When we look back into the past decade, it’s incredible how much things have changed for the cannabis industry. Yes, cannabis is still federally illegal in the U.S., but the state laws around legalization have moved forward, and in some states, such as Colorado and California, you can use weed medically and recreationally, so that’s pretty cool. Legal cannabis in any form used to be science fiction back in the day, so weed enthusiasts needed to find “code words” for it in order to share it. Where are we going with this?
Well, many of those initial slang terms have remained in the cannabis lingo. Many of them refer to specific weed measurements, which are a world of their own. For example, you may have heard of the term “a zip of weed” and never knew exactly what it meant, so that’s why we’re going to talk about it in this article.
The Confusing World of Weed Measurements – A Guide
The standard weed measurements system that’s used today took a while to develop. It’s confusing when you learn about it for the first time because it uses measurements from both the metric and the imperial system to accommodate the small quantities of weed that are measured.
Below, we included all of the standard weed measurements you’ll stumble across when buying weed.
Gram of Weed
A gram of weed is the smallest measurement of cannabis flowers you can find in a legal dispensary. The actual size of a gram of weed may slightly vary depending on the density of the nugs, but if someone is trying to sell you a gram that looks too small to weigh that much, ask them to weigh it again or use an app on your phone. A gram of weed is enough to roll 3-4 joints or a couple of blunts.
Eighth of an Ounce
An eighth of an ounce is the most popular and the most common weed measurement you’ll see on dispensary shelves. Most commonly sold in jars, an eighth of an ounce is often called just “an eighth” and equals 3.8 grams of weed. It’s the perfect amount of cannabis for all users – occasional users will have a stash for months, while frequent users won’t have to worry about it running out before they get the chance to buy a refill.
Quarter of an Ounce
A quarter of an ounce, also called just a “quarter,” equals 7 grams of weed. This quantity is perfect if you need something to last you for a while, for example, if you’re going for a trip or if you’re having some friends over. A quarter is also great if you’re a daily user who tokes at least once a day, so you’ll have a stash to last you for the week.
Half Ounce
Half ounce, or just a “half, or “half o” equals 14 grams of cannabis. This much cannabis will definitely last you for a longer time. But other than loading your bong or rolling big fat blunts, an ounce of marijuana is actually the standard weed measurement for many edibles, such as cannabutter and cannaoil.
Full Ounce of Weed
An ounce of weed, or just “an ounce,” weighs approximately 28 grams and it’s the largest quantity you can buy under state law at any dispensary. Buying an ounce might seem excessive, but it’s a very good choice for daily consumers or medical marijuana users. It’s more cost-effective than buying smaller quantities over time because nearly all dispensaries offer discounts for an ounce.
Quarter-Pound
A quarter-pound, also called a “QP,” weighs 4 oz or about 113.4 grams. You might come across this weed measurement (and the following two) if you work behind the counter in a dispensary.
Half Pound
Half a pound of weed equals 8 oz or approximately 226.8 grams of weed. Needless to say, that’s quite a lot.
Full Pound of Weed
Finally, one full pound of weed weighs 16 oz or approximately 453 grams. Just imagine how many joints you can make with it!
Then, What Is a Zip of Weed?
The term “a zip of weed” is actually a slang term that refers to one ounce of cannabis, which equals 28 grams in the imperial system. The word “zip” is an abbreviation of ziplock because before medical marijuana became illegal, cannabis was commonly sold in pre-weighed amounts packed in Ziploc bags which happened to weigh about one ounce.
Nowadays, a zip of weed is the maximum amount you can legally buy in a dispensary for personal use in states where weed is fully legal.
To make it easier to gauge how much a zip of weed weighs, consider these references:
- A standard pencil
- 10 pennies
- A CD
- 6 sheets of regular paper
- 28 paperclips
How Many Joints In a Zip of Weed?
An ounce of weed (or as we said 28 grams) is a hefty package and it can give a lot of joints and blunts. Roughly, you will probably be able to roll between 28 and 56 doobies, depending on how much weed you use per joint. A zip of weed could also get you at least 9 standard blunts or even up to 14 blunts. And if you smoke from a bowl, you could easily pack approximately 80 bowls with a zip of weed, assuming you pack around 3-4 bowls per gram of weed.
How Long Does a Zip of Weed Last?
