Let go of the good times

Do you suck on rolling joints? You don’t need to worry because most casual smokers most likely fall into the same category. Laissez les bons temps rouler — French for “let the good times roll” — is today’s unofficial mantra.

Mardi Gras – French for “Fat Tuesday” – falls on February 21st this year and always takes place on a Tuesday. They may not be heading south to New Orleans or Lafayette, Louisiana, but chances are a nearby dispensary is hosting a cannabis-themed holiday sale or Mardi Gras party. There are many (we checked).

You don’t have to have the dexterity — the roll-and-tuck finger movements to roll a joint or blunt — to get away with rolling a joint. The fact is, many of us don’t have this ability, even some of those who have smoked for years.

Before you move on to more advanced joints that involve woven licorice papers and twisted tips, here are a few tricks to bypass the most difficult parts of rolling a joint.

High Times has compiled not one, but two beginner hacks for people with limited mobility. And chances are you’ll be impacted in some way by celebrating Mardi Gras today. Plus, you might need some extra weed for the hangover.

Before you let your hair down and get your Mardi Gras beads, here are some hacks if you’re too impaired to roll:

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Credit Card Swipe Hack
The only tool you need for this hack is a debit card or a credit card – expired ones are fine in this case. I first learned this trick watching the host of TV show Wake and Bake with Dom Brown on @HiptrTV. Dom Brown called the trick a life-changing joint rolling hack. He learned the trick while touring in California with DJ Jelo and swears this hack changed his life forever. The main point of this hack is to avoid the roll and tuck step that causes some newbies to get confused.

You need:
credit or debit card
rolling papers
tips
bud

1. Grind your buds

Using a four-piece grinder or grinder, grind your herbs to a crumbly consistency, but not quite to sawdust powder. It needs to be ground fine enough not to puncture and tear the paper, but you don’t want it to burn like tinder either.

2. Build a paper canoe

Grab the papers of your choice, take one out and make a canoe shape – first make sure the gum side is up, or in the right spot it needs to be to seal your joint properly.

3. Get a tip

Get a crutch, filter, tip or whatever you call the end of your joint that goes in your mouth. You can use cardboard and make a spiral or accordion shape or something more creative. Put it on the rolling paper canoe. You must roll it tightly to secure.

4. Fill the canoe

Fill the paper with your ground buds. Don’t grab it too tight or you won’t be able to suck the smoke through. Try to make a cylinder shape.

5. Slide your credit card

Then use the credit or debit card to insert the outside of the paper closest to you and slide it down the length of the joint to insert the paper. As you can see in Dom Brown’s video, the paper will likely crease and that’s fine. It makes the roll and tuck part a lot easier, which is really the hardest part of rolling a joint.

6. Lick and seal

The final step is the same as with any joint: lick and seal the stick edge. Alternatively, if you are germ-conscious, use a brush with water or a sponge.

Backwards Pencil Joint Hack
Most likely you’ve heard of using a pen or pencil to roll a joint. Basically, the gist of this concept is that you do it backwards: you make the paper tube before you even put any weed in it. Then you fill it with ground buds. The downside is that it takes some time and patience to pack the weed so that it burns evenly.

You need:
A pen or pencil
toothpick or skewer
rolling papers
tips
bud

1. Grind your buds

Using a four-piece grinder or grinder, grind your herbs to a crumbly consistency, but not quite to sawdust powder. It needs to be ground fine enough not to puncture and tear the paper, but you don’t want it to burn like tinder either.

2. Get a tip

Get a crutch, filter, tip or whatever you call the end of your joint that goes in your mouth. You can use cardboard and make a spiral or accordion shape or something more creative.

3. Form a paper tube

Place the tip at the end of the pencil and hold it together. Roll the paper around the pencil or pen, wet and seal. It should be semi-tight around the crutch, but not too tight or you won’t be able to pull the pin out. Pull out the pen or pencil but leave the tip secured.

4. Fill and pack the tube

First place a tray under your work area as you are likely to spill a lot of shredded weed. Then slowly fill the paper tube. You’ll need to use a skewer or toothpick to poke the tube about every half inch or so. Repeat this process until the entire tube is filled.