Marijuana is not quite legal yet, but that’s not preventing New Jersey residents from preparing to enjoy it. According to the New York Post, the number of Google searches for “how to roll a joint” in New Jersey went through the roof Tuesday night after it became apparent that the ballot question legalizing it would pass easily.

Of course, you can’t just spark one up on the street just yet; the state Attorney General was quick to warn people that for the time being, possession of marijuana is still illegal in New Jersey: "It is important that residents accurately understand the current situation, so they do not inadvertently engage in criminal conduct relating to marijuana — conduct that may be legal in the future once the Legislature acts, but is not presently legal based on yesterday's vote," he said.

The legislature still has to define the rules for the purchase and consumption, but apparently people in New Jersey want to be prepared. So, how do you roll a proper joint? Not being a smoker myself, I had to do a little research to answer that question. I turned to the experts at Leafly.com, a pretty comprehensive site regarding cannabis.

According to them, first get your supplies:

  • Cannabis strain of your choice
  • Rolling papers
  • Crutch (for the joint crutch or filter)
  • Cannabis grinder
  • Optional: A pen, or a similarly shaped object to help pack the joint

They list seven steps to rolling the perfect joint:

  1. Grind your cannabis
  2. Prepare a “crutch” or filter for the joint to help it maintain its shape and prevent the weed from falling out
  3. Fill the rolling paper with your ground cannabis (they recommend using ½ a gram)
  4. Pack the joint and shape it by rolling it between your finger tips
  5. Roll the joint: Tuck the unglued side of the paper into the roll, roll it up, and use the glued edge to tack down one end of the paper, using just a little bit of moisture.
  6. Finish the joint by packing the end
  7. Enjoy!

If you’re more of a visually oriented person, here are a couple of instructional videos for novices who want to be ready when legal weed goes on sale:

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.

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