Hey there, fellow enthusiasts of the green godess! I’m rolling up some knowledge for you all about one of my favorite ways to indulge in the magic herb – blunts.
Let me share something embarrassing: when I first started smoking, I had a hard time remembering the difference between a joint and a blunt. So you don’t embarrass yourself at a smoke sesh like I did, let’s dive into the world of blunts.
What is a Blunt?
Think of it as the cooler, bigger sibling of the joint. A blunt is essentially a cannabis-filled cigar, typically made by hollowing out a cigarillo or cigar (or any other kind of tobacco paper) and replacing the tobacco with finely ground herb. It’s like the ultimate fusion of tobacco and cannabis culture.
Now for the point I struggled with – what sets a blunt apart from a joint? The main difference lies in the wrapping. While joints are typically rolled with thin, translucent rolling papers made from rice or hemp, blunts are rolled with thicker, more substantial cigar wraps or blunt wraps. This gives blunts a slower burn and a richer, more robust flavor profile compared to joints.
The addition of tobacco affects your high: it delivers a fast-acting, head-specific high that you’ll notice almost instantly after hitting it. You may feel dizzier or more light-headed than usual after smoking a blunt.
Types of Blunt Wraps
Blunts traditionally have tobacco and weed in them (but are not to be confused with spliffs, which also have weed and tobacco.)
Traditional blunt wraps include:
- Backwoods. These are the OG gas station blunt wraps that you can find nearly anywhere in the US. They hit hard and deliver a powerful high – but cutting, emptying, and rolling the paper back up can be challenging.
- Swisher. This cigarillo is beloved by stoners on the East Coast. It’s easy to find and typically smoother than Backwoods.
- Game Leaf. Also called “games” by blunt lovers, this brand is known for their variety of flavored leaves and smoke well.
- Fronto leaves. Most popular with Caribbean smokers, fronto leaves are air-dried tobacco tree leaves. True fronto leaves can be hard to find in the US (Fronto King offers one of the most accessible versions) but has a flavor that simply can’t be beat.
Tobacco-Free Blunt Wraps
In this day and age, you can enjoy a blunt smoking experience without tobacco. There are dozens of innovative brands creating tobacco-free blunt papers, usually made from palm or tea leaves.
(You could argue that these aren’t true blunt wraps because there is no tobacco – and you would technically be right, but I and thousands of other stoners will not be listening.)
A few of my favorites include:
- ZigZag Palm Rolls, made from palm leaves
- High Tea Wraps, made from a blend of tea leaves.
- High Hemp Wraps, made from hemp and often carried in gas stations
Blunts versus Cigars
Blunts and cigars share a common ancestry. In fact, blunts have cigars to thank for their existence.
Blunts originated from the practice of hollowing out cigars and filling them with cannabis, creating a smoother, more flavorful smoking experience. Like cigars, blunts burn slower and take longer to smoke. If you’ve ever enjoyed a good cigar, you might just fall in love with blunts too.
How to Roll a Blunt
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: how to roll a blunt. Like rolling a joint, rolling a blunt takes practice. Blunts are large – they can be twice as long as a joint, which means a lot more paper and weed to manage.
First, you’ll need your blunt wrap of choice. You can find these at most gas stations or smoke shops, and they come in a variety of flavors and sizes.
- If you’re using a traditional blunt wrap, you’ll need to gently split the wrap down the middle using your fingers or a blade, being careful not to tear it. Once it’s split, remove any excess tobacco and fill the wrap with your finely ground herb.
- Newer blunt wraps like High Tea don’t have any tobacco in them to remove, and ZigZag palms come already rolled – the epitome of blunt convenience.
Roll the wrap tightly around the herb. If you’re struggling to get a tight roll, here’s a pro tip: make a small tear in the top of the blunt wrap in the middle. Wrap the back half tightly and then move onto the front half. With a small enough tear, it won’t affect the smoking quality. Seal the paper with spit or water and voila! You’ve got yourself a perfectly rolled blunt ready to spark up.
And there you have it, – Blunts 101, complete with everything you need to know to roll up and enjoy this timeless classic. Grab your favorite strain, roll up a fat blunt, and let the good times roll. After all, life’s too short to smoke bad blunts. Peace, love, and puff on!
