Weed measurements: how many grams are in an eighth, a quarter, and an ounce?

Weed measurements chart

Most sizes on a dispensary menu are fractions of an ounce. From the eighth up, each size is double the last, and stores round an ounce to 28 grams.

The fruit comparisons up to an ounce come from a state cannabis regulator's consumer guide. The bigger sizes are just multiples. Buds vary in density, so these are a feel for it, not a rule.

How many grams in an eighth and an ounce of weed?

On a dispensary menu, an eighth is 3.5 grams and an ounce is 28 grams. Here's why those numbers are rounded.

A real ounce is 28.349523125 grams. That exact figure is in the US government's weights and measures handbook. Cannabis menus round it to 28 grams because the math is easier: 28 splits cleanly into eighths of 3.5 and quarters of 7.

So a dispensary "eighth" is 3.5 grams, which is a hair under a true eighth of an ounce (3.54 grams). That is normal. What you pay for is the net weight printed on the label. That is the flower alone, not the jar or bag. If the label says 3.5 g, the package should hold 3.5 g of flower.

What does a gram, an eighth, or an ounce of weed look like?

• A gram is one medium bud, or two small ones. About the size of a grape.
• An eighth is a small handful, two to four buds. It fills the bottom of a small jar. Kiwi-sized.
• A quarter of weed (7 grams) fills a small jar. Apple-sized.
• Half an ounce of weed (14 grams) fills a sandwich bag loosely. Grapefruit-sized.
• An ounce fills a sandwich bag. Coconut-sized. Most people never need to buy this much at once.

Dense buds take up less room than fluffy ones at the same weight, which is why a scale beats your eyes.

How many joints is 3.5 grams?

It depends on how big you roll. Two studies give a sense of it. One study of over 10,000 US cannabis purchases, reported by people interviewed after an arrest from 2000 to 2010, put the average joint at about a third of a gram. In another study, heavy users in a treatment study said their joints held about two-thirds of a gram. So:

• Small joints, about a third of a gram: an eighth makes about 10 or 11.
• Medium joints, about half a gram: about 7.
• Big joints, about a gram: 3 or 4.

Pre-rolls from a store are usually labeled 0.5 g or 1 g, so you can count those exactly. The converter on this page does the same math for any amount and joint size.

How long does an eighth last?

For someone who smokes one small joint on Saturday and one on Sunday, an eighth lasts about a month. For someone who smokes a half-gram joint every day, it lasts about a week. There is no right pace. Many people starting out buy a gram or an eighth, not more, and see how long it lasts. Flower loses flavor and strength over months, so a big bag isn't a bargain if it goes stale. Store it in a sealed jar away from light and heat. The does weed go bad page covers how long it keeps.

How much does an eighth cost?

It varies a lot by state and by store, and prices change often, so we don't print a price list. Two things to know:

• The price per gram usually drops as the size goes up. An ounce usually costs less per gram than eight separate eighths.
• Ask if tax is included. In many stores, tax is added at the register, so the menu price may not be what you pay.

The useful number is the price per gram. Divide the price by the grams. The converter on this page does it for you, and shows what the same rate would mean for other sizes.

What is a zip of weed? QP? Dub?

• Zip: an ounce, 28 grams. The name most likely comes from the zip-top sandwich bag an ounce fits in.
• Half-zip: a half ounce, 14 grams.
• QP: a quarter pound of weed, 4 ounces, 112 grams.
• Pound, pack: 16 ounces. That is 448 grams on dispensary math, or 453.6 grams by the exact ounce.
• Dub: two grams, or twenty dollars' worth, depending on who's talking. Two grams is about two grapes' worth.
• Dime: ten dollars' worth, which was once about a gram.
• Slice: an eighth. Quad: a quarter.

Slang is regional and it drifts. If you're not sure what someone means, ask. In a licensed store you can skip the slang and say the gram amount.

Reading the label

A package from a licensed store shows the net weight in grams and the THC content, usually as a percent. The percent tells you how strong the flower is, not how much you'll feel. The math is simple: a gram of flower at 25% THC contains about 250 milligrams of THC. When you smoke, much of that THC burns up or drifts off in the smoke, and your body takes in only part of the rest. So that number is for comparing one flower with another, not for working out a dose. If you're new, start low, go slow, and see the first-time guide.

Concentrates are usually sold in half grams and grams, and they are usually much stronger per gram than flower. Vape carts are labeled by oil weight, usually 0.5 g or 1 g. Edibles are labeled in milligrams of THC per piece, which is a different measurement altogether.

Common questions