In a post-prohibition Washington state, weed users have easier access to many more options — vapes and concentrates, food and drinks, even lotion. But with the hype surrounding all of these new, often more efficient ways to get THC into your system, the art of rolling a good old-fashioned joint is perhaps getting lost.
Lucky for you, Justin Fulton is here to put on a clinic. The 38-year-old is a manager and budtender at Lucky Leaf Co. in downtown Spokane. He taught himself how to roll joints as a teenager because he was tired of smoking out of aluminum cans made into pipes. The dude's been rolling at a high level for the past 20 years, so take notes (or just keep this issue handy).
WHAT YOU NEED:
• Weed (Fulton is using Sour Diesel, a sativa-dominant strain)
• Grinder (optional)
• Rolling papers (papers 1¼ inches in size are easiest to work with)
STEP 1
Break the bud free of stems. Some grinders will do this for you; smoking stems should be avoided, as it can give the joint a harsher taste, Fulton says.
STEP 2
Grind it up. Load the weed into a grinder and twist away. If you don't have a grinder, scissors work well. Fulton says that a (clean) coffee grinder will do the trick, too. Or if you're really old-school, just break it up with your fingers. Just be aware that your hands might get sticky, which can make rolling a joint more difficult.
STEP 3
Holding the rolling paper with the adhesive strip up, fold the bottom half in half. This creates a little trough, and will make the joint easier to form.
STEP 4
Holding the paper with one hand, start sprinkling the weed into it, starting at the end closest to your hand. Begin to lightly pack the weed together as you add more. Press too hard, and you'll rip the paper. Don't pack it tight enough, and you'll have weed falling out of the ends.
"My trick is just to pack it in there real good," Fulton says. "I do about three or four presses to form it, and then push it in at the end, so a little paper is showing."
STEP 5
Roll it up. When you feel that the weed is packed tight enough that it's not sliding around, roll the bottom edge up, starting with the end closest to your hand.
STEP 6
Wet the adhesive strip. You can use your tongue or the inside of your lip. Wet it too much, and the paper will rip.
STEP 7
Taper the end. Massage the smaller end (probably the end you were holding) into a point.
"It's to keep the stuff out of your mouth," Fulton says. "And it creates a nice draft area, makes it easier to smoke."♦
