Are you new to the world of cannabis and wondering “what is an eighth of weed”? If so, don’t worry: You’re not alone! The terminology around cannabis can be a little confusing, and for good reason. There’s a lot of ways to measure and categorize amounts of cannabis, and the “8th of weed” is just one of many. In today’s post, we’ll explain what this term means, in addition to illuminating some of the ways cannabis works.
What Is An Eighth of Weed? (And Why It’s Called That!)
When it comes to measuring amounts of cannabis, one of the most confusing aspects is the fact that retailers typically use both ounces and grams as units of measure. Here in the United States, the ounce is one of the basic units of measurement. When you hear terms like “an 8th of weed”—or “a 4th” or “a half”—they’re referring to a fraction of an ounce.
That said, most of the rest of the world uses the metric system, which counts the gram as a basic unit of measurement. By way of comparison, a gram is a thousandth of a kilogram, the closest basic metric equivalent to the pound (one kilogram is 2.204 pounds).
Here’s where it gets confusing: When you purchase cannabis from a dispensary, it might be sold in one the ounce-based increments we named above, or it may be sold in metric units such as the gram.
Why do we use both? The gram is easier to use than ounces for very small amounts. For instance, a single gram corresponds to roughly enough cannabis for a single joint or two, depending on their size.
How Many Grams In An Ounce?
If you’d like to switch between the two systems of measurement, you’ll need to use a little math. Here’s what you need to know: An ounce is equivalent to 28.35 grams. For the sake of clarity, though, that number is typically rounded down to 28.
Here’s the process: If you want to know how many grams are in an eighth, all you need to do is divide 28 (the number of grams in an ounce) by 8 (the fraction of an ounce you’re calculating for). You’ll wind up with 3.5 grams.
How many grams are in a quarter ounce? Simply multiply 3.5 by 4, and you’ll come up with 14. You can use the same formula to calculate the numbers of grams in a half, or grams in multiple ounces.
Understanding an 8th of Weed: Wrapping Up
At the end of the day, it’s not essential that you know the specifics around “what is an eighth of weed”? After all, the friendly budtenders at our medical and recreational dispensaries are more than happy to explain the ins and outs around grams, ounces, a quarter of weed or any other technical terms.
But at Mission, it’s one of our primary goals to help our customers understand how cannabis measurements work so they can have the best possible experience around this revolutionary plant medicine. If you have any other questions about “what is an eighth of weed,” just ask. We’re always here to help!
