Nothing says ‘I love you’ more than rolling up or getting your partner their favorite joint. For canna enthusiasts, that is just a fact. The joint is the timeless original of smoking weed for a number of reasons: Convenient size, easy to smoke, easy to roll, cost effective (in buying pre rolls or just a gram or two to roll at home) and they generally have a perfect amount of THC.
But what does that amount look like? While it changes wildy across all the different strains, it nonetheless gives you an adequate fix for only being a fraction of the size of a blunt. The most approximate average of what to expect in your typical joint or pre roll is roughly 12%-15% THC. Again, it is not unusual for there to be more than this in one joint, especially with infusions, concentrates or just strains that have a high THC count. Whatever the case may be, you should always consume it responsibly and know exactly what goes into your joints.
Cannabinoids
When discussing the amount of THC in your products, there is no better place to start than the family of this and other cannabis components: Cannabinoids. These are the collective of over 110 chemical compounds found in marijuana that makes your strains what they are. The most abundant and well known of these compounds is THC: the cannabinoid that gets you high.
Since this is the only one of its cannabinoid family that can have this effect on the user, the THC count is typically front, center and bolded on the products you get at the dispensary.
Is THC the Strongest?
One could make the argument that CBD could be stronger because of how fast it hits your cannabinoid receptors while offering its array of medical benefits. However, THC hits these receptors equally as fast and is defined by being able to physically feel the effects taking place.
THC also has the strength in numbers for being the most prominent compound found in weed but if it was not, not much would separate it from CBD besides the aforementioned high.
How Much THC is in a Joint?
The most average number of THC in one joint is around 15%.
Several strains go higher than this on a regular basis, but this is about the most common THC count you will find: Your typical entry level or just average level joints and strains for the newcomers. But as you build a tolerance, the less these strains start to affect you to where you would inevitably try a product higher in THC.
Regular Joints
Quite possibly the very first (or at least top 3) images that come into your mind when someone says, ‘weed’: The simplicity and iconography made joints an easy target among meme culture which pushed the whole word association with it even further.
These good old-fashioned weed cigarettes include those average THC strains as well as some that go up to 20% THC or more; it all depends on what you buy. Perfect example: Sativas are known to have low CBD with a high THC count, usually marking it as a stimulant. But if you wanted more of a relaxant, you would look to a group of strains with less THC like indicas.
Infused Pre Rolls
This is where things start to get crazy: Say you have a sativa already pre-rolled and ready to go, but then it gets infused with bubble hash. That is a much stronger high with essentially the same amount of weed but with an added hash.
To put it into perspective, high THC joints (non-infused) are typically classified by having 20-25% depending on the strain. Then there’s an infused pre roll where 30% is considered the low end. Even 40% is not unusual! It is for that reason that we cannot recommend these for your very first smoke session but once you are comfortable with normal strains, give them a try.
Joints with Concentrates
Surprisingly, infused pre rolls do not stop there. Some ‘advanced’ users have been known to lay a strip of shatter inside their joints or lace them with wax or live resin. Whichever you prefer, do not be surprised by a THC count upwards of 75%-80%. After all, it is essentially a dab mixed into a joint so the THC count won’t be the only thing that is abnormally high…
Twax Joints
Staying with the top shelf products, the last of the joints we cover are very similar to infused pre rolls, but are known as twax joints. If you have ever seen this funny name on your dispensary’s menu and thought to yourself, “What is that?” Here is what you need to know:
They are pre rolled joints coated in cannabis oil. While the other concentrated joints will have hash or other forms of dabs, twax joints stand out by having a thin layer of oil spread along the paper giving you a much sweeter flavor and stronger high. Because the layer of oil still has to be thin enough to not be too clumpy or prevent meltage, it does not fall into dangerous consumption territory but still results in 75%-85% THC. It is best to enjoy these in moderation.
How Much THC is Too Much?
Assuming that a 1g joint contains about 20 mg of THC (this tends to be the average), anything within two of these joints per day is considered safe. The CDC agrees that a fatal overdose just from THC is next to impossible but it could still be harmful in mass quantities. Whether it is for medicinal use, recreational use or both, you should not exceed 40mg of THC per day.
What would the effects be?
Think of the effects of a potential as the effects of a strong high except more dangerous and less fun. Your blood pressure spike as well as your heart rate, you would feel severely nauseous and disoriented and have abnormal anxiety similar to that of a panic attack. No one single product would do this from occasional use but would give you at least one of these side effects or more when abused.
