We get it. You look at the product packages at your local cannabis dispensary, and suddenly it feels like you’re trying to read a foreign language. What do all those numbers mean? If anything, the colors on the packages seem more discernible than their text.
No longer! As soon as you learn weed measurements – even just the basics – your trips to the dispensary will start making much more sense. You’ll know how to select the cannabis products that are best for you, given your unique preferences, motivations, and context.
The cannabis-fueled benefits of your dreams are just a bit of information away.
As your go-to Massachusetts cannabis dispensary, Garden Remedies is here to support you during your personal journey with cannabis, providing expert guidance and top-tier products for you every step of the way.
Decoding Measurements for Flower, Pre-rolls, & Cannabis Concentrates
Smoking flower, or enjoying pre-rolls already made for you, can be an accessible, successful introduction to cannabis. Since cannabis concentrates are stronger, more concentrated versions of our favorite plant, they may knock your socks off!
We recommend beginning with pre-rolls and flower before diving into concentrates and other categories of cannabis. Understanding how they’re all measured will help you, no matter what you choose.
Grams and Ounces for Flower and Pre-Rolls
Despite their differences, concentrates, pre-rolls, and flower – the dried buds of the cannabis plant, sold loose and ready to roll – are sold by weight. You can find flower packaged by grams or ounces (which can be anything but intuitive to figure out).
To help you out, here are some common conversions for weed measurements:[1]
- 5 grams = ⅛ ounce
- 7 grams = ¼ ounce
- 14 grams = ½ ounce
- 28 grams = 1 ounce
So, if you buy ⅛ of an ounce or 3.5 grams of flower, you’ll have enough for 7 half-gram joints. That’s 7 small doses, well suited for beginners to get a taste of what it feels like to be high . Or you could use the same amount to roll 3 stronger joints.
How much weed do you need? It depends. ⅛ of an ounce is the smallest amount of flower sold commercially; it’s also the most frequently sold weight. 1 ounce of flower (or 5 grams of concentrate) is the most that most folks can legally buy at a time in Massachusetts – except for medical marijuana patients, who may purchase up to a 60-day supply, or 10 ounces.[2]
Top Pre-Rolls & Flower for Beginners
If you’re not eager to try rolling your own joint (or blunt or spliff), you can pick up some 0.5 gram or 1 gram pre-rolls to skip the hassle while trying out a bunch of strains before committing to more of one.
We highly suggest (pun intended) that beginner cannabis consumers start out with the following options from Garden Remedies brands:
This package contains 12 pre-rolls, 0.35 grams each. It’s the perfect way to sample cannabis in small doses, seeing how it interacts with your unique biochemistry. You might like to try each of the pre-rolls on different days and in different environments to learn how much your set and setting affects your high.
With limonene as its dominant terpene, this strain carries a fresh, lemony taste and aroma. It may make you feel uplifted, creative, and pleasantly soothed all at once – designed for chill evenings and good mornings alike.
When you’re ready for more cannabis, try this mouth-watering pre-roll from REALM. It’s 1 gram, so you might like to smoke part of it and save the rest for later, paying attention to how you feel throughout your experience depending on the weed measurements. Its powerful flavor profile – part fruity, part fuel – will certainly keep you coming back for more.
In the mood for something light, uplifting, and sugary sweet? This Blueberry Cupcake flower from REALM is what you’re looking for. Its flavor is tart and cakey all at once, delivering needed sweetness to your brain; you may even find that it tastes like its namesake.
Blueberry Cupcake flower contains 21.19% TAC and 19.92% THC, which are relatively moderate cannabinoid percentages. The 3.5 grams of flower included in this package will be enough for multiple smooth joints. Bring it to your next group gathering to be the life of the party.
Getting to Know Ideal Dosages for Edibles
If you’re curious to begin your cannabis journey with edibles instead, you’ll need to understand a new set of weed measurements. Like vapes, edibles are measured and sold by count. You can typically buy a package containing about 10 gummies – or an infused chocolate bar with about 10 squares – from your local dispensary.
