Italians have a phrase for how to approach most good things: piano, piano. Slowly, slowly. It works for making chili, for Sundays, and for your first pre-roll in a while. Or ever.
Maybe you’re brand new to cannabis. Maybe the last time you tried it, your family could still walk you to the gate at the airport. Either way, the menu has changed since then and nobody handed you a phrasebook.
Here’s ours. It’s short, and there’s no quiz at the end.
So, what is a pre-roll?
A joint that’s already rolled for you. No grinder, no papers, no squinting at a youtube tutorial. You open the tin and it’s ready when you are.
What’s inside varies more than the paper lets on. Some pre-rolls are ground flower and nothing else. Others have cannabis concentrates added, which changes things (more on that below).
The most useful thing to know on day one: a pre-roll is not a serving. Nobody need finish the bread basket out of obligation. Take a puff, set it down, and come back tomorrow if you feel like it.
Read the label like a menu
Strain names are fun. They’re also about as informative as the name of a racehorse. The label is where the real information lives, and there are only four lines to read:
- THC is the compound behind the high. The percentage tells you how concentrated it is.
- CBD won’t get you high, though it can still affect how you feel.
- Ingredients tell you whether you’re holding flower alone or flower with concentrates added.
- Net weight is how much is rolled up in there.
A word on that THC number. It tells you the concentration in the joint. It can’t tell you how your evening will go. How much you have, how familiar you are with cannabis, and your own body all get a vote. Two people can share one pre-roll and have two different experiences.
“Infused” is the word to watch for
An infused pre-roll is flower plus a concentrate, such as hash. That usually pushes the THC higher, and higher THC raises the odds of effects you didn’t sign up for.
So treat “infused” the way you’d treat “extra spicy” on a menu: good to know before you order. If you’re new, Minnesota’s safer-use guide suggests starting with something lower in potency.
And if the vocabulary at the counter gets away from you, ask. You don’t need to nod along politely. Save that particular Minnesota skill for your neighbor’s story about resealing his driveway.
Meet erba Minnie’s
Minnie’s are erba’s half-gram pre-rolls, and they come in our child-proof tin. These have a fun nod to Minnesota, but also are named after the family matriarch, Minnie.
Half a gram describes the size and says nothing about the strength. Think of an espresso cup: small, yes… and you’d still like to know what’s in it. Minnie’s have one ingredient: Premium flower grown right here in Minnesota.
One puff, then the long pause
Here is the entire technique: take one puff, then wait.
Minnesota’s safer-use guide says inhaled effects usually show up within 1 to 10 minutes and peak around the half-hour mark, though timing varies. It recommends waiting 15 to 30 minutes before you decide whether you want more.
That’s roughly one Minnesota goodbye, so you’ve been training for this your whole life. Put on a record. Wash a load of dishes.
If the answer after half an hour is “that’s plenty,” wonderful. Put it out, let it cool, and save the rest for later. The Italians have never once apologized for a long lunch, and you don’t owe anyone a finished joint.
A little care before you go
For adults 21 and older. If you choose to use cannabis, start small, give it time, and avoid mixing it with alcohol. Don’t drive or operate machinery while impaired. Smoking carries lung-health risks, so be mindful of smoke exposure for yourself and others. Keep cannabis locked away from children and pets.
Avoid cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you take medication or have health questions, check with a healthcare professional.
More information: Minnesota’s safer-use guide, CDC: Cannabis and Lung Health, and CDC: Cannabis and Pregnancy.
The pace is yours
You don’t need an impressive cannabis vocabulary. Know what’s inside, read the tin, ask the question you think is too basic, and you’re already ahead of anyone who’s pretending.
La dolce vita was never about doing more. Around here it looks like lingering at the table after dinner while everyone debates whether it’s time to rake the leaves or leave them a bit longer. Or you can take you and yours on a La Passeggiata!
Piano, piano. Whatever you decide, there’s no rush.
More reading: Minnesota’s Guide to Safer Cannabis Use, Minnesota Department of Health: Cannabis and Your Health, CDC: Cannabis and Lung Health, and CDC: Cannabis and Pregnancy.