What Is a Pre-Roll Joint, and Is It Better Than Rolling Your Own?
A pre-roll joint is cannabis flower that has already been ground and rolled into paper, ready to smoke as soon as you open it. Massachusetts's own review of the adult-use cannabis market describes this product as flower. It's prepared by rolling in cigarette paper or tobacco leaves before it's sold. You skip the grinding, filling and rolling steps entirely.
That's the real decision behind this question: should you buy a pre-roll, or roll your own joint instead? The difference comes down to who does the rolling, and when. That's what decides which option fits you best.
What Is a Pre-Roll Joint?
A pre-roll joint is cannabis flower, either ground bud or shake and trim, that has been rolled in paper before it is sold. Bud is the main flower, while shake and trim are smaller leftover pieces of the plant. Grind size describes how fine or coarse that flower is ground. Grind consistency describes how even the grind is from one pre-roll to the next. Both are set during production, before the pre-roll reaches the shelf.
A joint, pre-rolled or not, is usually dried cannabis flower rolled inside a thin, burnable rolling paper. Many pre-rolls also include a filter tip, a small tube at one end that keeps loose flower out of your mouth.
Pre-Roll vs. Rolling Your Own: Which Fits You?
Choosing between a pre-roll and a joint you roll yourself comes down to three things. How much time you want to spend, how much control you want over the flower, and how much you can check about it.
Rolling your own takes practice. You grind the flower, fill the paper and roll it tight enough to burn evenly.
A pre-roll skips that prep work, since it already comes ground, filled and rolled before you buy it. Rolling your own puts you in charge of which flower you use and how large you roll it.
| Factor | Pre-Roll | Rolling Your Own |
|---|---|---|
| Prep time required | None, it's ready to smoke as sold | Grinding, filling and rolling before you can smoke it |
| Control over flower and size | Set by what's already in the package | You choose the flower and roll it to the size you want |
| Disclosed ingredients and lab testing | Check the product label before you buy | Depends on the flower you already have on hand |
Are Pre-Rolls and Blunts the Same?
"Pre-roll" and "blunt" aren't opposites, so they can overlap. "Pre-roll" means the joint was already rolled before you bought it. "Blunt" describes what wraps it. Massachusetts' own review of the adult-use cannabis market defines a "raw pre-roll" as cannabis rolled in either cigarette paper or tobacco leaves before it's sold, so a tobacco-wrapped blunt can be sold as a pre-roll too.
A traditional blunt uses a cigar or tobacco-leaf wrapper, which is what sets it apart from a paper-wrapped joint. Check the label to see which wrap a pre-roll uses before you buy it.
Standard vs. Infused Pre-Rolls: Matching the Product to You
Pre-rolls come in two basic types: standard and infused. A standard pre-roll contains just ground cannabis flower rolled in paper. Cannabis concentrate, used in infused pre-rolls, is a high-potency cannabis oil or extract. An infused pre-roll has this concentrate or oil added to the flower, the paper, or both, to increase its strength.
That description covers how the product is made, not how strong it will feel to you personally. Check the label to see whether a pre-roll is standard or infused before you decide which one fits what you want.
What to Check Before Buying a Pre-Roll
A quick check before you buy helps you pick the right pre-roll for you. Start with the package itself and read the label before you decide.
- Clear labeling. Look for a label that states what's inside the paper and how much it weighs.
- Standard or infused. Some pre-rolled joints are infused with cannabis oils or concentrates that raise their strength, so check which type the label shows before you buy.
- Packaging on arrival. Check that the packaging is sealed and intact when your order arrives.
For more on what to look for, read this post on pre-roll quality and freshness in Western Massachusetts.
Getting Pre-Rolls Locally: Same-Day Delivery and In-Person Shopping in Holyoke
Once you know what you want, the next step is finding a licensed, local source instead of guessing online. This pre-roll source holds a Marijuana Delivery Operator license from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, number MD1284. That license type lets a business buy cannabis products from licensed cultivators and manufacturers, then sell and deliver them straight to consumers. See the Cannabis Control Commission's license types page for the full rule.
This operator offers same-day delivery and in-person shopping, with pre-rolls among the product categories it carries. The walk-in location, run by Holyoke Smokes Corp, sits at 85 Sargeant St in Holyoke, MA. You can read more about cannabis delivery and in-person shopping in Holyoke, MA.
The store and customer service line are open 9 AM to 9 PM daily. Delivery runs 1 PM to 8 PM, and the same-day cutoff for an order is 7 PM. Order before that time if you want your pre-roll the same day.
Buyers must be 21 or older and show a valid government-issued photo ID, whether shopping in person or receiving a delivery. You can see current pre-roll options when you shop the menu below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pre-Rolls Legal in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts law requires buyers to be 21 years old or older to purchase adult-use marijuana, per the Cannabis Control Commission's purchase-age rules. Buyers also need valid, government-issued photo ID. Even after purchase, smoking permission still depends on property rules, per the Commission's FAQ page.
Choosing Your Next Pre-Roll
Now that you know how a pre-roll compares to rolling your own, you can pick the one that fits you. BlazeXpress carries pre-rolls for anyone ready to skip the rolling. Shop the Menu