by Jeff Eckenrode, Chief Operations Officer

Today we’re going to show you how to roll your very own joint! 

And not just any joint, mind you. A tasty, fresh joint that you can roll and take with you whenever and wherever you like! Does that sound fun? Then let’s dive in!

What’s the big deal with joints, anyway?

Joints are a timeless and tasty way to enjoy cannabis flower. They consist of ground cannabis flower, paper (often made of hemp, rice or cellulose), and a paper tip (or “crutch”).

Just like freshly-ground coffee beans preserve the depth and richness of coffee better than instant coffee, freshly-ground flower in a joint captures the flavor and nuance of each cannabis strain better than pre-rolled joints. 

And the best part of all is that rolling joints can be easy, fun and fast! All you need are a few tools to get started:

Tools for rolling joints

To start, you’ll need the following:

• Cannabis Flower (duh!)

• A grinder (to grind the flower)

• Papers and Tips (to hold the flower)

• A rolling machine (to roll the joint)

• A flat surface (to put it all on)

Once you’ve nabbed all the essential tools at Hashtag Seattle or Hashtag Redmond, your first step is to grind the flower. 

Spread the un-ground flower on your grinder with the top off, push the top of your grinder on top (smushing your flowers down), and grind the flowers by rotating the lid back and forth.

The ground flower will fall down into a collection tray that you can access by unscrewing your grinder counterclockwise. 

Pro Tip: If your grinder has a kief catcher, then you’ve stumbled across an easy-to-use concentrate: Kief! Kief is great to use on top of your bowl or to bake some Lazy Kief-infused Brownies. 

Next, pour your ground flower into your rolling machine and hold it open. WARNING: this step is by far the messiest step of the process, so don’t stress if some flower spills onto your work surface! 

If you like to keep things squeaky clean, then we recommend you pick up a rolling tray or silicone mat to keep your ground flower organized. 

Once you’ve poured the ground flower into your rolling machine, lightly tamp it with your finger. Once tamped, your ground flower should fill up about ¾ of the rolling machine. 

But wait! What do I do with all that empty space?

That’s the space you’ll use to place your paper tip! 

Fun fact: paper tips actually increase the strength and durability of your joint. Plus, tips help keep ground flower from making its way into your mouth while you smoke! 

Many tips come with perforations to make rolling them a breeze. To roll your paper tip, simply fold the perforated section of the tip, making a “W” shape, and spin the tip between your index finger and thumb (like a cinnamon roll).

NOTE: Leaving the tip loosely-rolled helps it to fit in your joint best. For best results, avoid rolling your paper tip tightly.

Once your paper tip is loosely rolled, place it in your rolling machine and close your rolling machine (to keep everything in place) and  roll your machine toward you 3-4 times.

Are we done yet? I can’t take the suspense any longer!

Finally, the moment has arrived! You are ready to wrap up your tasty, amazing joint in a rolling paper. 

Any paper type will do so experiment with finding your favorite type!

Many come ready with a semi-adhesive portion (or “gummed” portion). 

Not sure if your paper is gummed or not? Take a quick peek at the edges to see if there is a discoloration along one edge. 

If there is, then you’re in luck! That’s the semi-adhesive portion you’re looking for. 

With a moist paper towel, a sponge, or your tongue, moisten the gummed portion of the paper.

Then place the paper with the un-gummed portion on the rolling machine and the gummed-portion towards you and roll your machine toward you. 

After 3 or 4 revolutions, you’re ready to open your machine and take a look at your joint! 

Is that it? Can I smoke my joint now???

That’s it! You’re ready to enjoy your very own, flavor-packed, hand-rolled joint.

But if you’re on the go and don’t want any of your ground flower to pour out of your joint, we suggest giving the very tip of your joint a small but firm twist. 

Not only will it keep your joint intact, but it looks cool, too! 

Now you’re ready to roll your very own joints and enjoy them whenever and wherever you go!