What are Weed Measurements, Sizes, and Amounts?

If you’re new to cannabis consumption, you may find it interesting how weed is measured. How much is an eighth of weed? How much is a halfie? As arbitrary as it might seem, there are several marijuana weights and weed amount terminologies that serve as the common standard for how weed is bought, sold, and referred to. 

When it comes to the quantity, the state will determine the different amounts of weed to buy that are available or allowed. While some states may allow the minimum to be 1 gram of weed, a dispensary in Illinois usually sells weed by the eighth at minimum, including shake. Any that’s why you’re here, because what does that mean, and how much weed is that? Well, no worries because here we’ll describe the different measurements of weed to help you understand the most common weed amount terminology that people use to buy weed, sell it, and just plain talk about it. 

Different Measurements of Weed

It may be interesting to know that marijuana weights mix measurements from both the avoirdupois system, which is based on a pound, and the metric system. We’ll start with the smallest common amount of weed and progress up. Which means…

A Gram – How much is a gram of weed?

A  (1)  gram of weed is equal to that weight and is the smallest amount of weed sold, usually costing between $10 to $20 dollars. It’s a good amount of weed to buy if you’re just wanting to try something. While the size will depend on the strain and density, it’s usually never bigger than a walnut.

An Eighth (1/8) – How many grams are in an eighth?

An eighth (1/8), or an eighth of an ounce, is a measurement of weed and is equal to 3.5 grams in weight. This is the most common amount of weed sold in dispensaries and enough to roll three 1-gram joints and a little more.

A Quarter – How much is a quarter of weed?

A quarter of weed, also known as a quad, refers to a quarter ounce of weed and is equal to 7 grams. Its visible size will depend on the type of strain, and its cost will depend on its quality.

A Half-Ounce – How much is a half-ounce of weed?

A half-ounce, also known as a halfie, a half-O, or half a zip, is equal to 14 grams of weed. That’s enough to roll more than a few joints or blunts and an amount of weed that might take a while to burn though, even for a seasoned smoker.

An Ounce – How much is an ounce of weed?

After a half-ounce, the next common measurement of weed is an ounce, also known as an OZ (pronounced like “cozy” without the “c”) or a zip. An ounce of weed is equal to roughly 28 grams. The ounce of weed is the last measurement before a change to the avoirdupois system that is based on a pound.

A Quarter-Pound – How many grams is a quarter pound of weed?

A quarter pound of weed, commonly referred to as a QP,  is an amount of weed equal to 113.4 grams, which is roughly 16 ounces to give you some context. These amounts can be used for making concentrates and other cannabis extracts as they often require larger amounts of weed to produce. 

A Half Pound - How much is a half pound of weed?

A half pound of weed has no nicknames, as the amount speaks for itself. The amount of weed in half a pound is equal to 226.8 grams.  Although there are many factors that affect this, a half-pound of weed is the average amount yielded from one cannabis plant grown outdoors. 

A Pound – How much is a pound of weed?

A pound is an amount of weed equal to 448 grams. A massive amount of weed for the common user, a pound of weed is like the largest bill in a given currency: This is as big as it gets, folks! 1 lb. of weed is likely the biggest amount of weed used for wholesale before it reaches consumers, although in some states, this might only be symbolic, as some dispensaries sell weed where each eighth is individually packaged.

The cost for a pound of weed isn’t reasonable for the average consumer, so you won’t usually find huge amounts like that available. If you’re visiting a dispensary in Illinois, including our dispensaries near O'Hare airport, for example, you’ll likely mostly see weed sold by the eighth, quarter ounce, or sometimes half an ounce. Other states may allow budtenders to measure out the weed, allowing you to purchase more specific amounts.

There are different marijuana laws by state, so be sure to check your local laws for a better understanding of what might be allowed in your area.  One thing is for sure; you won’t have to go without knowing what the different amounts of weed are now.