What is a Blunt?

Simply put, a blunt is a cigar that is emptied and then filled with cannabis. You might call it a weed cigar. Blunt cigars, the original kind filled with tobacco, were first invented in Philadelphia and have been around since the 19th century. At the time, a blunt cigar was new and different from a regular cigar in that it was thinner, shorter, and designed to burn quicker as well. 

Blunts with weed came into popularity in the mid-1980s. It is rumored that the first weed blunt was rolled and smoked in New York City around this time, but it is unconfirmed as there is no evidence. The growing acclaim for blunts in hip-hop culture at that time was apparent in references by hip-hop songs and lyrics.

Today blunts are common knowledge and a staple in the cannabis community. There are even blunt wraps now, which are a type of tobacco leaf wrapper. Some blunt smokers prepare their blunts by rolling fronto leaf, which is a literal tobacco leaf cured with a chocolate-like flavor and aroma. 

If you’re here, you’ve likely never heard of a weed blunt before. By the end of this, you’ll know just what a blunt is, including how much they can hold and the differences between blunts, joints, and spliffs. 

Difference Between a Joint and Blunt

A blunt and joints are similar in that they both contain weed. But a blunt is made up of ground cannabis that is rolled using an emptied cigar or a blunt wrap. This is different from a joint, which is the ground-up weed that is wrapped in thin rolling papers. Blunts are also larger and can hold more crushed cannabis than a typical, regular-sized joint rolling paper. Each has a very different smoking experience, and this is a result of the tobacco a blunt has and the thicker smoke that it produces. 

Spliff Vs. Blunt

A spliff is more similar to a blunt since it also includes tobacco. However, blunts and spliffs are not the same either. A blunt is ground-up cannabis wrapped in a tobacco leaf or wrap, but a spliff is a combination of crushed weed and tobacco wrapped in a thin rolling paper. Spliffs are similar in size to joints, making them both usually smaller than a blunt. They both may involve a similar flavor and experience from the tobacco, but this will be more concentrated in a blunt. 

How Much Weed is in a Blunt?

One thing that makes big blunts so popular and great for sharing is the amount of weed they can hold. The amount of weed a blunt can hold will really depend on the size of the cigar being used. People have definitely pushed the limits in terms of packing blunts with weed. 

A skinny blunt can hold around 1 to 2 grams of weed. For context, a typical joint usually holds 0.5 to 1 gram of marijuana. A cigarillo-sized blunt can hold up to 4 to 5 grams of weed, and a big blunt rolled with a tobacco blunt wrap holds up to 7 grams of weed, depending on how it's rolled. For amounts larger than this, you can use a fronto leaf, which is a tobacco leaf. With a fronto leaf, the quantity of weed is only limited by the size of the leaf and your own rolling skills.

How Long Does It Take To Smoke A Blunt?

While the time it takes to smoke a blunt will depend on the size of the blunt and how many are sharing it, it should usually last a good while. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to smoke a typical king-size joint, so it may take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes (or more) to smoke a big blunt, depending on how much weed is in them and how tightly it is packed.

Because of their size, blunts are great for sharing in smoke circles. Big blunts hold a lot of weed and are easier to pass around in a large smoke session. The thicker nature of a blunt wrap also helps provide a slower burn, much like a traditional cigar.

So now you know there’s nothing that mysterious about blunts. They’re simply cannabis wrapped in tobacco of some sort. But as simple as that sounds, the experience is truly unique. Some like to smoke blunts every day, while others save them for special occasions. Blunts are more dense, pack a bigger punch, and are a great way to enjoy weed, either on your own or with friends. However you choose to enjoy your blunts, have fun and stay safe!