Marijuana dispensaries are full of jargon that can be confusing if you’re getting into cannabis culture. Chief among them is the weed measurement system, with options like an ounce.
Fortunately, once you get a hold of a few key concepts, the jargon becomes self-explanatory.
By the end of this article, you’ll know what an ounce of weed is and its other names, how many grams it contains, what it looks like, how long it lasts, and how much it costs. Finally, we’ll discuss the legality of an ounce in the USA.
As you’d expect, an ounce of weed is an ounce of weed. It’s one of the larger weed bundles you’ll find on the market and is the largest option available at most dispensaries.
Another name for an ounce is a “Zip” of weed, which you’ll hear frequently. It’s called a zip because an ounce of weed was often sold in a Ziploc bag. Zip was used as a shortened term for the Ziploc brand name.
Beyond an ounce and zip, people also shorten the word “ounce.” So, if you hear people talking about an “O” or “Oz,” they’re referring to an ounce of weed.
The USA uses the imperial system, which uses weight units like ounces (oz) and pounds (lb). The rest of the world uses the metric system, which uses units like grams (g) and kilograms (kg).
Weed measurements use the metric system, even in the United States. So, when measuring out ounces, dispensaries use grams.
An ounce has roughly 28 grams of weed. If you want to be precise, it contains 28.24 grams of weed.
If you’ve never seen an ounce of weed, it can be hard to imagine what it looks like. Knowing what it looks like can help you visualize how much you might need and whether your dispensary is giving you the right amount.
An ounce is a lot of weed. As mentioned above, an ounce should comfortably fit inside a large Ziploc bag. It should also comfortably fill two large handfuls.
Of course, weed density can have a significant impact on the size. Some cannabis flowers are more densely packed and heavier. More moisture can also make the weed heavier.
While it might weigh the same as a more airy strain, it could look like a lot less weed. For this reason, it’s essential to check the weight of your weed when you weigh it out.
Now that you know what an ounce of weed is and what it should look like, let’s determine how long it will last. We’ll do this using joints.
An ounce of weed has 28 grams of weed. Joints come in various sizes, with the most common sizes being 1 gram, half a gram, and a quarter of a gram.
If you roll joints that weigh a gram, you’ll get 28 joints of weed from one ounce.
For people who like smaller joints, a half-gram joint with one ounce will leave you with 56 joints. Smoking once a day means supply for almost two months. Even if you smoke more, you’ll have a supply for at least a few weeks.
Lastly, if you like your joints dainty, a quarter-gram joint with an ounce supply will produce more than 100 joints. An ounce could easily last a month to two, even if you smoke multiple times daily.
For bongs and edibles, which traditionally use less weed than joints, you could stretch your supply for 2 or 3 months.
The typical price range for one ounce of cannabis falls between $150 and $300 making it a more expensive option compared to smaller quantities.
However, by calculating the total cost of purchasing several smaller bundles versus investing in an ounce, you can save costs through bulk buying.
The quality of the cannabis flower and which state, city, and dispensary you’re buying from will also affect the cost.
While you don’t have to buy the most expensive option to get the best quality, high-quality marijuana isn’t cheap but you’ll enjoy better highs!
While many states have legalized marijuana, there are still caps on how much dispensaries are allowed to sell in one go and how much you can have on you.
An ounce of weed is a lot of weed. In some states, an ounce is the maximum dispensaries may sell. In others, even though weed is legal, carrying an ounce could still get you in trouble.
Laws differ from state to state, so it’s crucial to check the legal status of weed in your state and the stipulations on how much you can carry. This is the only way to avoid trouble.
You can find legal information on marijuana in your state on state and district government websites. The U.S. News also has a quick guide on marijuana legalization by state.
Cannabis measurement jargon can be a little confusing at first. One of the more common units is an ounce, one of the bigger options available at most dispensaries in the United States. It’s also known as a Zip, Oz, or O.
An ounce weighs 28 grams. Depending on how big you roll your joints, an ounce could easily last a month or more. The average cost – between $150 and $300 – is also more cost-effective than buying smaller quantities, considering how much marijuana you’re getting.
For more cannabis, culture, and community, visit an Embarc location near you.
