Weed Measurement Guide - How many Grams in an ounce?

You might wonder why there is an entire guide on weed measurement. How hard could it be to measure and buy your favourite strains and buds?

Well, it's not all that simple. 

Weed is measured in all sorts of ways, from just a "dub" to an ounce, there isn't a single metric system used by budtenders everywhere. So if you know what an ounce is, and you want to buy it in a smaller quantity, you need to know what a gram is. And if you always buy a gram or smaller quantities, and you need to stock your favourite strain for the quarantined season, you need to know what an ounce is. 

Whether you're a regular cannabis consumer or someone who occasionally tokes it, here's your measurement guide for every occasion. 

Weed Measurements - The Broader Look

We are all familiar with large quantities like pounds or kilos, but when it comes to weed, the measurement is usually based around pounds. Even if you're an ardent smoker, you wouldn't need kilos of stash at your service. Moreover, having a large quantity of cannabis is illegal even in those states where the consumption is legal. 

So what's the one unit around which all the smaller units are measured? It is the ounce. 

An ounce is a unit of mass, weight, or volume that is equal to one-sixteenth of a pound. If you're looking for smaller quantities, you can just go ahead and buy an ounce. But what if you want less than a pound? How do you measure that when it comes to weed? The answer is Fractions. No, you don't need to pick up your maths book, I'll simplify it for you. 

Fractions of an ounce are a popular unit for measuring and selling cannabis. It can be an eighth, a quarter, and a half—all of which represent the weed’s weight relevant to a full ounce.

Making things more clear, an eight is ⅛ an ounce of weed, a quarter is ¼ an ounce of weed, and a half is ½ an ounce of weed. 

Now that we have a clearer picture of the ounce, let's move onto a smaller unit for weed measurement- the gram. 

Weed Measurement Guide-How many grams of weed is in an ounce?

Let's start with what is a gram. 

Gram is usually used by people who are looking to buy smaller quantities of cannabis. For example, if you're looking to try a new strain, you won't go ahead and buy an ounce. What if you don't like the hit? Or the taste, or the high? In that case, you would get a gram.

Defining a gram, it is "a metric unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram." And it is not limited to smaller quantities, you can use the gram to measure larger quantities including the ounce. 

Now coming to the larger question here- How many grams of weed is in an ounce?

Grams are the most common measurement used by cannabis budtenders, which is why you need to know the answer to the question- How many grams of weed is in an ounce?

Technically speaking, an ounce is equal to 28.3495 gram, but we won't be using the decimals so let's round it off to the nearest number, i.e., 28.

Time to take out the thinking cap!

If 1 ounce = 28 grams, how much weed would there be in an eight? 

The answer is simple, you would have to divide the total grams with 8, to get the value of the grams in an eighth. 28 divided by 8? That’s 3.5 — so there are 3.5 grams of weed in an eighth.

• 1 eighth = ⅛-ounce = 3.5 grams
• 1 quarter = ¼-ounce = 7 grams
• 1 half = ½-ounce = 14 grams
• 1 ounce = 28 grams
• 1 pound = 16 ounces = 448 grams

You should know these numbers to make an informed decision. Many a time, the budtender may use your lack of knowledge to their advantage and you would lose on a quite a good amount of weed. And when you talk in the same jargon and measurement, it looks like you know what you're buying and therefore eliminate the chances of getting cheated. 

| Also Read: Weed Brownies Recipe- How to Make Pot Brownies? |

Weed Measurement Guide-How to weight your buds

The Scale Method

It is the most obvious and the easiest method to weight your bud and flowers. Having a scale helps to determine the accurate grams of cannabis. The only thing that you have to keep in mind to get a scale that is accurate within 0.1 grams for the most precise measurements. You don't need to shed a lot of bucks for the scale, just get the accurate one.

Eyeballing Method

Not the most accurate method, but still used very prominently, the eyeballing method is for those who don't want to invest in a scale. 

This method is based on judging the weight by the size of the bud. However, there are some factors which need to be taken into account. 

Density and moisture content are crucial determinants that affect the look and feel of the cannabis buds. Since different strains have different characteristics, some are packed densely together, while others may contain less moisture and are lighter and fluffier. 

Because of the variants, it is almost impossible to judge a bud accurately unless you're a connoisseur or have superpowers. 

The Ruler and Penny Method

Now we get creative with the measurement of the cannabis strains. Since a penny is exactly 2.5 grams, you can use the ruler to make a scale, and place the weed on one end of the scale to judge whether your buds weigh more or less than 2.5 grams. 

