Along the way to becoming a true cannabis connoisseur, there are various rites of passage. Rolling your first joint that doesn’t look like absolute garbage, understanding how much is an 8th, taking a huge bong hit without coughing up a lung, mastering the art of munching edibles without descending into a freak-out spiral and so on. There are a lot of them and the majority simply come and go as part and parcel of the process.
However, when it comes to cannabis weight and measurements, things aren’t always so straightforward. Even in the case of those who may have been part of the cannabis community for years, you might sometimes find yourself feeling completely out of your element when it comes to weed mathematics. You know that things like grams, eighths, quarters, ounces and so on exist, but probably have no idea what they all mean…or how to convert them.
Admittedly, it does have a habit of getting a little tricky. The reason being that while some claim to be able to estimate cannabis weights simply by looking at the stuff, things like bud density can make a very big difference to exactly how much you get for your money. Which is why if you’re in any way serious about the cannabis you buy or sell (legally of course), there’s no easier or better option than simply buying yourself a £10 digital scale and doing it properly.
Still, you could definitely do with getting a grip of the various weights, measures and slang – just to ensure you don’t come across like a total noob.
Cannabis Weights and Measures: How Much is an 8th?
Grams
First of all, it’s highly unlikely that you are ever going to buy or sell weed in measurements that go any smaller than grams. In fact, picking up just 1g of the stuff is likewise comparatively rare, given the fact that it isn’t going to last you very long. In a realistic scenario, a gram will probably be sufficient to roll a few decent joints, or pack out one hell of a blunt. Either way, you’re looking at a small and quickly erased amount. What you really need to know is the important stuff such as how much is an 8th and am a I getting the right measurements.
How much is an 8th = 3.5g
Just about the single most commonly purchased cannabis measurement, an eighth weighs in at 3.5g. The name (quite obviously) refers to the weight being an eighth of an ounce, which in terms of how much you get will probably keep you going for a while at least. The other benefit of buying an eighth is that you’ll usually get way better value for money than simply buying single grams. In the UK an 8th can cost £25-35 depending who you know, in the US this is all down to quality and depends whether you are looking at top shelf or mids.
What is a Teenth = 1.75g
Those not looking to spend quite as much might request half-eighths, which should actually be referred to as sixteenths or teenths. More often than not, cannabis distributors don’t tend to be in the habit of reserving their best product for these tiny measures.
Quarter = 2 eighths = 7g
One step up comes a quarter, which you can probably figure out is…yep, 25% of a full ounce. These are the kinds of measures that come highly recommended for those who smoke cannabis on a regular basis, given that picking up a quarter means less likelihood of running out and also a pretty decent price.
Half = 2 quarters = 4 eighths = 14g
We won’t insult your intelligence by spelling out in simple English exactly how much a half is. In terms of practicality, these are the kinds of measures most stoners only tend to pick up if they are planning on entertaining guests. Well, that or anticipating a rather extensive period of time during which they might not be able to buy any more.
Ounce = 4 quarters = 8 eighths = 28g
An ounce has become the maximum measure of cannabis that can be legally carried by any individual in various states where recreational cannabis has been legalized. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you have never experienced holding and carrying a full ounce of premium bud that’s 100% yours, it’s pretty hard to describe. Suffice to say, it’s quite a lot – the fact that it’s legal (in some regions) seems almost too good to be true.
Pound = 16 ounces = 64 quarters = 128 eighths = 448 grams
If you have any intention of picking up or holding cannabis in these kinds of quantities, it’s highly unlikely it’s all for personal consumption. It could instead be that you are running something of a (legal) distribution business or dispensary of some kind, meaning it’s highly likely you will already know what’s what as far as measurements are concerned. If not, you might want to do some homework ASAP.
Kilo
Likewise, a kilo of cannabis isn’t something you buy without first knowing exactly how enormous this kind of quantity is and what you plan to do with it. Unless you are working at a commercial level or are well and truly up to no good, there’s a strong chance you’ll never come across this much cannabis all in one go.
Dimes, Nickels, Dubs
These common names for cannabis purchases don’t qualify as weights and measures, given the way in which they aren’t sold by weight. Instead, this is where you pay $10, $5 or by $20 respectively and basically get whatever you are given. If you plan on buying this way, you need to have a good eye for quantities and quality, in order to ensure you’re getting a decent deal.
Weights and Measures Local Slang
So these are basically all the international standards, but what about the local lingo? The truth is, wherever you go in the world you will probably come across a whole bunch of terms that really make no sense to you whatsoever, unless you’ve taken the time to learn them in advance.
UK Slang
For example, cannabis may still be illegal in the United Kingdom, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of slang terms for the various weights and measures, which include:
- 1/16 (ounce): ‘teenth’ (sixteenth), Louis (the 16th)
- 1/8: eighth, eighter, single, Henry (the VIII), cut, slice, Garden Gate
- 1/4: quarter (ounce), quad, ‘Q’, bottle (of water), farmer’s daughter
- 1/2: half (ounce), ‘halfie’, ‘half-O’, ‘halfer’
- 1: ounce, oz, onion Ozzy (Osbourne), ‘O’, Oscar, zone, zip, Fosters
- 9: bar (approx. 250g)
- £10 bag: Tenner bag, tens, ten bag, 10 bit
US Slang
Over in the United States where cannabis legalization is slowly becoming the norm, there are also plenty of slang terms – including a few we’ve already covered:
- Nickel bag, blunt — $5 worth
- Dime bag — $10 worth
- Dub – twenty bag, $20 worth
- 30 sack – $30 worth
- 50 piece – 3 twenty bags for $50
- 25, or a quarter — $100 with $20 free
- Lid- $200 worth
Just to round things off with a few tips that apply to all purchases – one of which being to be wary of the smallest baggies and amounts sold. The reason being that when sellers have a bunch of mixed scraps from all over the place left over, these are far more likely to find their way into smaller bags than more premium purchases. As already mentioned, you stand to make significant savings by buying in larger quantities. But at the same time, make sure that it is both a batch and a seller you can trust, before handing over too much of your money and taking home a wad of garbage.
Now you know how much is an 8th you can go forward and buy with confidence.
