weed measurements, as well as the factors affecting the volume of product you get for the weight. When you take the time to understand other elements that influence pricing, from quality and strain to location, you have all the tools you need to make informed purchasing decisions.