What Do the CBD, THC, and Other Numbers on the Package Mean?
To determine the strength of the edibles you’re eyeing, take a look at the total milligrams listed on the package. That tells you how much THC is in the entire product. So, if a package of 20 gummies has 90-100 mg, each gummy contains about 4.55 mg of THC… meaning that it will probably give you a moderate high, perfect for your early explorations of cannabis.
Some edibles – especially some full-spectrum edibles – come with both THC and CBD. CBD induces a variety of benefits , even when taken on its own; it also helps enhance the soothing and relaxing properties of edibles and other cannabis products that contain THC.
Like edibles, pre-rolls, flower, concentrates, and vapes all feature various amounts of THC, TAC, and occasionally CBD. Weight or count show you how much cannabis you’re getting through the product; these cannabinoid percentages or numbers tell you the strength of it.
Over time, this aspect of weed measurements will become more intuitive for you, since higher quantities of THC (the part of the plant that gets you high) and TAC (total available cannabinoids) equal stronger effects. That’s why concentrates have extremely high percentages of both (upwards of 75% sometimes), while some gentle edibles may have as little as 2.5 mg per serving.
Best Edibles for Beginners
These sorts of edibles – gentle, with doses you can rely on – will be your best entry into edibles and the enlivening possibilities they present. Try out your new knowledge of weed measurements to select your ideal edibles from this list.
Whoa, these sweet and sour gummies will deliver a burst of tropical punch to your taste buds. Each gummy contains 4.53 mg of THC and 4.79 mg of TAC – which is a mild to moderate dose and certainly enough to give you an extra pep in your step. The Tropic Thundah edibles are so delicious that you may find it difficult to eat just one; we do recommend starting there and giving yourself time to enjoy its benefits.
You’ve probably heard that some forms of cannabis can help you get the restorative sleep you’ve been craving. These Blueberry Dream gummies definitely fall into that category.
With 10.19 mg of TAC and 3.85 mg of THC, each gummy is mild and deeply soothing. Many folks compare them to melatonin but find that the cannabis plant produces a pleasant (and very welcome) high, launching them into dreamland on a high note.
As time goes by, you’ll grow accustomed to the effects of cannabis on your unique mind and body, noticing your tolerance as it develops. This, along with weed measurements, will allow you to really know how much weed you need.
Our Expert Guidelines for Weed Measurements (Try This Before You Try Anything!)
During this process, follow these expert suggestions from your friends at Garden Remedies:
Don’t Just Eyeball It
Tempted to scoop a random amount of flower out of the package for your next joint? Or want to just take a handful of edibles and see how it goes?
An approach that’s too laid-back will probably not provide you with a laid-back experience: indeed, it may enhance the likelihood that you experience some of the unpleasant effects of too much cannabis, such as increased anxiety, restlessness, and confusing physical sensations.
Practice the weed measurements you’ve learned. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.
Start Low and Go Slow with Edibles
“Start low and go slow” is famous advice for good reason. You’ll feel the effects of pre-rolls, flower, concentrates, and vapes within minutes, sometimes immediately after you take a hit. Edibles, however, release their potent effects through your digestive system, so they can take up to 2 hours to kick in.
Take a low dose and then wait. If you still don’t feel much or you’re curious to explore more after 2 hours have passed, then you might like to take another small dose.
Choose Your Strains Wisely
Ideally, for your first time smoking weed, you’ll go with one of the pre-rolls we’ve recommended – or use one that has about 12-15% THC, which is a mild amount.[3] There will be plenty more to enjoy, and lots of fun cannabis products to try, once you get to know yourself and your tolerance to weed.
At Garden Remedies, we support your steps toward understanding and enjoying cannabis. Questions? Want personalized suggestions from an expert? Come talk to our friendly team of Cannabis Advisors at our dispensaries in Newton, Melrose, and Marlborough, MA. We hope to see you soon.
[1] A guide to weed weights | Weedmapshttps://starbudscolora
[2] https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-marijuana