The Smartphone Method

When they say you have the world in your hand, believe them!

You can download any measuring scale app and use them to give yourself a pretty accurate result. Nothing beats the actual scale, but in a crunch, you can use this method. 

The DIY Method

I told you, we were getting creative with our methods!

Here's what you'll need to create a plastic hanger scale.

• A long piece of string, 
• Drill, 
• Pair of scissors, and,
• a nickel (Weighs five grams)

The first step is to get rid of the top part of the hanger using the scissors. Once done, use the drills to make a hole in the centre at the top of the hanger. Drill two holes on each side of a hanger, ensuring that they are both an equidistant from the centre hole. 

Now make use of the string and cut it into three equal lengths. They go on each side on the hanger, into the hole, and the centre. The centre string will hold the weight. 

And Voila! You have your own DIY Scale!

A Visual Guide for your weed measurement

We know what is ounce and gram, and how we can measure them, but let's see what they actually look like. 

A gram of weed:

As you can see, it is a small portion of the bud, usually known as a "nugget". As stated before, it is not accurate to decide the weight by the eyeballing method, but a visual representation will be enough to give you an idea of how much it should look like. 

An eight of a weed:

An eight of a weed or 3.5 grams of weed is the go-to amount for most smokers who use cannabis regularly. It owes its reputation to its affordability, however, the price may differ depending upon the quality and the location of the buds. 

A quarter of a weed:

A quarter of a weed or 7 grams is perfect for those who are ardent and frequent smokers. If you're looking to stash good quality weed without making it too heavy on the pockets, get a quarter. 

A half-ounce of weed:

Now that's some huge quantity! 

You can hoard a half-ounce of weed when you like to mix it edibles since most recipes call out for a half an ounce. On the other hand, if you have the money and the capacity, you can always buy and store the weed. 

An ounce of weed:

Not meant for occasional smokers, an ounce of weed can be pretty expensive. However, if you're a regular and frequent smoker, this is the most cost-effective method to get your weed. 

Weed Measurement Guide-How much should you purchase as a first time user?

Consuming cannabis is a tricky thing as there is no guideline or set rules which have to be followed. The lack of defined quantity stems from the fact that everybody reacts differently. For someone, the first time can hit beautifully while others may not even feel the effect. 

As a first time user, it is prudent to start with a smaller quantity and gradually build your capacity towards the optimum level. Once you get used to the weed, other factors set in. You may consume cannabis differently which may influence your usage. For example, you may use vapes to smoke it or grind it to roll a spliff. The effect also depends on the quality of the weed- the higher the quality, the less you will need to get high and lastly the amount of money you are willing to spend.

| Also Read - Weed Gummies - How to Make Cannabis Gummy Bears? |

Weed Measurement Guide-Slang Cheat Sheet

We all know that a familiar lingo is very important to strike a connection. The next time you're out to buy weed, use these slangs to ease your transactions. 

• Weed equivalent to $10 is termed as a "dime-bag". It contains around 1 gram of weed. 
• A "nickel-bag" is half of a dime-bag, which means it has $5 worth of weed, measuring half a gram. 
• A "dub" is used to refer to a full 3.5 grams of low-quality product or a bit less of higher quality stuff. It can cost you around $20.
• A "quad" of weed contains about 7 grams of weed. 
• "Slice" is commonly used to refer to an eighth of weed. It gets its name from the term "slice of pizza", as there are 8 slices in a large pizza.

Weed Measurement Guide-Tips for the Weed Users

1. Even though we have emphasized it enough previously, but here it is again! Use a precise scale for your weed measurement. You cannot use the kitchen scale as it is not accurate up to 0.1 gram and may give you incorrect values. 
2. A tiny decimal number can make a great difference when you're buying in larger quantities frequently. Make sure you round to the most exact number whenever possible, as it will give you more product. 
3. Keep an eye on the wastage of the weed by grinding them into a fine texture before smoking. Without proper grinding, you risk air pockets and uneven burning which simply wastes the precious weed. Ground weed, using a herb grinder, also ensures a smoother and slower burn. 
4. The smartest thing you can do is budget your weed consumption because we know how much you end up spending. Let's give an example if your ounce costs you $100, and you roll about .5 grams of that ounce into each joint, then you know you are spending about $1.8 on each joint you roll. You can do these calculations to budget and adjust spending habits so you are spending — and smoking — wisely! 

This brings us to the end of the Weed Measurement Guide. Hope this was able to answer all the questions you had. 

If you have any doubts, feel free to comment below.