Spliff vs joint vs blunt: the difference (and how to roll each)

What is the difference between a spliff, a joint and a blunt?

A joint is ground cannabis rolled in a thin rolling paper, usually made of wood pulp, rice, hemp or similar fibre. Nothing else is in it except, sometimes, a small filter at one end.

A spliff is a joint with tobacco mixed in with the cannabis. The wrapper is the same kind of thin paper. The only difference from a joint is the tobacco. The term is common in the UK, Europe and the Caribbean, and "zoot" is a regional slang word you may hear for a joint or a spliff.

A blunt is cannabis rolled in cigar paper or in the leaf of a cigar, which is tobacco. Public health references describe blunts as cannabis in a cigar wrapper or a hollowed-out cigar, and describe spliffs as a joint with loose tobacco added. Because the wrapper itself is tobacco, a blunt contains tobacco even when no tobacco is mixed into the cannabis.

The table below puts the three side by side. Sizes vary a lot by roller, so the table describes them in relative terms rather than as fixed measurements.

What does spliff mean?

"Spliff" means a cannabis roll that includes tobacco. It is a British and Caribbean term that spread widely, and in North America it is sometimes used as a general word for any hand-rolled cannabis, which is part of why the terms blur. If you want to be exact, a spliff is a joint with tobacco in it.

People who mix cannabis and tobacco in one roll are doing what researchers call mixing, or co-use. A study of Ontario adults who used cannabis found that about 31% reported mixing it with tobacco in the past year (survey years 2015 to 2017). The authors raised it as a possible public health concern after legalization.

Mixing is one of several ways the two substances are combined. Alberta's health information service lists using one right after the other, mixing them to use at the same time, and using both at different times, and it names blunts and rolled paper joints among the common ways to smoke them. That page does not use the word spliff, so treat "spliff" as the everyday label for the mixed joint.

Why does tobacco matter here?

Tobacco contains nicotine, and a spliff or a tobacco-wrapped blunt delivers nicotine along with the cannabis. A plain joint rolled with thin paper does not add any. That is the main practical difference between them, and it is a plain matter of what is in the roll.

Health authorities treat the combination as something to be aware of rather than a neutral choice. Alberta's health information service says that using cannabis and tobacco together can be harmful. This guide does not go beyond that; if you have questions about nicotine, ask a pharmacist or your health provider.

Canadian law also draws a line. Health Canada's summaries of the final cannabis regulations list nicotine as barred in edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals, and they note that products must not carry elements that associate them with tobacco products. Those summaries date from 2018 and 2019, so check the current consolidated text on Justice Laws for any specific product class. This guide could not confirm a rule on tobacco in dried cannabis.

How do you roll a joint?

Rolling a joint takes a rolling paper, ground cannabis and, if you like, a filter (a small strip of card, often called a crutch or tip). Grinding the cannabis first matters because an even, fluffy fill burns evenly. If you are unsure what is in your flower, the label guide explains the numbers on a Canadian package.

1. Grind the cannabis until it is loose and even, without stems or hard pieces that can poke through the paper.
2. Roll the filter strip into a small tube, or fold it into a W or accordion shape, and place it at one end of the paper.
3. Lay the paper with the glue strip along the top edge facing you, and spread the ground cannabis evenly along the length, keeping slightly more toward the open end if you want a cone-like shape.
4. Pinch the paper and roll it back and forth between your thumbs and fingers to shape the cannabis into a tube.
5. Tuck the near edge of the paper under the far edge, over the cannabis, then roll it up toward the glue strip.
6. Lick the glue strip, seal it, and press along the seam.
7. Pack the open end gently with a pen or a similar tool, twist the end closed, and tap the filter end on a firm surface.

Heat is what makes the cannabis ready to smoke, because it converts the raw THCA in flower into THC. The THCA vs THC guide covers that step.

How do you roll a spliff?

A spliff is rolled exactly like a joint, with tobacco mixed in before you roll. Because tobacco and cannabis are mixed into one roll, the steps below start with the mix. If you would rather not add nicotine to your smoke, skip this and roll a plain joint.

1. Grind the cannabis and set out the tobacco in a separate pile.
2. Mix the two together in a tray or on a clean surface. The ratio is a matter of preference, and there is no standard amount.
3. Follow the joint steps above: filter, even line, shape, tuck, roll, seal, pack.

Tobacco is usually finer and burns differently from ground cannabis, so a spliff often needs a firm, even pack to keep it from burning down one side.

How do you roll a blunt?

A blunt is rolled in cigar paper or a cigar wrap, which is made from tobacco. There are two common routes: a pre-made blunt wrap, or a cigar that you split and empty. Either way the wrap is tobacco, so the blunt contains tobacco even if the cannabis inside is pure.

1. Choose a blunt wrap, or a cigar that you slit open lengthwise.
2. If you are using a cigar, empty out the tobacco filling and keep only the outer leaf. The leaf is tobacco, so skip this step only if you are happy with the tobacco mixed into your cannabis.
3. Let the leaf dry out slightly or rest it for a minute if it feels stiff, since a very dry leaf cracks and a very wet one tears.
4. Grind the cannabis and spread it evenly along the wrap, leaving a small gap at each end.
5. Roll the near edge up and over the cannabis, tucking it tightly, then keep rolling toward the far edge.
6. Seal the seam with a light touch of moisture, then press it flat.
7. Let the blunt dry for a few minutes before lighting, so the seal holds and the wrap burns evenly.

Blunts need more cannabis than a joint, because the wrap is wider, and they tend to burn unevenly if rolled loosely. The thick wrap also makes them harder to relight.

What are pre-rolls and cones?

A pre-roll is a joint someone else has rolled for you. In Canada, a legal pre-roll is sold under the same federal rules as dried flower, and its label lists the number of pre-rolls and the weight of each, along with Total THC. The label guide explains where to find those details. Read the package for the contents rather than assuming; this guide could not confirm a specific tobacco rule for dried cannabis.

A cone is a rolling paper that comes already shaped into a hollow cone, so you fill it and twist the top closed instead of rolling it. Pre-rolls are often built on cones; they skip the hardest part of rolling.

Whatever you pick, strain type is a separate choice. If you are choosing flower to roll, the indica vs sativa guide explains what those labels do and do not tell you, and the hybrid strain list shows what is catalogued in that group.

What are the rules for smoking cannabis in public in Canada?

Public smoking rules in Canada are set by each province and territory, so the answer depends on where you are. Federal law sets the baseline for the product itself, but where you can smoke or vape is largely a provincial and local matter, along with workplace and housing rules.

Before you light up away from home, check your province's cannabis page or your municipality's bylaws. Regulated retailers' education pages are a good starting point. If you would rather not roll or smoke at all, the vape pens guide covers a different way to use dried cannabis products.

Which one should you choose?

If you want cannabis with no tobacco, a joint is the plain option, and a pre-roll or a cone makes it easier. If you want to avoid nicotine entirely, a spliff and a tobacco-wrapped blunt are the two to skip, since both contain tobacco. If you do roll with tobacco or a tobacco wrap, be aware that you are consuming nicotine along with cannabis.

Other paper choices, such as hemp or rice papers, are non-tobacco options. Cigar wraps are tobacco products, so a blunt always carries nicotine unless the wrap is explicitly not tobacco, which the packaging should say.