No matter how frequent your marijuana use is, you’ve probably asked yourself or someone else “how many grams in an ounce” at some point. The truth is that the answer to that question is actually quite technical. Keep reading to learn the answer to this and many more questions and become an expert in how weed is measured and sold across all markets.
While it can be difficult to switch between the metric and imperial systems, grams, ounces and pounds are conveniently used universally for weed measurement.
Below are the most common weed measurements and what you need to know about each.
An eighth (⅛): There are 3.54688 grams in an eighth of an ounce. In practice, however, an eighth is typically rounded to 3.5 grams. One eighth of weed is one of, if not the most, commonly purchased amount of weed. For the less frequent smoker, “half-eighths” or sixteenths of an ounce are also commonly purchased, coming in at 1.772 grams in weight.
A quarter (¼): A quarter, unsurprisingly, equates out to two-eighths or 7.0874 grams of cannabis. A quarter is most commonly rounded to 7 grams.
A half ounce (½): One half ounce of weed is equivalent to 14.17475 grams (or 14 grams).
One ounce: Equal to 28.3495 or 28 grams, one ounce of weed is a lot of weed for the casual smoker or infrequent smoker, but it is typically a good investment for a heavy smoker. In legalized states like Colorado and Washington, prices of ounces cost anywhere from $150 to well over $300, depending on the quality of the product.
One pound: A pound of weed contains 16 ounces of cannabis. Just as within ounces, buyers can also purchase quarter and half-pound measurements.
Quick conversion table
Common Weed Measurement Weight In Grams
1 eighth ounce 3.5 grams
1 quarter ounce 7 grams
1 half ounce 14 grams
3/4 ounce 21 grams
1 ounce 28 grams
1 pound 16 ounces
1 kilogram 1,000 grams
Why is it important to know these numbers?
While these exact amounts won’t matter much to the casual smoker, rounding off eighths to 3.5 rather than 3.543 grams, or ounces to 28 rather than 28.349 grams, can make a big difference for purchases of large or frequent quantities.
For years, small-time dealers have done this by rounding down just slightly enough so that the consumer doesn’t notice or care. Factor fractions of a gram into the purchases of several ounces, and you can see how much of a difference rounding can make.
Even if you’re indifferent to the fractions of a decimal point, knowing the simple numbers will help you get your money’s worth and at least look like you know what you’re doing when you buy your own product, whether legally or through a dealer.
Knowing your numbers and what quantities look like can also help ensure you are never scammed out of product or taken advantage of, allowing you to become more confident in your purchase!
WEIGHING OUT YOUR BUD; CHOOSING YOUR METHOD
With a scale:
The best way to weigh out your weed, without competition, is by using a scale. Scales can not only weigh your weed with ease but also measure your product with the most precise accuracy possible. For the most exact measurement of your weed, a scale is definitely the way to go.
When buying a scale, there are a few things to take into consideration:
1. Only buy a scale that is accurate within 0.1 grams for the most precise measurements. Never use a kitchen scale, which is far from precise.
2. Try to purchase a scale with at least a 200 gram capacity for the most usage.
3. Online stores typically offer lower prices than brick-and-mortar stores, so you can save some money to purchase more herb down the line.
Although technical and extremely precise, there are plenty of great scales out there for less than $10. Unless you are looking into selling large quantities of cannabis, an inexpensive and not necessarily top-of-the-line scale will certainly do the trick. With a scale, buying an ounce of weed becomes easier and quicker than ever.
By eyeballing:
If you don’t want to invest in or carry around a scale, there are tons of tips and tricks to identify a gram without one. Eyeballing it on its own, however, is perhaps one of the least effective ways to judge a gram correctly.
Factors including density and moisture content make every gram look and feel different — some are far more packed together and dense, while others contain less moisture and are lighter and fluffier. Because of this, eyeballing on its own is almost certain to be an incorrect measurement.
With the ruler & penny method:
A more effective way to essentially “eyeball” your grams is by crafting a makeshift scale.
Create a scale by laying a ruler flat and placing a penny on one end of the ruler. On the other end, slowly add your weed. The penny will weigh exactly 2.5 grams, so you will know when you have 2.5 grams of weed on the opposite end.
By using a smartphone:
Relatively new phones have apps that provide decently accurate results. Real scales are much more accurate but, in a pinch, apps like these can certainly be helpful.
By constructing a plastic hanger scale:
With this method, you will need a plastic hanger, a long piece of string, a drill, a pair of scissors and a nickel. A nickel weighs five grams and acts as a convenient counterweight.
Here’s how to make your DIY weed scale with the plastic hanger method:
1. Cut off the top of the plastic hanger with the scissors, and then drill a hole in the center of it.
2. Drill a hole on the left and right of the plastic hanger, using the ruler to make sure that the holes are equal distances from the middle and apart from one another.
3. Cut two equal length pieces from the string and hang each on either side of the hanger.
4. Cut another piece of string and tie it through the center; this string will hold a weight.
5. Attach the pieces to the side, hang the hanger up and start weighing your bud.
These are all effective ways to measure weed, no matter what quantity you’re needing to weigh.
OUNCE OF WEED, QUARTER OF WEED AND EIGHTH OF WEED: A VISUAL GUIDE
It is important to remember that the scale on which you determine your quantities of weed are based on an ounce scale. That means that a quarter of weed is a quarter of an ounce of weed, and an eighth of weed is an eighth of an ounce of weed.
So, what does each of these measurements look like?
