One of the things about weed legalization that is still taking getting used to is how much information and advice is suddenly available online. Years ago, if you wanted to know what sort of weed to buy or how to roll a joint, you had to work it out from a diet of hearsay and rumor. Today, the internet is full of useful how-to guides.
The role of the weed grinder is another example of this principle in action. For some, a grinder is an essential piece of kit, just as important as papers or roaches. Other people have never felt the need for a grinder in their lives and seem to derive as much enjoyment from their weed as anyone. Who’s right and what’s grinding all about anyway? Let’s tear down the curtain and find out.
Pro: A more consistent burn
First, we need to think about what grinding actually achieves. When you put your buds through a weed grinder, what you are effectively doing is increasing their surface area. This leads to a more consistent burn and therefore a smoother effect, as you are experiencing the benefits of all the cannabinoids present with every puff, not just whichever part happens to be burning at that moment. Having the weeds ground to consistent particles also makes it easier to roll an even joint.
Con: The weed can degrade
The flip side to increasing the surface area is that more of the weed is exposed to light, air, moisture, and heat. The aroma coming off the weed while you grind it might appeal to your nose, but what you’re smelling is the terpene molecules leaving your buds and disappearing into the atmosphere where they are lost forever. The moral here, though, is not to pre-grind all your stash, only what you need for the joint you are about to roll.
Pro: Collecting kief
The more sophisticated variety of weed grinder has three or more parts. One of these is designed for collecting kief, which is a fine powder that comes from the buds. You can sprinkle kief on your joint as a finishing touch to give it a little extra va-va-voom, or there are dozens of other ways to use it.
Con: Removing the kief
Some argue that separating out the kief is not a good thing at all, however. Here’s the thing, it is so fine, even the best grinder in the world is not going to gather it all, so there will inevitably be a certain amount of wastage. The non-grinding camp would argue that leaving the buds alone means the kief is still intact and every last molecule ends up right where you want it.
Who is right?
Of course, there is no right or wrong answer here. From an impartial perspective, however, it could be argued that there are more pros than cons to grinding. Using a good quality 3-part grinder and only grinding small amounts as you need them would seem to eliminate most of the negative aspects.
