Blunts Vs Joints Vs Spliffs, What Is The Difference?

7 Differences Between Blunts Vs Joints Vs Spliffs

There is a never-ending debate between weed smokers about which is better, blunts vs joints. But can you tell them apart? This article looks at the three most common ways of rolling cannabis for smoking – blunts, joints and spliffs, to explain the differences between them and determine which one is better. 

The world of cannabis has a slang word for every situation, and although most of these words can be used interchangeably, some terms have precise meanings and can only be used when certain conditions are met.

Some of the words with specific meanings are joint, blunt and spliff. Although the cannabis crowd is typically a laid-back bunch, using the wrong terms, for example, calling a blunt a joint or a blunt a spliff, can out you as an inexperienced smoker.

Knowing the differences between these three forms of rolled cannabis can help you avoid buying the wrong product and understand what you smoke better.

First, what is a joint?

What Is A Joint?

Joints are arguably the most popular way to smoke weed. They are small and portable and, therefore, you can take them anywhere and spark up when you please. 

A joint is simply a cannabis bud rolled up in thin rolling paper. Rolling papers are typically white, although some brands now produce coloured and flavoured rolling papers. Rolling papers can be made from wood, rice, or even hemp.

The interior of a joint is exclusively cannabis. Nothing else is added, at least in a traditional blunt. Modern smokers now add distillate and other concentrates to improve the flavour and potency of the joint, but as long as the additives are extracted from cannabis, the joint remains a joint.

As mentioned before, joints are typically small, but some smokers may roll mega joints in different styles, including the cross joint. Joints often have a crutch or filter that adds to the roll’s structural strength and shape and allows you to smoke to the end.

What Is A Blunt?

This is where things get interesting. Like a joint, the interior of a blunt is exclusively weed, no tobacco or anything is added. The main difference between the two rolling methods is on the exterior.

Blunts are made by filling a piece of tobacco paper with weed. By tobacco paper, we mean a wrap made using tobacco (the plant) leaf. Traditionally, blunts were made by taking a cigar or a cigarillo, discarding the tobacco contents and replacing the tobacco with marijuana.

Cigar wraps are typically made from compressed tobacco leaf, which means you can buy some and use a cleaned-out cigar wrap to roll a blunt. 

Blunts are thicker and longer than the typical joint. So while a normal joint may hold ½ a gram to a gram of weed, blunts can have two to three times that. A blunt is also about twice as long as a joint.

Because of the tobacco wrap used in a blunt, the smoke will have a distinct tobacco flavour and may even have extra effects from the nicotine in the wrap.

Blunts are usually brown in colour. Some brands are trying to change the tradition of using tobacco wraps for blunts to non-tobacco blunt wraps like hemp paper. However, changing the tobacco wrap means it’s not a blunt anymore but a big brown joint.

What Is A Spliff?

Wondering what a spliff is? A spliff is similar to a joint, but it has cannabis mixed with tobacco in the rolling paper. Most spliffs, store-bought or hand-rolled, do not contain more than 50% tobacco.

The exterior of a spliff looks very similar to a joint as it is rolled with the same type of rolling paper. Therefore, it’s important that you know what is inside the rolling paper before smoking as they look the same. 

Most spliffs are white and about the same length and thickness as a joint. However, the flavour will be dramatically different from a joint but closer to a blunt because of the tobacco.

Spliffs have crutches like joints do. However, spliffs burn better than joints as the tobacco fills the spaces left by the cannabis contents. 

What Are The Differences Between A Blunt, Joint And A Spliff?

Wondering what the differences between blunts, joints and spliffs are? The differences between a joint and blunt can be summarized into appearance, size, content, flavour, rolling paper/wrap, burn time and effects.

Here are the 7 main differences between a blunt, joint and a spliff.

1. Appearance

The first difference you will spot between a blunt and a joint is the colour of the paper. Joints are usually rolled with thin, typically white rolling paper. However, joint rolling papers now come in different colours.

For the most part, Blunts are tan in colour and are usually rolled in thick tobacco leaf wrap. Some, like backwoods and fronto have veins on the wraps as they contain the natural leaf. 

2. What’s Inside

Both joints and blunts exclusively contain weed inside the paper/wrap. On the other hand, Spliffs may contain up to 50% tobacco, with the other part being marijuana. This gives spliffs a cigarette-like taste.

3. Exterior (rolling paper/wrap)

Joints are rolled with a thin, typically white rolling paper made of paper, hemp or even rice. Blunts on the hand use tobacco leaf wraps. Tobacco leaf wraps can be bought ready to roll, but many blunt smokers prefer gutting a cigar or cigarillo and discarding the tobacco inside.

A blunt is simply a cigar but with weed inside. Spliffs are usually rolled with regular joint rolling papers. 

4. Burn Time

One of the main reasons people choose blunts over joints is how much time they can burn. Blunts have thicker tobacco leaf wraps that burn for a more extended period. They are also less likely to canoe. Spliffs burn evenly compared to joints.

5. Flavour

The flavour is distinctly different between the three rolls. Depending on the amount of tobacco present, a spliff may taste and smell more like a cigarette than a joint. Joints will have a pure weed scent and flavour unless you are using flavoured rolling paper.

Blunts’ flavour and fragrance will depend on the type of exterior wrapping you use. However, it may have more tobacco flavour and scent than a joint.

6. Size

Size is not a determining factor anymore as people can now roll whatever size of a joint they want. However, blunts are thicker and longer than joints, while spliffs are closer in size and thickness to joints.

7. Effects

Blunts are made with a tobacco wrap that contains nicotine. This may add a buzz and energy to your high. Spliffs also contain tobacco and cannabis, so they will also have a heady high. The effects of a joint will depend entirely on the weed strain you are using.

Blunts Vs Joints Vs Spliff, Which Is Better?

Like choosing a favourite strain, consuming cannabis in either spliffs, joints, or blunts is largely a matter of personal preference. However, there are situations where one is more suitable. For example, blunts are larger and burn slowly, making them the best option for a group session.

Joints are smaller and more cost-effective, while spliffs contain tobacco, which may be preferable if you smoke cigarettes. If you don’t, it’s best to stay away from spliffs because of the health risks of smoking tobacco.

All in all, whether you are smoking blunts or joints, ensure you only use the best weed. We recommend buying high-quality buds online or getting pre-rolled joints from an online weed dispensary.