Flower
Dried bud, sold by weight: a gram, an eighth (3.5 g), a quarter, a half, an ounce. You grind it and smoke it in a joint, pipe or bong, or heat it in a vaporizer made for flower. Cheapest per gram of the common ways to buy, and you can see what you are getting. Typical THC runs 20 to 30%.
Pre-roll
Flower already rolled into a joint, sold singly or in a pack. You pay for the convenience. Singles are often 0.5 g or 1 g. Look at the label:
- Plain pre-roll is ground flower, so potency is close to flower.
- Infused pre-roll has oil, kief or hash added. It is stronger, often 35 to 45% or more, and costs more.
- A pack of five 0.5 g joints is 2.5 g. Divide the price by the weight before you compare it with an eighth.
Vape cart
A cartridge of cannabis oil, usually 0.5 g or 1 g, that screws onto a battery. A disposable is the same oil with the battery built in. Oil runs 70 to 90% THC, which is normal for an extract. It is discreet and easy, and it is strong. "Live resin" and "rosin" mean the oil keeps more of the plant's aroma. They cost more.
Edibles
Gummies, chocolate, drinks. The label lists THC in milligrams, not percent. One serving is at most 5 mg in Massachusetts and 10 mg in New Jersey and New York. Edibles take 30 to 120 minutes to hit and last longer than smoking. Wait before you take more.
Concentrates
Wax, shatter, rosin, budder, diamonds. Very strong, 60 to 90% THC, meant for a dab rig. Not a starting point.
What they cost, Massachusetts today
| Type | Typical price | Per gram |
|---|---|---|
| Flower, eighth (3.5 g) | $25 | $7.14 |
| Pre-roll, 1 g | $9 | $9 |
| Vape cart, 1 g | $30 | $30 |
| Concentrate, 1 g | $30 | $30 |
Cheapest per gram: flower. But a gram of oil is much stronger than a gram of flower, so price per gram is not price per high. Use price per mg of THC when you compare, and only between unflagged products.
How to pick
- Lowest cost, you smoke anyway: flower.
- Easy, no gear: a pre-roll. Check if it is infused.
- Discreet, no smell: a cart, and go easy. It is strong.
- No smoking or vapor: edibles. Start at 2.5 to 5 mg and wait two hours.
