Have you bought cannabis and realized you don’t know how much medicine you are getting from your money? Or you’ve just set up your first indoor weed grow tent kit and are now wondering how to measure your plants?
If you are new to the world of cannabis, you might be shocked by how much math the process involved.
Yes, you read that right because everything about it is measured. But don’t worry, you just need to remember some terms like gram, eighth, quarter, half, or ounce, so you and the seller could agree on the exact grams you want for your weed.
The marijuana metric system can be confusing, so I created this article to help those who are new in the world of cannabis, so they will understand the terms they will hear when they buy their weed.
If you haven’t made your first weed purchase yet, this article will surely be helpful to you. I tell you, after reading this, you will learn and understand the vague ganja jargon for measuring weed that you will surely find confusing the first time you hear them.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Contents
Different Weed Measurements
Weed measurements start low in grams from the metric system and move into ounces from the US or imperial system as weight increases.
Remember, the methods and language used to refer to weed may change over time, but we use the same metric system.
At this point, let’s examine the different jargon used when measuring weeds. I will explain each of the following in the next sections.
- Dime bag
- Dub
- Eighth
- Quarter
- Half
- Ounce
- Full O (or just O)
- Z (yes, just the letter Z)
Gram (dime bag)
The lowest amount you can purchase is called a dime bag. It is equal to half of a gram and will probably cost you on average $10 hence the term “dime.”
This is highly recommended for those who don’t use weed regularly or those who are trying a new strain.
A gram of weed can last an infrequent user up to two or three sessions and it’s the smallest and cheapest.
However, the prices may vary depending on where you purchase it. The above-ground market drives the price of the weed down from street prices. Most dispensaries will sell one whole gram for around $10 up to $20 for top-shelf cannabis.
So, if you want to purchase the least quantity and cheapest go for a gram of weed or ask for a dime bag and you are good!
Dub
A dub sac of weed is stoner slang for 2-gram weed that’s worth $20. But this may depend on where country you’re buying your pot.
Eighth
From a gram or dub of weed, we jump up to “eighth” or one-eighth of an ounce.
This is roughly 3.5 grams and the prices may range from $20 on the low end to $50 for top-shelf quality cannabis.
Most of those who don’t want to visit a dispensary usually pick an eighth of an ounce and it may last them for a week.
Quarter
This is also called “Q” or “quarter” or “quarter ounce” and that name is pretty self–explanatory. It equals a quarter of an ounce or 7 grams.
The prices may vary on quarters anywhere from $20 for a very low-end shake-up to around $60 for higher quality buds.
Half
If you want more than a quarter, you can purchase a half which refers to half an ounce or 14 grams.
Ounce
The word “ounce” isn’t a slang term but many also referred to it as “Full O” and “Z.” All of them refer to a full ounce of weed which is equal to 28 grams.
Most people don’t go above this range because an ounce is plenty enough to last one quite some time.
As for the price, an ounce of weed may cause you between $80 to $160. However, some places may charge more for high-quality cannabis.
Other terms for this are “Full O”, “O”, “Z” or “zip.” The first two terms are self-explanatory.
As for the last two, others refer to ounce using these terms because back in the old days an ounce usually takes up a whole zip-lock bag, hence, the name. But in some recreational places like Denver, just using the word ounce is acceptable.
If you wish to purchase several ounces that’s possible because you can visit three dispensaries and pick an ounce each from them to have a total of three ounces.
But consider the legal limit of how much weed you can possess in your state. For instance, in California, adults 21 or older can possess up to 1 ounce or 28 grams of dried cannabis and 8 grams of cannabis concentrates, per Weed Maps .
For medical cannabis patients, they can possess up to 8 ounces of marijuana. But medical patients must be 18 and older. This might be different in your state, so please check out the allowed weight of cannabis that you can possess in your state.
However, as I said, a single person won’t need much more than an ounce. In fact, a regular cannabis user may use up an ounce in two weeks to a month. If it takes you longer to use that, you may need to freeze it, but I tell you, it’s not a good idea to do so.
Pound
If an ounce of weed will take one to a month or more to smoke, you can multiply that by 16 because a pound contains 16 ounces or 448 grams.
I understand that this amount won’t interest many because most cannabis users are not allowed to store this much of cannabis. However, this is helpful to those who have diy stealth grow cabinet and make their own concentrates.
You may have noticed that the weed measurement start out in the metric system, then change the Imperial systems as quantities get larger. The mix of Imperial and metric systems can be confusing, but you will soon get the hang of it especially if you take measurements from the smallest to largest.
Marijuana Measurements Chart And Cost
To make it easier for you to remember the terms above, here’s a quick reference weed measurement chart in terms of quantities and weights. I also included a price to give you an overview of how much 3.5 grams or 7 grams or an eighth of weed costs.
| Marijuana measurement | How many grams (metric equivalent) | Price estimate | Size comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ gram | 500 mg | <$10 | Penny |
| 1 gram | 1000 mg | $10 - $25 | Grape |
| 1 eighth | 3.5 grams | $25 - $60 depending on the state | Kiwi |
| 1 eighth | 7 grams | $80-$120 | Apple |
| 1 half | 14 grams | $125 - $150 | Grapefruit |
| 1 ounce | 28 grams | over $450 | Coconut |
| 1 pound | 448 grams | $2,000 - $3000 | Watermelon |
Weed Measurement Complete Guide
Since you pay your weed per gram, you should make sure that you are getting what you pay for. In case you can’t remember the gram conversion, the budtender can help you remember how many grams are there in an eighth, quarter, half, or ounce. They will weigh out your weed to make sure that you are taking home the accurate weight.
