How to Calculate the Amount of THC in a Joint

When you smoke a joint, do you know how much THC you are inhaling? Probably not. Though you can tell the amount of THC in the particular cannabis strain you are using, how much is in your joint is another matter altogether.

We will show you how you can figure out how much THC is in your joint and why you would even want to know in the first place.

What Is THC?

But first, what is THC?

Marijuana plants contain over 100 different compounds called cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are what determines the effects particular cannabis strains provide users. Of these compounds, there are two well-known: CBD and THC, with THC being the most prominent in most plants (if not all of them).

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. In short, this compound is responsible for giving users the “high” feeling that most people associate with marijuana use. In addition to making people feel high, THC can:

• Promote feelings of relaxation
• Increase sensory perception
• Alter your perception of time
• Increase your appetite

What Is a Joint?

When it comes to using cannabis, there are many ways to do it. But, smoking a joint is often the most common and most often associated with marijuana usage—not to mention it is one of the easiest ways for anyone to consume cannabis.

A joint is ground marijuana that has been rolled in a cigarette or a special rolling paper. Joints only contain these two products and are then lit with a lighter and smoked.

Why Is It Important to Know How Much THC Is in a Joint?

Now that we know what both THC and joints are, why do you care how much THC is in your newly rolled joint? There are a few reasons knowing this information can be beneficial.

First, it can help users anticipate the high they will get from marijuana. The higher THC content a particular strain has, the more potent the high users will experience. But, if you wish to experience a powerful high, you may want to pack more into your joint.

Second, it can help you from using too much. By knowing the exact amount of THC is in your joint, you can prevent yourself from taking more than you can handle, leaving you with a high you didn’t quite anticipate.

Finally, some people wonder about the conversion between joints and other marijuana products like edibles. Though they will provide different effects, knowing how much THC you smoke can give some guidance on what to look for in other products when it comes to THC content.

How to Calculate the Amount of THC in Your Joint

Before we get into the math, we need to have a quick vocabulary lesson.

Though we have the formula to help determine the amount of THC in a joint, that does not necessarily reflect the amount of THC entering your body and being absorbed. The term used to define how much of a particular product (in this case, THC) your body will absorb is bioavailability.

So, though you may know how much THC your joint has, you do not know its bioavailability. Though, there are ways to estimate this as well if you are so inclined.

When it comes to calculating the amount of THC in a joint, however, you can follow this equation:

The weight of the joint (in milligrams) x the THC percentage = total milligrams of THC. 

A vital conversion measurement to keep in mind is that one gram is equal to 1,000 milligrams, as many places and scales use grams to weigh products.

If math isn’t your thing, there are other ways to figure out the THC in your joint. There are many online calculators out there that ask for the information above, then run the numbers for you, saving you a headache as you try to do the math yourself.

You can also follow the law of averages. Today, the average joint contains between 60 to 150 milligrams of THC. Though this is a wide range, you can look at the THC content of the strain you are using and make an educated guess where it may fall in this spectrum. For example, a cannabis strain known for its high THC content will likely be on the higher end of the scale.

But, remember, this number does not indicate the bioavailability of THC. So, though your joint may have 80 milligrams of THC, that doesn’t mean you are going to consume all that (some will be lost as the joint burns and you inhale) or that your body will absorb it all.

If you are unsure how you will react to the strain you are smoking, it’s better to roll your joint with a small amount of product and see how it hits you. Then increase the amount you use until you achieve the high you were aiming for.

In Conclusion

Though it is easy to find how much THC a marijuana plant will contain, it is less easy to determine how much marijuana you have in the joint you just rolled. But, it’s not impossible to figure. All it takes is some math or some educated guesswork.

For those who are mathematically inclined, you can follow a specific formula to help you calculate how much THC is in your joint. But, if math is not your strong suit, you can also utilize online calculators to help do the math for you. Finally, you can make an educated guess by looking at the THC content in your flower and comparing it to what is accepted as the average THC amount in joints today.

Users should keep in mind that although you will know how much THC is in your joint, that does not mean you will inhale that much. Instead, you’d need to figure out the THC’s bioavailability in your joint, which is another math problem altogether.