Blunt vs joint: What is the difference?

For those of you that are new to the weird and wonderful world of weed, the terms “blunt” and “joint” might mean the same thing to you. But they actually refer to two different ways of smoking weed and it’s important that you know the difference. Let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s of smoking joints and blunts, if either of them gets you higher and which is the healthiest option.

What is the difference between a blunt and a joint?

The main difference between a joint and a blunt is the material that is used to roll them. A joint is rolled using ultra thin papers that usually have a strip of gum along one edge that allows you to stick them in place once it is rolled. Joints are made with just weed, so they contain nothing else other than the weed, rolling paper and a filter. Because of how thin the rolling paper is, joints tend to burn much faster than a blunt.

A blunt on the other hand is a roll of cannabis that’s wrapped in a tobacco leaf paper. In other words, a blunt is essentially a cigar filled with weed. Blunts are usually fatter and longer than joints because of the larger tobacco wraps that they are made with. They also burn much slower because of the thickness of the wrap. Blunts also contain nothing other than weed, however, because they are rolled using tobacco leaf you are also inhaling the nicotine that this contains. Many smokers prefer blunts because of the added flavor of the cigar wraps and the added buzz that the nicotine provides.

Positives of smoking joints

Joints have been around for decades but why are they still the most popular choice among cannabis smokers?

– Convenience: joints are convenient to carry around and easy to roll. You can roll a joint with a few rolling papers and some ground-up bud. You can also buy rolling papers at almost any supermarket or convenience store.

– Cost – Rolling papers are much cheaper compared than blunt wraps. 

– Smoother to smoke: Joints are made with thin rolling papers that are designed to burn evenly and consistently. They also contain no tobacco which makes them smoother.

– Joints are smaller:  Their small size makes them convenient to carry around and smoke discreetly. You can easily slip a joint into your pocket or purse and take it with you wherever you go.

Healthier: Joints are made with pure weed and the rolling papers are healthier because they contain no tobacco or nicotine. This makes the smoke less harsh on your throat and lungs.

Negatives of smoking joints

While there are many benefits to smoking joints, there are also a few downsides. 

• Faster burn: The rolling papers are incredibly thin which means that a joint burns much faster.
• May contain chemicals: Some rolling papers are made with chemicals and other additives that can irritate your respiratory system. So try to stick to organic papers if you are concerned about your health.
• Easily damaged: Although they are easy to carry around the rolling papers are so thin that they can easily tear or break causing bits of weed to fall out of the joint. To avoid this you can buy small cases to protect your joint in your pocket or backpack.
• Lack of flavor: Some people may prefer this because it allows you to taste the bud more, however, others prefer the added flavor of a cigar wrap.

Are blunt wraps or rolling papers better?

This really is a down to personal preference, both methods have their own positives and negatives. Blunt wraps are basically emptied out cigars, which can give your cannabis a bit of added flavor. Some people prefer the taste of a blunt, while others prefer the taste of rolling papers. Blunt wraps tend to burn slower than rolling papers, which can be a plus for some people. However, blunt wraps are made with tobacco, so if you are not a cigarette smoker you may not enjoy the added nicotine that comes with this. 

Which tastes better, joints or blunts?

This ultimately comes down to whether you like the taste of cigars or not. Some people enjoy the taste and aroma that comes with smoking the tobacco leaf may prefer to smoke blunts. The cigar wraps can add a bit of sweetness to the cannabis, which some people find appealing. Whereas others prefer the more neutral taste of cannabis on its own, and if this is you, you will probably prefer smoking a joint made with rolling papers.

What is healthier to smoke blunts or joints?

Smoking anything at all is harmful to your lungs and throat, and neither blunts or joints are healthy. However, when it comes to choosing which is the least harmful, joints are probably the winner here. 

Blunts are made with tobacco leaf paper, which contains nicotine as well as other harmful contaminants such as insecticides. A recent investigation into blunt wraps found that many contain cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos, both of these are insecticides that can be harmful when smoked. Nicotine is also highly addictive so smoking blunts could get you hooked on tobacco.

Smoking joints on the other hand can be slightly less harmful for your lungs if you use an organically produced rolling paper. Rolling papers do not contain any nicotine either so there is less of an addictive element to smoking them.  

With all of this in mind, blunts and joints aren’t the healthiest ways to consume cannabis so if you’re concerned about the negative side effects of smoking, there are a few alternatives that you may want to consider such as vaping, edibles and topicals. 

Healthier alternatives to smoking blunts and joints

Edibles: Consuming cannabis causes no damage to your respiratory tract. Providing you consume them in a controlled dosage and don’t overdo it edibles can be a healthier and safer way to consume cannabis.

Vaping: Lighting a joint or blunts causes it to burn at an incredibly high temperature which is the cause of many of the harmful components such as tar in the smoke. Using an electronic vaporizer instead allows you to heat it at a lower temperature which creates a less harmful vapour. Also because of the low temperature less of the cannabinoids and terpenes are damaged creating a more potent and better tasting smoke.

Topicals and balms: If you want to avoid smoking altogether but use THC or CBD as a way of relieving pain or helping with sleep try using topicals and balms instead. Like a moisturiser these are simply applied to the skin and absorbed into the body with very little side effects. This is a great way of using THC and CBD without feeling high or harming your lungs.

Using filters: If you are set on smoking a joint or blunt try using an activated carbon filter instead of your homemade card one. Activated carbon filters help to remove a lot of the harmful elements such as tar from smoke before it is inhaled.

Do blunts or joints get you highest?

This is a bit of a tricky question. Both blunts and joints contain cannabis, so the effects that you’ll experience will be largely the same. However, blunts are normally larger than the average sized joint, which means that they will most likely contain more weed. However, it is mostly down to the weed that is used, higher potency strains will obviously get you higher. 

Because blunts are rolled using tobacco leaves, the nicotine that is found in them can give you a bit of a buzz which many users claim ruins the high. There isn’t much science behind how tobacco affects the high from smoking weed, however, there is evidence that suggests that it can increase cannabis dependence. In other words get you addicted to smoking weed.