It honestly depends on how frequently and how much you consume cannabis. If you’re a daily user who smokes at least once a day, it could last you for about a month or maybe even more, which is great. If you can afford it, buying a zip of weed is an awesome choice.
If you’re an occasional user who uses weed maybe a couple of times a week, a zip of weed can last you months – easily 3-6 months. That’s also great, but you also need to be mindful and store your weed correctly if you want it to retain its potency and want to avoid smoking dry weed. Proper weed storage is key to making your stash last.
Zip of Weed Pricing
The price of a zip of weed mostly depends on the quality and the strain you’re buying. Obviously, a zip of reggie will cost a lot less than a zip of high-quality OG Kush. Your location, the dispensary you’re buying at, as well as the supply and demand will also influence the pricing, but if we were to round it up, you can expect it to be anywhere from $150 to $400.
Zip of Weed Conversions
- 1 zip = 1 oz = 28 grams
- 1 zip = 8 eighths (3.5 grams each)
- 1 zip = 4 quarters (7 grams each)
- 1 pound = 16 oz = 16 zips
Other Popular Slang Terms for Different Weed Quantities
A zip of weed may not be too popular, but you’ll be surprised to hear that a “zip” has been mentioned many times in pop culture, particularly by musical artists in some of their lyrics. One good example is Get That Zip Off by fellow weed connoisseur Wiz Khalifa who also has his own brand of weed or Stick Talk by Future.
But hey, let’s return to the lingo of weed quantities. There are many slang terms you may have heard thrown here and there and they’re probably confusing (and understandably so). Some of them got their name by the price they’re sold at while others just refer to the same weed measurements we already talked about.
Nonetheless, knowing them will make you feel less lost the next time you walk into a dispensary, so check them out.
Nick of Weed
A nick of weed, or just a “nickel,” is the smallest weed quantity you will find on the cannabis market. A nick of weed equals 1/4 grams of weed and it costs $5, which is half the price of a dime ($10). A nick of weed is rarely top-shelf weed and most often it’s schwag weed.
Dime Bag
A dime bag refers to a gram of weed sold in small plastic baggies for $10. It used to be very popular in the early days, but now it’s been slowly replaced by the eighth.
Dub of Weed
A dub of weed is a dime bag times two, or in other words, it refers to 2 grams of weed sold for $20.
Slice of Weed
A slice of weed is another slang term for an eighth and it equals 3.4 grams of weed.
Pizzle of Weed
A pizzle of weed is another slang term for a pound of weed, and as we said, it weighs 16 oz or 453 grams.
Key of Weed
A key of weed is a slang term most commonly used by growers who sell their cannabis flowers to dispensaries. A key of weed refers to a kilogram of cannabis which equals 1000 grams or approximately 35.2 oz. If you want to get into the specifics, it also equals 2.2 lbs.
To Sum It All Up and Spare You a Headache, Here’s a Cheatsheet
If you’re new to weed measurements, all of this information may be a lot to take in at once, we get it. While the weed measurements system doesn’t seem to make sense, it has worked pretty well for years, so once you get the hang of it, it’ll come naturally. Until then, you can use our slightly less confusing conversion cheatsheet below:
Common Weed Measurements
- 1 gram = 0.035 oz
- 1 eighth = 1/8 oz = 3.5 gr
- 1 quarter = 1/4 oz = 7 gr
- 1 half = 1/2 oz = 14 gr
- 1 ounce = 28 gr
- 1/4 pound = 4 oz = 113.4 gr
- 1/2 pound = 8 oz = 226.8 gr
- 1 pound = 16 oz = 453 gr
Weed Slang Terms
- Nick of weed = 1/4 gr
- Dime bag = 1 gr
- Dub of weed = 2 gr
- Slice of weed = 3.4 gr
- Pizzle of weed = 1 lbs = 16 oz = 453 gr
- Key of weed = 2.2 lbs = 35.2 oz = 1000 gr
The Takeaway
Whether you’re buying high-quality weed or reg weed, the lingo of weed and the standard measurements are the same everywhere. The system may be confusing at first, but it has worked for many years now and has proved to be effective. Plus, it kinda feels like you speak another language, which makes it very cool.
But coolness aside, a zip of weed is one of the most commonly used weed slang terms, while an eighth is probably the most popular weed quantity sold on the market. Keeping these things in mind, you’re now fully equipped to go weed shopping!
