Written by Joshua Sosin

If you're a newcomer to the world of cannabis, learning how to roll a joint is one of the biggest milestones to hit. Perfecting your joint-rolling technique can take a bit of time and practice, but getting started is easy.

Follow the guide below to learn everything you need to know to roll your first joint, light it up, and enjoy a smooth smoking experience.

Table of Contents

• What Do You Need To Roll a Joint?

  • Cannabis Flower

  • A Good Grinder

  • Rolling Papers

  • Joint Tips

  • Lighter or Hemp Wick

  • A Flat Surface Like a Joint Rolling Tray

• Rolling a Cannabis Joint Step by Step

  • Grind

  • Prep the Filter

  • Add Flower

  • Shape the Joint

  • Seal, Pack, and Twist

  • Light and Enjoy

• Get a Perfect Joint Every Time With Mood

What Do You Need to Roll a Joint?

Rolling a high-quality joint calls for some simple supplies. Here's everything you need to have handy:

Cannabis Flower

The most important part of any joint is the cannabis flower inside. You can grab the perfect amount for your first joint — one gram — from the Mood Shop, or get a larger amount for multiple joints in a bigger order.

Choose a strain that piques your interest, and feel free to experiment with different options and see how each one makes you feel. We recommend grabbing an Indica hybrid and a Sativa hybrid (maybe one gram of each) and enjoying both strains in separate smoke sessions.

Get started with a top-shelf 50/50 hybrid strain like Gary Payton. One gram is only $17 in the Mood Shop.

A Good Grinder

You need to grind cannabis flower before you can roll it up and smoke it. This step helps you guarantee that your joints burn evenly and smoothly.

For perfectly ground flower, we recommend picking up one of the grinders listed on our best weed grinders of 2025 list.

Rolling Papers

At its core, a joint is a combination of rolling paper and ground flower. In our humble opinion, the joint rolling papers that you choose are the second most important part of your smoking experience.

You have plenty of options for rolling paper in terms of size and material. We recommend getting started with rice paper, hemp paper, or even wood pulp — Ideally, unflavored options that won't alter the natural taste and aroma of the flower.

For detailed recommendations, check out our list of the best rolling papers for joints.

Joint Tip (AKA the Crutch)

The filter tip goes at the end of your joint and helps to improve airflow. It also protects your fingers from burns, which is one big reason why we always recommend one.

Some rolling papers come with a built-in filter tip, but you might need to use a separate one to get the perfect cone shape for your joint.

Lighter or Hemp Wick

Lighting a joint properly is just as important as rolling it right. Some of this part of the process comes down to personal preference, but we recommend using a hemp wick, which gives you a clean burn without the risk of inhaling butane.

Optional: Rolling Tray

A nice rolling tray can seriously level up your joint-rolling ritual. We don't sell trays at Mood, but you can get one from many reputable vendors online — or just about any local dispensary near you.

If you want to invest in a gorgeous, high-quality rolling tray for perfectly rolled joints, go for the Smoke Honest Walnut Tray and Storage Station. It's a multi-use tool that can keep all of your rolling goods organized and ready to go at all times.

Rolling a Cannabis Joint Step-by-Step

Now that you know all of the supplies needed for joint rolling, let's go through the basic steps:

Step One: Grinding Cannabis Flower

Always grind cannabis before you roll a joint. Otherwise, it might burn unevenly and end up wasting some of the flower inside.

For best results, break apart your bud with your fingers, then grind it to a semi-fine consistency. Getting the texture right will make the rolling process much easier and enhance your smoking sessions.

You can save ground cannabis flower for later, but we generally recommend only grinding the amount of flower that you need for a specific session. That way, you can keep the rest of your flower fresh and potent for future joints.

Step Two: Prep the Filter Tip and Paper

If you're new to rolling joints, it's best to use pre-made filter tips, which you can grab at any dispensary. Set it out on your rolling tray and place your rolling paper directly next to it.

When laying out the rolling paper, make sure the adhesive strip is facing up toward you. This will make the joint easier to pack and roll.

Step Three: Add Cannabis Flower

Next, sprinkle the ground cannabis flower along the rolling paper and use your fingers to distribute it as evenly as possible. Keep in mind that the more flower you use, the stronger your joint will be. For beginners, 1g is usually the sweet spot.

Step Four: Shape the Joint

Pick up the rolling paper with two fingers and shape it into a cylinder, pinching it gently as you go. Next, roll the paper up around the cannabis flower as tightly as possible by moving your fingers up and down.

After you have the paper tightly wrapped around the flower, tuck the side of the rolling paper without adhesive around the flower and roll it upward. This should leave the adhesive side of the paper exposed.

Step Five: Seal, Pack, and Twist

With the paper tucked, lick the glue side of the rolling paper and push down gently to seal the ground flower inside. Run an index finger along the seam where the adhesive is to make sure it's nice and secure.

Then, use the end of your lighter to pack in the ground flower at the open end of the joint. This will help the joint burn slower and more evenly. Next, twist the tip to close the joint and keep the ground flower locked inside.

Step Six: Light Up

Now, it's time to light your first joint. Ignite your hemp wick, then hover the end of the wick over the twisted end while rotating the joint in your index fingers. Take small puffs to ignite the flower. Don't inhale too hard or too fast — it can mess with the burn

Get a Perfect Joint Every Time With Mood

Rolling joints yourself can be fun, relaxing, and rewarding, but it's not your only option.

Head to the Mood Shop to check out our selection of pre-rolled joints, all made with premium cannabis strains from USA-based farms. These joints come ready to go, so you can save yourself the hassle of rolling.

Use the code "FIRST20" to save 20% on your first pre-roll order.