Again, measurements are very important in the cannabis market because the price depends on its weight. Since this department is very important, you need to learn how to read a scale by weighing grams.
First, you should know that there are three types of scales to weigh grams.
There’s the triple beam scale that has been used from the time the pyramids were built. It is precise to the tenth of a gram in weight.
There are mechanical scales too that weigh in grams and kilograms like an old bathroom floor scale. It takes 522 grams to equal one pound of a material or object.
The most common scales are battery operated digital scales that weigh in whole grams.
If you do not know how to read scales, then this section is for you. I’ll teach you how to weigh cannabis using the aforementioned three different scales.
Digital Scale
When you are using a digital scale, follow the instructions below.
1. Place an object or item on the platform of the digital scale.
2. Observe the display screen on a digital scale. Let the display stop on a measurement. The scale may waver between two numbers for a few seconds until the exact weight displays.
3. Read the digital weight display in whole grams to tenths of grams. For example, a reading of 2.03 on the display signifies 2 3/10 grams.
Mechanical Scale
1. Place an object on a mechanical scale’s platform.
2. Read a mechanical scale by observing the pointer on the dial that shows the weight of an item. . The dial in grams usually also has kilograms at the top and grams at the bottom or vice versa.
3. Observe the pointer position and read the kilograms first. Then add the grams located to the right side of the kilogram mark, for a final reading. The dial on a mechanical scale moves left as weight is added to it.
For example: if the pointer is between the 2 and 3-kilogram mark and rests on the 20-gram mark, the total weight is 2 kilograms and 20 grams.
Triple Beam Scale
1. Place an object on a triple beam scale to measure its weight in grams.
2. Observe the placement of the three metal riders on the top, middle and bottom beams to calculate the weight.
3. Read the measurement on a triple beam scale in grams by adding the top, middle and bottom measurements together. The top measurements is in increments of 100s, the middle is in 10s and the bottom is in tenths.
For example, if the top beam reading is 200, the middle beam reading is 10 and the bottom reading is 3, the total reading is 210.3 grams.
Please note that the measurements for edibles can be confusing because the packaging will give you the total amount of THC not the THC amount per dose.
So, for example, you buy a pack of gummies and the package reads “100mg THC.” You have to divide that into the number of gummies in the pack. So, in our example, each gummy contains 5mg THC.
If your recommended edible dosage is 10mg, them you have to consume two gummies.
P.S. Again, the weight of the marijuana you are taking is critical. You can’t carry more than what’s legally allowed in your state.
Also, please note that weed measurements may also refer to the amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) present in cannabis. Cannabis has hundreds of compounds, but THC is singled out because it is responsible for making one feel “high.”
The average THC content can vary from one product to another, but the average is usually between 15-30 percent. So, when you buy a cannabis bud or a rolled joint, I suggest that you also consider the percentage of THC concentration.
The higher the THC percentage, the more you will experience the psychoactive effects you want while using a smaller amount of weed.
For concentrates, THC is measured in terms of milligrams. A gram of cannabis oil could contain 70 percent THC but the label will indicate that the oil has 70mg of THC per dose.
Meanwhile, cannabis edibles are commonly available in 5 mg or 10 mg THC doses and up to 50mg to 100mg per package.
Cannabis Concentrate And Extracts Measurements
As mentioned above, some store an ounce or pounds of marijuana to produce concentrates. But to give you an overview of cannabis concentrate measurements, I’ll give you an example.
If you have a full ounce (20 grams) of marijuana, you can produce about two to six grams of dabs or butane hash oil (wax). Meanwhile, vaporize cannabis concentrates can cost you anywhere between $20 up to $100 per gram.
If you want to produce cannabis oil, an ounce will give you three to four grams of it.
If you want to create more weed edible, try a cannabis-infused butter or cannabutter. You can produce more of it with an ounce of weed compared to any other single weed edible.
Most ganja users make their own cannabutter. But if you want to purchase, you can also find high-quality cannabutter from the market.
Extracts are concentrated cannabis products but typically procured through an extraction process. They are highly potent and can contain as much as 80% THC.
When it comes to measurement, 0.5 grams is comparable to a pumpkin seed while 1 gram is as small as a tablet of chewing gum.
Conclusion
Measuring weed doesn’t sound easy at first. But, don’t worry because eventually, when you get the hang of it, you’ll see that weed measurements ain’t that really hard. For beginners, I urged you to memorize the different jargon when buying cannabis so you won’t be confused in case you get those monthly subscription boxes for cannabis.
For beginners, always remember that you start with gram being the least and work you way up to an ounce of weed with 28 grams. I also encouraged you to try marijuana measurements at home so you will know how much a gram is, an eighth of an ounce, a quarter ounce, and an ounce of ganja.
Related:
How To Get A Medical Cannabis Card, Is It Legal To Grow Marijuana?, Marijuana Legalization, Medical Marijuana Service
References
- cannabismo.org/ultimate-weed-measurements-guide/
- weedmaps.com/learn/laws-and-regulations/california/
- my420tours.com/weed-measurements-complete-guide/
- weedmaps.com/learn/products-and-how-to-consume/weed-measurements/
- my420tours.com/weed-measurements-complete-guide/
- cannabismo.org/ultimate-weed-measurements-guide/
