In states with legalized marijuana, most weed is measured in grams or ounces. There are eighths, quarters, halves and full ounces. Before weed was legal, code terms were assigned to different quantities of cannabis to keep things discreet. The terminology still lives on to this day as a part of the culture. Dealers in states without legal marijuana still use terms like nick, dime, dub and key with their clientele. Each term represents the price or quantity of weed. We’ll go over the differences so you can be sure that you know what you’re paying for when someone offers you a dime or dub.
Dime
When it comes to a term like dime, only one thing is consistent: the amount you’re paying. A dime is basically ten dollars worth of weed. The actual amount will vary by dealer. Some dimes are close to a gram in weight while others will barely fill a single blunt. Tiny plastic baggies referred to as “dime bags” are designed to hold half a gram to a gram of weed.
The actual name comes from the fact that the word dime has been used as a slang term for the word ten for a long time. For example, saying someone is a dime is synonymous with calling them a ten.
Dub
Similar to the dime, the only thing consistent about a dub is the amount you’re paying. If your dealer is giving out discounts they might offer a “fifteen dollar dub” which means the same amount they usually give you for twenty but for five dollars less. The quantity is usually a gram or higher. If someone you never met offers you a fifteen dollar dub it probably won’t be much more than a gram. On the other hand, a standard dub is anywhere between one to one and a half grams of weed.
The actual name comes from the word “dubs” which is a slang term for rims that are at least twenty inches. A dub sack refers to a plastic baggie designed to hold a gram or more of weed.
Key
Key is a term you’ll only here when you’re around large quantities of cannabis or cocaine. It’s short for the word kilo which means thousand. In this case, it refers to one thousand grams. One kilo is about 2.2 pounds. The price of a key isn’t as consistent as it is with a nick, dime or dub.
Nick
In the most desperate of times, dealers get asked for nicks. A nick is short for a nickel which refers to half of a dime. Five dollars will get you a quarter of a gram of some fine organic weed or about a half gram of some trash. Either way, it’s just enough for a couple of bowl packs. A nickel bag has just enough space for about a quarter gram of weed.
Final Hit: A Dime, A Dub And A Key
Dime, dub, nick and key are all slang terms used to refer to different prices or quantities of cannabis. If you live in a state that has yet to legalize marijuana, you may still have to utilize these terms to communicate with your supplier. To people in states with legalized marijuana, words like nick are probably just a reminder of their former struggles.
Competition
If you’re lucky, you live in a location where there are several dispensaries near one another. This level of competition should ensure that weed prices remain reasonable in your locality. Did you know that dispensaries sometimes engage in ‘flash sales’?
Store X may lower the price of a quarter of Blue Dream for the whole day to entice customers. Store Y feels as if it has no choice but to reduce the price of an eighth of Strawberry Cough temporarily. This is a great way to save money if you’re not fussy about the marijuana strain you buy.
Taxation
If you live in a state where cannabis is legal, you must pay state and sales taxes. Depending on the state, there may also be a local tax which can vary by location and can also be dictated by the dollar amount you spend. In Colorado, for example, you have to pay a 2.9% retail tax, a 15% sales tax, and a 15% excise tax which is based on the average market rate of the weed.
Medicinal marijuana in Colorado is NOT subject to the 15% sales tax. The wholesaler pays the excise tax, but they will pass on the cost to you. Marijuana taxes vary all over the country, so check out the situation in your state.
Timing & Method of Growing
It should go without saying that high-quality weed costs much more than low-grade rubbish, but you may not realize that you can save money by purchasing marijuana at a specific time of year. The majority of cannabis plants grown outdoors are ready for harvest between the end of September and October.
In the weeks following a successful harvest, prices could decrease as the supply increases. Therefore, if you have the money to purchase your weed at that time, and the means to store it, it could be worth buying in bulk. However, an increasing number of breeders are cultivating marijuana indoors which eliminates specific harvest times. In years to come, the timing of your purchase may no longer be important.
Finally, the method of growing marijuana alters the price. Cannabis that is grown outdoors is cheaper to produce because nature regulates the light, soil, water, and temperature. Indoor growers will have enormous lighting bills, and must also pay for nutrients, fans, and a host of other equipment. Indoor weed can also be produced to a better standard so overall, organic indoor-grown marijuana will be far more expensive than the same strain of outdoor-grown weed.
The Gram or “Dime Bag”
The smallest measurement of weed you can buy is commonly referred to as a dime bag. This is approximately half a gram. (For your reference, a gram of weed is approximately the size of one grape).
How did it come to be called a “dime bag”? Approximately half a gram of cannabis used to retail for $10, so some clever user or seller thought up a link between that price and a dime, and then started calling half a gram a “dime bag”. Naturally, the catchy name caught on, so the smallest amount of weed you could buy is a dime bag, making it one of the most popular weed weights.
However, the meaning behind the name is no longer as valid. With the legalization of weed, the prices have dropped so much that many places no longer sell dime bags. Instead, they may offer you an entire gram .
That’s why a gram is quickly becoming the standard smallest measurement of weed sold, for both flower and pre-rolled joints. Based on this, you’d probably think that weed measurements are simple. Unfortunately, as the quantities get bigger, you will see why this guide is necessary!
A dime of weed has always costed me different prices at different places, even for the same strain. I am into a kind of job that I travel a lot, and I buy my weed from wherever I am located at a time. Have got set sellers at almost all my regular destinations, but the price varies at each place. And I find New York to be one of the most expensive ones.