One gram is typically, depending on the density and moisture content of your cannabis, a small nugget of product. With some product, this ends up being as small as a penny-sized nugget and with others, lighter and fluffier bud can be as large as a half-dollar portion of weed.
This is yet another reason why buying a weed scale or knowing another method of judging weights of weed other than eyeballing is crucial to upping your weed game. Keep in mind that you can never truly know what a gram looks like by simply looking at it.
A gram is generally the smallest unit of weed measurement that can be purchased, whether legally or through an illicit market. At a dispensary, pre-rolled joints usually weigh about a gram, with grams being sold anywhere from between $7 and $15.
Weed joint sizes
An eighth of weed: eighth of weed
An eighth of weed is the most common measurement of weed purchased, due to its affordability. An eighth of an ounce is ideal for casual to moderate smokers and comes in anywhere from $25 to $60 on the price scale, with this large difference in price owed to the quality and location where that product is purchased. Remember: an eighth is equivalent to just over 3.5 grams of weed.
A quarter of an ounce
A quarter of an ounce is about 7 grams of weed. Quarters are another common measurement to purchase as an eighth often goes too quickly for frequent smokers but it is still cost-effective for the consumer.
A half ounce of weed:
A half of an ounce of weed is about 14 grams and is a good option for smokers who either don’t have the money or the time to smoke an entire ounce. A half ounce is where price breaks, measured on a per-gram basis, typically start to occur. Many edible cannabis recipes call for a half ounce of weed.
And of course, an ounce of weed:
An ounce of weed, for the frequent smoker in particular, is the most cost-effective way to purchase your product. Ounces of weed vary greatly in price across multiple sectors including the market, product quality and location of purchase. Typical ounces range from $150 to over $300.
TO RECAP: HOW MANY GRAMS IN A HALF OUNCE, HOW MANY GRAMS IN A QUARTER, HOW MANY GRAMS IN AN EIGHTH AND SO ON...
Let’s make sure all of your questions are answered:
How many grams in a half ounce? - About 14 grams
How many grams in a quarter? - About 7 grams
How many grams in an eighth? - About 3.5 grams
How many grams in an ounce? - About 28 grams
TRICKS & PRO TIPS
Now that you know exactly how many grams are in an ounce and what that ounce looks like, there are plenty of tips to make sure your aren’t wasting even a bit of that product:
1. As previously mentioned, invest in a scale that is sensitive up to 0.1 of a gram — a kitchen scale will not cut it. This is the most precise way to measure your cannabis and will ensure you are always getting the full extent of what you’re paying for, no matter how you’re buying it.
2. Try to round to the most exact number whenever possible; while rounding to 3.5 for an eighth and 7 for a quarter has become standard, rounding to the exact decimal will get you even more product. Trust us; that tiny decimal makes a difference over time!
3. Grind your product, either by hand or with a grinder itself, to ensure a smoother and slower burn. Without grinding your product — for use in either a bowl or a joint — you risk air pockets and uneven burning, which will simply waste the product.
4. Know your slang terms to make transactions easier. For example: A “dime-bag” is equivalent to $10 of weed, often about 1 gram, while a “nickel-bag” is about half that and only $5. A “dub” is typically $20 worth of weed, which can either even out to a full 3.5 grams of low-quality product or a bit less of higher quality stuff. A “quad” refers to a quarter or about 7 grams of weed. Some use the term “slice” to refer to an eighth of weed, likely coming from the term slice of pizza, as there are 8 slices in a typical large pizza.
5. What about pounds and kilos? By now, you may have figured out that although we have only gone up to ounces on our scale of measurements, there are far heavier amounts of weed that can be bought. However, it is not recommended that pounds or kilos be purchased, as this is an illegal amount of product for a person to possess at any one time — even in states with legal recreational purchasing and usage laws. Stick to your halves and ounces, please!
6. Once you know the measurements that go along with each quantity of weed, you can determine how much you are spending per joint or bowl (roughly, that is). If your ounce costs you $200, for example, and you have calculated that you roll about .5 grams of that ounce into each joint, then you know you are spending about $3.60 on each joint you roll (56 joints in each ounce, $200 / $56 = $3.57 each joint). Use these sorts of calculations to budget and adjust spending habits so you are spending — and smoking — wisely!
REGULATED VERSUS UNREGULATED
In states like California, Colorado, Washington and a growing number of others, weed is regulated for recreational usage. This means you can purchase your marijuana just like you would run any other errand to pick up groceries or to purchase alcoholic beverages.
In this sort of regulated market, the weight and measurements of amounts of distributed marijuana are a lot more controlled and precise when compared with the process used in an illicit market.
In an illicit market, i.e. “dealers” that distribute product, the numbers are a lot less exact. Because this sort of a system is not regulated, dealers can get away with removing some of the product from the ounces being sold to users. Whether it is a gram or a half gram, the illicit nature of the market means there is little risk to the dealer for skimming product from you, the consumer.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON “HOW MANY GRAMS IN AN OUNCE OF WEED”
While it may seem complicated at first, it is our hope that this guide and its accompanying tips and tricks will help guide your purchasing and smoking process effectively. Just as with most other products, there are measurements, weights and mathematics involved. The goal here is to get familiar with the numbers, to understand the math and to make the entire process easier for you. From “how many grams in an ounce of weed” to the right slang to use during your purchase, we’ve covered it all here.
The best thing you can do, as a consumer of cannabis, is to be informed and aware of the product you are buying. You never want to purchase product you do not trust or amounts that are not legal, for example. Learn how many grams in an ounce, and then do your homework before you buy. From all of us here at Production Grower — always smoke safely! And have fun :)