The Most Common Weed Measurements Explained

Do you know the most common weed measurements? If you want to be an informed shopper, you should be able to visualize these varying cannabis quantities and estimate how much mileage you’ll get from them. 

When you shop for weed at a dispensary, you’ll notice that the prices are typically broken down by common units of measurement: eighth, quarter, ounce, and even beyond that (at least in markets where it’s legal to exceed an ounce). So what are the common weed weights, and what does it all mean? 

How Much Is a Dime Bag of Weed? 

A dime bag is an informal term, originating from the black market, that refers to a small plastic baggie filled with cannabis. It generally contains between half a gram and one full gram. 

If you purchase weed in a dispensary, you’ll almost never see this term used, as it not only has illicit connotations but also isn’t a specific measurement that’s useful for shopping purposes. 

How Much Is a Gram of Weed?

One gram of weed is typically the smallest concentration of cannabis flower you can buy at one time. A gram will usually consist of a single large bud or two small buds. It’s usually just enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and it’s approximately the amount required for one good blunt. In addition, most cannabis concentrates are sold in 1-gram containers. 

In the Seattle area, a gram of weed will typically cost you between $5 and $30 depending on the quality of the bud. 

How Much Is an Eighth of Weed?

An eighth refers to an eighth of an ounce, which amounts to 3.5 grams. So if a single gram will buy you one large bud, an eighth will get you 3 to 4 large buds or 7 to 8 small buds on average. 

An eighth will typically run you between $15 and $60 in Seattle. 

How Much Is a Quarter of Weed?

A quarter refers to a quarter ounce of weed, equivalent to seven grams of weed, or two eighths. It may consist of anywhere between 6 and 16 buds depending on the bud size, but it can generally fit into a standard Mason jar. It’s vital not to confuse a quarter of weed with a quarter pound of weed, which is something very different. 

A quarter will usually cost you between $30 and $120 based on current Seattle marijuana prices. 

How Much Is a Half of Weed? 

A half of weed refers to half an ounce, or 14 grams, or 4 eighths. This amount of weed will last a typical consumer several weeks, though if you’re a dedicated wake-and-baker, you might burn through a half ounce more quickly. With this much weed, you can typically roll about 30 decent-sized joints. At the half-ounce level, the bulk-purchase savings become much more significant. 

In the Seattle area, expect to pay between $40 and $140 on average. 

How Much Is an Ounce of Weed? 

Most of the measurements up to this point have been fractions of an ounce. So a full ounce, then, is literally eight eighths, four quarters, or two halves. It’s about enough for two hearty handfuls, or enough to fill about 25 to 30 fat blunts. An ounce of weed is the maximum quantity you can buy in many legal markets. In Washington, for instance, there’s a one-ounce possession limit in place for recreational customers. So if you try to purchase more than an ounce at a time, you’ll be out of luck. 

If you’re looking to buy weed by the ounce, you can expect to pay $75 to $280 on average. 

What’s a Zip of Weed? 

A zip is another word for an ounce. So if your budtender ever offers you a zip when you visit one of our Bellevue dispensaries, they’re typically referring to the maximum allotment or roughly 28 grams. This is another term you don’t hear very often in the legal cannabis industry. 

As you navigate the ever-changing world of weed slang, you might also stumble on other strange marijuana measurement terms carried over from the black market. For instance, a “dub” or “20 sack” typically refers to $20 worth of weed, or roughly a gram of weed. Additionally, “half a zip” usually refers to a half-ounce bag. 

How Much Is a Quarter Pound of Weed?

A pound of weed is 16 ounces, so a quarter pound always refers to 4 ounces. You’ll hear this term used from time to time, but very few states will allow you to purchase this much weed at one time without a medical marijuana certification (and sometimes even with a medical marijuana certification). 

In Washington, for instance, medical patients are limited to 3 ounces at a time, so the “quarter pound” figure doesn’t come into play very often. The good news is that 3 ounces is usually more than enough for even the most ambitious cannabis users. 

There’s Tremendous Value in Knowing How to Measure Weed

Knowing how to measure weed is essential for medical marijuana patients and recreational cannabis consumers alike. It ensures you never get ripped off, that you always stay within your legal limit, and that you’re able to ensure a good value every time you purchase cannabis. It also spares you from looking like a noob when chatting with the budtender at your local dispensary. 

So remember the basics, be an informed shopper, and opt for higher quantities if you want to save money.