Spliffs & Joints: Difference and What’s Better

Smoking a joint is one of the classic methods of consuming cannabis. It has quite the history in the world of marijuana and is still an extremely popular method today. Over time, the art of rolling a joint has expanded into one heck of a scene. From rolling cross joints to a classic baseball bat, smokers love rolling up joints! The rolling process is especially interesting because everyone seems to do it in their own slightly different, unique way. Some people even sprinkle tobacco into their joints for a smooth smoking spliff. While spliffs can be a bit counteracting and are not as healthy as smoking traditional joints, a considerable amount of cannabis consumers have grown to be die-hard spliff smokers.

Let’s take a closer look at the difference between a spliff vs. a joint!

Spliffs vs. joints

While many cannabis consumers are turned off by the idea of adding any tobacco to their marijuana, there is still a large community of adamant spliff smokers. With all the research that has been published, the adverse health effects of tobacco consumption are pretty undeniable, so most people are aware that, for health reasons, it is best to not mix any tobacco with cannabis. Nevertheless, puffing on a spliff is still very popular in a lot of places overseas, as well as in many marijuana markets throughout the United States.

So why do consumers feel the need to mix the two?

What is a spliff?

A spliff is rolled the same as a joint, smoked the same as a joint, and looks the same as a joint. The only real difference it has from a traditional joint is that a spliff contains tobacco in addition to weed.

The origin of spliff smoking dates back centuries ago, originating in parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. It is still very common to this day for cannabis consumers overseas to regularly use tobacco with their cannabis. Spliffs are not nearly as popular in the United States as they are in other places, but they are definitely still a prevalent consumption method for many American marijuana users.

When smoking a spliff, the added tobacco causes some unique effects that are far different from a regular joint. For those who have never used tobacco before, the effects are stimulating and can often cause a bit of a head rush. Some tobacco users say it helps with easing anxiety and stress, so when mixed in with cannabis, it can be somewhat of a balancing act of in terms of effects. More often than not, a spliff creates a more stimulating experience and is said to help counteract paranoid thoughts and feelings that can sometimes be experienced from pure weed.

Rolling a spliff

Rolling a spliff is no more difficult than rolling a regular joint. The process only includes one additional step – adding tobacco! When rolling up a spliff, it is purely up to the consumer’s preference as to how much tobacco versus weed goes into the joint. Some consumers enjoy half-tobacco, half-weed spliffs because it helps to conserve weed and provides an even balance of effects, but everyone uses different ratios for different reasons.

Others prefer more weed than tobacco in their spliffs so they can get those tobacco effects while still ensuring that the flavor of the cannabis is prominent.  Odds are, it is just going to depend on how much the consumer actually enjoys smoking tobacco.

Regardless of your own individual preferences, here are some guidelines for how to roll a spliff the right way!

1. Break down the desired strain of weed with a grinder or by hand. Dump the weed onto the table or rolling tray.
2. Now is when the tobacco comes into play. Sprinkle the desired amount of tobacco on top of the broken-down weed, and mix to create an even spread of tobacco.
3. Make a mouthpiece for the joint (optional). It is typically better to have some sort of filter when smoking a spliff.
4. Grab the paper with your dominant hand and hold the mouthpiece onto the rolling paper with your thumb.
5. Sprinkle the weed and tobacco mixture onto the paper and use a pen or finger to form the paper around the weed.
6. Pinch the paper in the middle with both hands just above the weed. Begin rolling the paper back and forth to form the joint. It is best to start at the end of the joint and work towards the mouthpiece.
7. Once the joint is formed down to the mouthpiece, roll the front side of the paper down and pinch the paper around the mouthpiece.
8. When the pinch is tight, finish the joint by rolling the paper up until just the thin layer of glue is left.
9. Seal the paper with a nice lick and spark it up!

The above steps are just general guidelines; while this process is rather common among rollers and consumers, there are a ton of people who roll spliffs in a ton of slightly different ways. The tobacco does not have to be mixed in with the weed, for example. Some people enjoy just sprinkling a little tobacco on top once the weed is in the joint, but it is purely up to personal preference.

Spliff advice

• The better the tobacco, the better the taste.
• Use a smaller tip when rolling a spliff for smoother airflow.
• Roll spliffs tight to ensure the tobacco does not overpower the cannabis flavor.