A quarter of an ounce of weed is 7 grams. That’s the short answer. The long answer has to do with how and why weed is measured the way it is. 

If you’re curious to know how many grams are in a quarter of weed, what that means in the context of other weed measurements, and how to make sure you walk out of the dispensary with a full quarter, this is the guide for you. 

What is a quarter of weed?

Dried cannabis flower is measured and sold by weight. When you buy weed in a dispensary, an ounce is typically the largest amount you’ll be able to buy. This is a product of both consumer preferences and state possession laws, most of which cap the amount someone of legal age can buy at a time to one ounce. Growers, buyers, and dispensary owners may work with weed by the pound, but from a consumer standpoint, you typically won’t see a measurement higher than an ounce available for sale. 

For the average cannabis consumer shopping at the average dispensary, a quarter refers to a quarter of an ounce of weed — not a quarter of a pound. 

What is a gram of weed?

A gram is technically defined as a “metric unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram.” In terms of dried cannabis flower, a gram (sometimes called a dime bag) is enough to roll a sizable joint, pack a few small bowls, or get several sessions out of a dry herb vaporizer. 

While there are a number of reasons someone might want to buy such a small amount of weed (strain curiosity, financial reasons, commitment issues), most cannabis consumers don’t buy a single gram of weed at a time. On the consumer side, the holy grail of weed weights is the eighth — that’s an eighth of an ounce of weed, or 3.5 grams. 

With 3.5 grams of weed, you can roll a few large joints or several small ones, pack as many as 10 average-sized bowls, or make a potent batch of cannabutter. For the average cannabis enthusiast, this many grams of weed constitutes a near-perfect amount. An eighth tends to last at least through the weekend and will be used up well before the flower has a chance to go bad. 

Daily users, however, may find that an eighth doesn’t stretch quite as far, which brings us back to the quarter. 

How many grams are in a quarter of weed?

As mentioned earlier, dispensaries and brands measure weed by the gram and ounce, which is why it’s so important to understand what that means for the average cannabis smoker.

If we’re being exact, a quarter of an ounce of weed contains 7.0874 grams. However, it’s much more common in the cannabis industry to round down slightly, so generally speaking, there are 7 grams in a quarter ounce of cannabis. 

That’s double an eighth of weed, the most common amount cannabis consumers buy. That many grams is enough to provide for one large joint a day for a week or 14 half-gram joints. A quarter of weed is perfect for those who know exactly what strain works best for them and are willing to commit to a sizable amount. 

For context, let’s review the gram breakdown of each of the main weed measurements with this simple conversion table*:

• 1 eighth = eight of an ounce = 3.5 grams
• 1 quarter = quarter of an ounce = 7 grams
• 1 half = half an ounce = 14 grams
• 1 ounce = 28 grams

*These numbers have been rounded down to the nearest half or whole number to align with industry standards.

How can you ensure you’re getting a quarter of weed?

Now that you know how many grams are in a quarter, let’s talk about what’s really important: how to make sure that when you buy a quarter of an ounce of weed, you’re actually getting a quarter of an ounce of weed.

There are a few different strategies you can use to determine the weight of cannabis, including getting a scale. The most accurate way to measure cannabis is, of course, by using a scale calibrated to measure grams precisely. When you buy weed at a dispensary, your budtender should weigh out the quantity in clear view. That way, you’re able to see that the amount they’re putting in the container is equivalent to the amount you asked for (and the amount you’re paying for). 

If your budtender does not weigh out your weed, ask them to. If they refuse, you may want to shop at a different dispensary. If you live in a state with pre-packaged flower and the dispensary doesn’t have a scale, you can get a scale to use at home, both to ensure you’re getting the right quantity from your local dispensary or to weigh out any cannabis you’re growing at home. Again, just be sure to buy a scale that’s designed to handle weight by the gram. That way, you can accurately weigh out grams, eighths, quarters, and other common weed measurements.

If you don’t have a scale handy, there are a number of weed scale smartphone apps that can help you estimate the weight of your cannabis. While these apps can help you get an estimate, they’re definitely not anywhere near as accurate as a real scale. So, while they can be helpful in a pinch, they’re not an ideal way to weigh your weed.

There is one way you definitely don’t want to determine the weight of your cannabis, and that’s eyeballing it. A quarter of an ounce of weed doesn’t always look the same. In fact, you could argue that no two weed measurements will ever look the same. Factors like density, moisture content, and age can all impact the size of the nugs, which is why trying to determine the weight of cannabis simply by looking is inefficient and ineffective. 

Knowing how many grams are in a quarter of weed empowers you as a cannabis consumer

As a cannabis consumer, it’s important to make informed decisions about how much weed makes sense for your purposes. Now that you know how many grams are in a quarter of an ounce of cannabis, what that means, and about how long it should last you, the fun really begins. 

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