Here’s the short answer. A joint is cannabis rolled in thin rolling paper. A blunt is cannabis rolled in a thicker wrap made of cigar leaf or hemp. A spliff is a joint that mixes cannabis with tobacco. Same basic idea, three pretty different smokes.
People use these words interchangeably all the time, and that’s fine across a living room. But if you’re buying a pre-roll, rolling for friends, or trying to avoid nicotine, the difference matters. The table further down puts them side by side.
Joints
A joint is flower rolled in rolling paper, often with a small crutch or filter tip at one end to hold its shape and keep bits of flower out of your mouth.
Rolling papers are thin and come in different materials: wood pulp, hemp, rice, and others. Thinner papers burn cleaner and let more of the flower’s flavor come through. Joints come in every size, from a skinny one-person joint to a cone that’s meant for a group, but they’re usually smaller than a blunt.
If you want the taste of the strain itself, a joint is usually the best of the three. There’s nothing between you and the flower but a thin layer of paper. It’s also the easiest to roll once you’ve done it a few times.
Pre-rolled joints are the easiest way to skip rolling entirely. Check out our pre-rolled joints for what’s usually on the shelf.
Blunts
A blunt is flower rolled in a wrap made from tobacco leaf or hemp. Traditionally, people split a cigar or cigarillo, empty out the tobacco, and refill it with cannabis. These days you can also buy flat blunt wraps and hemp wraps made just for rolling.
Blunt wraps are thicker than rolling papers, so blunts burn slower and usually hold more flower, often a gram or more. That makes them a natural pick for sharing. The wrap also adds its own flavor: rich, a little sweet, sometimes flavored.
One thing to know: if the wrap is made from tobacco leaf, the blunt contains nicotine. Hemp wraps don’t. If you’re avoiding tobacco, check the package.
New to blunts? Our step-by-step guide on how to smoke a blunt covers rolling, lighting, and pacing yourself.
Spliffs
A spliff is rolled in regular rolling paper like a joint, but the filling is a mix of cannabis and loose tobacco. The ratio is up to whoever rolls it. In much of Europe, mixing tobacco into a joint is the norm, so you’ll sometimes hear people call it a European-style spliff.
People who roll spliffs often say they like how the tobacco makes the flower last longer and burn more evenly. The trade-off is obvious: a spliff contains tobacco and nicotine, and the tobacco changes the taste and the feel. If you don’t smoke tobacco, a spliff isn’t for you.
Side by Side
| Joint | Blunt | Spliff | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrapped in | Rolling paper | Cigar leaf or hemp wrap | Rolling paper |
| Filling | Cannabis | Cannabis | Cannabis and tobacco |
| Nicotine | No | Yes with tobacco-leaf wraps, no with hemp | Yes |
| Burn | Moderate | Slow | Moderate |
| Typical size | Small to large | Usually larger | Varies |
| Flavor | Mostly the strain | Strain plus wrap | Strain plus tobacco |
Which One Should You Choose?
It depends on what you’re after.
Choose a joint if you want to taste the strain, you’re smoking solo or with one or two friends, or you’re newer to smoking. Joints are easier to pace because they’re usually smaller.
Choose a blunt if you’re sharing with a group, you like a slower burn and a fuller flavor, and you’re comfortable with either tobacco or a hemp wrap.
Choose a spliff only if you already smoke tobacco and like the mix.
Whatever you pick, the same rule applies: start low, go slow, especially with a blunt that’s carrying a lot of flower.
Rolling Tips for All Three
Aim for a medium grind, roughly like coarse coffee grounds, so the flower packs evenly. If you’re out of a grinder, here’s how to grind without one.
Pack it evenly. Most uneven burns start with a joint or blunt that’s tight in one spot and loose in another.
Use fresh flower. Dry bud burns hot and fast. If you want to go deeper on what makes good flower, here’s how Lit grows its own flower.
Common Questions
Is a blunt stronger than a joint?
Not by itself. The flower inside is what decides how strong it is. A blunt usually holds more flower than a joint, though, so smoking a whole one means taking in more cannabis. Pace yourself.
Can you roll a blunt with rolling paper?
Then it’s a joint. What makes a blunt a blunt is the wrap. A large joint rolled in thick paper is still a joint, even if it’s blunt-sized.
Are hemp wraps the same as blunt wraps?
They roll and smoke a lot like tobacco-leaf blunt wraps, but they’re made from hemp and contain no tobacco. Check the package if you’re not sure which kind you have.
What’s a cone?
A cone is a joint rolled in a cone shape, wider at the lit end and narrow at the filter. Many pre-rolls are cones because they’re easy to pack evenly.
Where Can You Smoke in Denver?
The same rules cover all three. In Colorado, adults 21 and over can smoke at home or on private property where the owner allows it, but not in public places and not in a car. Our Colorado cannabis law page goes into more detail.
Stop By Lit
Want help choosing flower to roll, or a pre-roll that’s ready to go? Come see us on South Broadway or on Federal Blvd, or order online from the Broadway menu or Federal menu and pick it up on your way.
