What is a Pre-Roll?

Legalization has blessed Canadians with many things. One of my personal favourites is that when I’m craving a joint, I don’t have to fumble around to create a weird, misshapen thing that canoes in seconds. Let’s face it, some of us just don’t have the magic touch. Thankfully, Fire & Flower has our back.

Many brands have gotten into the pre-roll game — especially now that sharing joints is less common, pre-roll sales have skyrocketed. Let’s take a look at what goes into a pre-roll, how it’s made and tested, and how much they cost. 

What Is a Pre-Roll?

A pre-roll just refers to a joint or blunt that’s already been made before it hits store shelves.

Pre-rolls can come in many different sizes, from itty bitty 0.25-gram joints to one-gram behemoths. Tiny pre-rolls are sometimes called “dog walkers,” because they’re the perfect size to smoke while you take your pooch out for a stroll. They can be perfectly cylindrical, like cigarettes, or cone-shaped, to pack more weed in.

Pre-rolls can be sold on their own or in multi-packs, like cigarettes. You can find packs of up to 12 at Fire & Flower. Well-known pre-roll brands include Spinach, Good Supply, and Pure Sunfarms.

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How Are Pre-Rolls Made?

Pre-rolls can be made by hand, by a pre-roll machine, or a combination of both.

For example, Redecan, a company with Indigenous roots, has changed from selling tobacco products to cannabis, so they use their cigarette rolling machine to make cylindrical, cigarette-shaped pre-rolls.

Other companies use a “knock box” — a vibrating machine that looks like something you might find in a pharmacist’s office. Producers simply line up a bunch of rolled joint papers in the holes and pour the weed in the top.

What Kinds of Tests do Pre-Rolls Have To Pass?

The legal cannabis market in Canada is heavily regulated. Cannabis testing is mandatory for all legal products. As a result, Canadians can be sure their legally-bought pre-rolls are free from dangerous chemicals or additives. 

Cannabis has to be free from pesticides and must meet strict limits under Canada’s Food and Drugs Act for microbial or chemical contaminants, including residual solvents, heavy metals, aflatoxins, and more.

Weed also must be tested for its THC, THCA, CBD, and CBDA levels. That information must be displayed on the packaging. Any pre-roll purchased from a legitimate distributor will meet all of these requirements. 

What Kind of Weed is Used in Pre-Rolls? 

Most pre-rolls you’ll find are just made with ground flower — like you’d make at home. 

High-quality joints (the only kind you’ll find at Fire & Flower) will only use the bud itself, not any shake or trim (leaves and other parts of the cannabis plant that don’t get you very high). 

On the higher-potency end of the spectrum, some companies sell infused pre-rolled joints. They can contain high-THC additives like resin or kief in addition to top quality bud, to get you even more baked.

What’s In and On a Canadian Pre-Roll Packaging?

Single joints will usually be sold in cylindrical plastic containers, to keep them from getting crushed. Multi-pack joints are often in cardboard containers, similar to cigarette packaging. 

All pre-rolls are required to display a Health Canada warning about cannabis safety, as well as the THC and CBD levels, how much cannabis is in there, and the date on which it was packaged. And they’ll all have that shiny, iridescent sticker that’s on every package of cannabis.

Canada’s extremely detailed guide to cannabis packaging can be found here if you’re curious.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does a Pre-roll Have in it?

Weed! Most pre-rolls just have ground-up flower just like you’d roll for yourself. But some are infused with extracts like rosin, distillate, or kief for more oomph.

How Much Does a Pre-Roll Cost?

That depends on the quality, size, and ingredients. You can find a single, one-gram pre-roll for as little as $6 when bought individually. When you buy more, they get cheaper. A pack of three resin-infused 0.5-gram pre-rolls, on the other hand, can run you $38.

What is the Difference Between a Joint and a Pre-roll?

A pre-roll is a joint that’s sold fully made. You can make a joint yourself, but you’ll never make a pre-roll (unless you work in weed). But if you walk into a cannabis store and ask for either one, they’ll know what you mean.