To roll a blunt, split a cigarillo or blunt wrap lengthwise, empty out the tobacco (or use a tobacco-free hemp wrap), moisten the leaf slightly, fill it evenly with ground cannabis, tuck the edge over the filling, roll it closed and seal it with a little moisture. A brief pass of a lighter flame along the seam dries and sets it. Most blunts hold about 1 to 2 grams of flower.
Rolling a blunt takes more practice than a joint, because the wrap is thicker, less forgiving and tears if it is too dry. The steps below work for cigarillos, pre-cut blunt wraps and hemp wraps. A short section at the end covers what a blunt does to your lungs and why many smokers have switched to hemp wraps.
What You Need
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| A wrap | A cigarillo, a flat blunt wrap or a hemp wrap. Hemp wraps contain no tobacco or nicotine. |
| 1 to 2 grams of cannabis | Fill amount depends on wrap size and how much you want to smoke. |
| A grinder | An even, medium grind burns evenly. No grinder? See our homemade grinder guide. |
| A knife, razor or thumbnail | For splitting a cigarillo. |
| A lighter | To dry the seam and to light it. |
| Optional: a filter tip (crutch) | A rolled strip of card that keeps the end firm and the mouthpiece clean. |
| A rolling tray or folded paper | Catches spills. |
How to Roll a Blunt, Step by Step
1. Grind the flower
Remove stems and seeds, then grind to a medium, fluffy consistency. Too fine and it packs into a tight plug that draws hard; too chunky and it burns unevenly and can poke through the wrap.
2. Prepare the wrap
Cigarillo: roll it gently between your fingers to loosen the tobacco, then slice it lengthwise along the seam with a razor or split it with your thumbnails. Empty all the tobacco. Some people peel away the inner layer of a two-layer cigarillo for a thinner wrap.
Blunt or hemp wrap: it comes flat and ready. Lay it shiny side down if it has one.
3. Moisten lightly
A dry wrap cracks. Run a slightly damp fingertip along the inside, or lick it lightly, until it is supple. Do not soak it; a soggy wrap tears and burns poorly.
4. Add a filter tip (optional)
Roll a small strip of thin card into a tight cylinder and set it at one end. Unlike joints, many blunt smokers skip the tip, but it makes the blunt easier to hold and finish.
5. Fill evenly
Spread the ground flower along the length of the wrap. Keep it even from end to end, with a little more at the lit end if you like a cone shape. Leave a clean edge along one side to seal.
6. Shape and tuck
Hold the wrap with both hands and roll it back and forth between your thumbs and fingers to pack the filling into a cylinder. Then tuck the near edge of the wrap over and under the filling. This tuck is the most important move; if it is loose, the blunt will be lumpy and run.
7. Roll and seal
Roll upward, keeping the tuck in place, until only the far edge is left. Moisten that edge lightly and press it down along the full length.
8. Dry the seam
Pass a lighter flame quickly along the outside of the blunt, a few inches from the wrap, rotating as you go. The goal is to dry and set the seal, not to toast it. If the wrap starts to darken, you are too close.
9. Pack and finish
Tap the mouth end on a table to settle the filling, top off the open end if needed, and twist or press it closed. Let it sit for a minute so the seal holds.
Common Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Wrap cracks or splits | Too dry | Moisten a little more before rolling; store wraps sealed |
| Burns down one side (runs or canoes) | Uneven fill or loose tuck | Spread flower evenly; tuck tighter; dab a tiny bit of moisture on the fast side |
| Hard to pull | Packed too tight or ground too fine | Use a coarser grind and roll more loosely |
| Keeps going out | Wrap too wet or flower too damp | Let it dry a few minutes before lighting |
| Seam opens | Not enough moisture or no drying pass | Re-seal the edge and run the flame along it again |
Cigarillo, Blunt Wrap or Hemp Wrap?
| Wrap | Tobacco and nicotine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cigarillo (gutted) | Yes, the leaf itself is tobacco | Classic flavor; slowest burn; must be split and emptied |
| Tobacco blunt wrap | Yes | Comes flat; easier than splitting a cigar |
| Hemp wrap | No | Thinner, lighter taste; burns a little faster |
The CDC defines blunts as cigars or cigar wrappers refilled with cannabis. That matters because a cigar wrapper is tobacco leaf. According to the CDC, cigars contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, and a cigarillo holds roughly three grams of tobacco. Gutting the filler removes most of that tobacco, but not the wrapper.
What a Blunt Does to Your Lungs
Smoke is smoke. The CDC says cannabis smoke contains many of the same toxins, irritants and carcinogens as tobacco smoke, and that smoking cannabis raises the risk of bronchitis, cough and mucus production. A tobacco wrap adds nicotine and tobacco smoke on top of that. If you want to cut harm:
- Switch to hemp wraps to drop the tobacco and nicotine.
- Do not hold smoke in. Our look at how long to hold a hit explains why a second or two is enough.
- Consider a smoke-free method; our guide to consuming weed without smoking compares vaporizers, edibles and tinctures.
- Never drive after smoking, and do not smoke around children.
Where You Can Smoke a Blunt
In Washington and Oregon, adults 21 and older can possess cannabis, but smoking in public is illegal in both states, and Washington treats even an opened cannabis package in a car’s passenger area as a traffic infraction. Tobacco wraps fall under tobacco rules too, including the federal age of 21. Details are in our Washington and Oregon law guides. Sharing a blunt has its own customs; see our 15 rules of blunt etiquette, and for the leftover end, what to do with a roach. Prefer something simpler? Learn how to roll a joint.
How to Roll a Blunt FAQ
How much weed goes in a blunt?
Usually 1 to 2 grams, depending on the wrap. A gutted cigarillo comfortably holds about a gram to a gram and a half.
What is the difference between a blunt and a joint?
A joint is rolled in thin rolling paper. A blunt is rolled in a cigar wrap or a thicker blunt or hemp wrap, holds more cannabis and burns longer. Tobacco wraps also add nicotine.
Do blunt wraps have nicotine?
Tobacco blunt wraps and cigarillo leaves do, because they are made of tobacco. Hemp wraps are tobacco-free and contain no nicotine.
Why do you lick a blunt?
Moisture makes the wrap flexible so it rolls without cracking, and a little moisture along the edge seals it. Some people use a damp fingertip instead.
Why do people run a lighter over a blunt?
A quick pass of the flame dries the moistened seam so it holds. It should not scorch the wrap.
Is a blunt stronger than a joint?
Not per gram. A blunt simply holds more flower. The tobacco wrap can add a nicotine buzz, which some people mistake for a stronger high.
More basics are in Cannabis 101.
For adults 21+ in legal states. General information, not medical advice.