A Quarter of Weed: Understanding Marijuana Weights and Measurements

20 August 2024
Are you new to buying cannabis? Learn how much a quarter of weed weighs and how much it may cost.
20 August 2024
5 min read
A Quarter of Weed: Understanding Marijuana Weights and Measurements

Contents:
Read more
  • 1. What are the slang terms for a quarter of weed?
  • 2. How long will a quarter of weed last you?
  • 3. Do they even sell weed in quarters?
  • 3. a. How to ensure they sell you the correct weight?
  • 4. How much does a quarter of weed cost?
  • 4. a. What does affect the price of weed?
  • 5. Legal considerations when buying a quarter of weed
  • 6. To conclude

A quarter of weed is just what the name suggests – a quarter (1/4) of an ounce. Its equivalent in metric units is 7g. Well, technically, a quarter is 28,3495 grams, but when it comes to cannabis, it’s rounded up to 28 grams, and the quarter of weed is 28 divided by 4, or exactly 7g. Bear in mind that it’s only the dry flowers (buds) that are measured in these units. For hash and different forms of concentrates, which are much more potent and sold in smaller units, people use grams.

What Are the Slang Terms for a Quarter of Weed?

Sometimes, you may hear a quarter of weed referred to as “quad” or even shorter – “Q”. If you’re dealing with new people, we recommend avoiding these terms so that no one misunderstands you, but if others say “quad” or “Q”, you can be sure they mean a quarter of weed.

How Long Will a Quarter of Weed Last You?

If you roll standard one-gram joints and smoke one a day, a quad will last you a week. Lighter smokers may want to roll smaller half-gram joints and make their quarter last two weeks. Plus, a lot of people light up only rarely – like on a weekend or after an especially hard workout. For them, a quarter of weed may last any amount of time – a year easily. It all depends on your usage habits and tolerance levels.

A Quarter of Weed: Understanding Marijuana Weights and Measurements: An infographic showing the highest number of joints you can roll with a Q

Depending on your preferences you can roll 7-15 joints from a quarter of weed.

Do They Even Sell Weed in Quarters?

A quarter of weed is in fact not the most popular weight in the industry.


If you just want to try out a new strain, you’ll probably want to buy anywhere between one gram and an eighth of an ounce or even a single pre-roll. A quarter, on the other hand, signifies commitment: you’ve found some buds you’re crazy about and want to keep smoking them for a while. But even in this case, most heavy users and medical patients would buy a half-ounce or even an ounce and save themselves an extra trip to a dispensary.


So, often, when you want a quarter of weed, you’ll probably end up buying two eighths in individual packages.

 

How to Ensure They Sell You the Correct Weight?

With experience, you’ll learn to judge the weight of the buds by sight, even accounting for different bud densities. However, once at home, always check the weight with well-calibrated scales to know whether to trust the seller in the future.

How Much Does a Quarter of Weed Cost?

Despite the fact that cannabis is becoming more and more common and is legally sold for recreational and medical purposes in the growing number of states, the prices remain more or less the same as they used to during the prohibition era. So, whether you buy a quarter of weed from your “guy” or in a dispensary, it will cost you between $65-75 or more.

 

A Quarter of Weed: Understanding Marijuana Weights and Measurements: A small bowl of ground buds

When the buds are ground, they appear bulkier.

What Does Affect the Price of Weed?

So, you’re buying yourself some weed and wondering whether you’re overpaying or the price is just right. How do you know for sure? Well, the price of cannabis depends on several factors.

 

  • Potency. With all that talk about terpene profiles and flavors, the raw power of THC still remains something people are willing to pay their top dollar for. If you think about it, it’s logical: the more potent the buds, the more smoking sessions you’ll have with the same amount.
  • Quality. It includes the cannabinoid profile, of course, but goes far beyond that: it’s how the buds look, smell, and taste, how thoroughly they’ve been trimmed, and whether they’ve been handled delicately or pressed into bricks for easier transport (that last thing, luckily, is becoming the thing of the past now).

  • Quantity. It’s the same as in any other industry: the more you buy, the better price you get per gram. As the quarter of weed occupies a middle ground in the hierarchy of weights, it offers a better price than some and worse than others.
  • Availability. As in any other market, the price of a quarter of weed depends on the balance of the supply and demand. The legality of medical or recreational marijuana in your area may drive the prices down but not by much.
  • Brand Name. Boutique-quality buds, especially those cultivated by a celebrity like Mike Tyson or endorsed by someone famous, will naturally cost more than a mass-produced generic product.

Legal Considerations When Buying a Quarter of Weed

If marijuana was legalized in your state, either for medical or recreational purposes, the limit was probably set to at least an ounce, so, buying a quarter won’t get you in trouble.


In other areas, where cannabis is still outlawed, we recommend finding and carefully reading a legal guide for your state, as choosing to purchase a quarter of weed and not some smaller quantity may mean the difference between an incarceration and a fine or a fine and a slap on the wrist.

 


In some jurisdictions, getting caught with any amount of cannabis will get you in trouble, so maybe it’s worth buying a larger quantity (like a quarter) once than making several smaller purchases. After all, the more deals you make, the more you expose yourself to risks.


There are even finer points to consider. For example, in the Bahamas, if you’ve just bought an eighth, it’s simple possession, but if you’ve bought two eights in individual bags, it’s automatically possession with intent to supply, and it’s a different tier of life-ruining consequences.


The bottom line is: always know where you stand legally when you want to buy yourself some smoke, whether a quarter of weed or any other quantity.

To Conclude

A quarter of weed is 1/4th of an ounce, or seven grams. It’s enough to roll 7 normal-sized joints and may cost you $65-75. Also known as quad or Q, a quarter will be a sizable stash for the lightweight smoker and last them a while. For the purposes of testing, a quarter of weed is too much, and you’d be better off buying an eighth or even a smaller amount instead. Unless you’re a heavy smoker; then, a quarter will allow you to acquaint yourself well with a new strain, while enjoying a lower per-gram price.