A joint (), also commonly referred to as a "doobie" or "doob", is a rolled

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternativel ...

cigarette. Unlike commercial

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ch ...

cigarettes, the user ordinarily hand-rolls joints with rolling papers, though in some cases they are machine-rolled. Rolling papers are the most common rolling medium in

industrialized countries A developed country (or industrialized country, high-income country, more economically developed country (MEDC), advanced country) is a sovereign state that has a high quality of life, developed economy and advanced technological infrastruc ...

; however, brown paper, cigarettes or beedies with the tobacco removed, receipts and paper napkin can also be used, particularly in

developing countries A developing country is a sovereign state with a lesser developed Industrial sector, industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is al ...

. Modern papers are manufactured in a range of sizes from a wide variety of materials including rice, hemp, and

flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known i ...

, and are also available in

liquorice Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English) ( ; also ) is the common name of ''Glycyrrhiza glabra'', a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae, from the root of which a sweet, aromatic flavouring can be extracted. The liq ...

and other flavoured varieties. Joint size can vary, typically containing between net weight of cannabis. Tobacco is sometimes used in the rolling process.

Variations and terminology

Although joints by definition contain cannabis, regional differences exist. In Europe, in certain

Commonwealth nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the C ...

, and more recently in North America, joints, or spliffs, typically include a

cigarette filter A cigarette filter, also known as a filter tip, is a component of a cigarette, along with cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. Filters were introduced in the early 1950s. Filters may be made from plastic cellulose acetate fiber, paper or ...

or a bit of rolled thin cardboard in one end to serve as a mouthpiece, commonly referred to as the ''crutch'', ''filter'', or '' roach''. The term "spliff" is sometimes used to distinguish a joint prepared with both cannabis and tobacco, as is commonly done in European countries, where joints containing only cannabis are uncommon. In the West Indies where this term originated (especially

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispan ...

), a ''spliff'' is simply a marijuana cigarette, normally containing no tobacco. Special vaporizers, made to look like joints, have also been designed for use with cannabis extract. Crusher for tobacco or marijuana (1)

Etymology and synonyms

The word ''joint'' ultimately originated from French, where it is an adjective meaning 'joined' ( past participle of the verb '' joindre''), derived in turn from Latin ''iunctus'', past participle of ''iungere'' ('join'/'bind'/'yoke'). By 1821, 'joint' had become an Anglo-Irish term for an annexe, or a side-room 'joined' to a main room. By 1877, this had developed into U.S. slang for a 'place, building, establishment,' and especially to an

opium den An opium den was an establishment in which opium was sold and smoked. Opium dens were prevalent in many parts of the world in the 19th century, most notably China, Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East ...

. Its first usage in the sense of 'marijuana cigarette' is dated to 1938. Many

slang Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and usage (language), linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in spoken conversation but avoided in formal writing. It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of p ...

terms are synonymous with the word ''joint''. 'Spliff' is a

West Indian A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). For more than 100 years the words ''West Indian'' specifically described natives of the West Indies, but by 1661 Europeans had begun to use it ...

word of

Jamaican English Jamaican English, including Jamaican Standard English, is a variety of English native to Jamaica and is the official language of the country. A distinction exists between Jamaican English and Jamaican Patois (or Creole), though not entirely ...

origin which has spread to several western countries, particularly the UK and Europe. Its precise etymology is unknown, but it is attested as early as 1936. 'J' or 'jay' can be used as an abbreviation for a generic joint. Another frequently used term is 'doobie.' The end or butt of a mostly smoked joint is referred to as a " roach" in U.S. and

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal ...

slang. Small metal clips to facilitate the smoking of a "roach" are called "roach clips". In the UK the term roach is commonly used to describe the cardboard mouthpiece. Roach clips cover a wide variety of paraphernalia including alligator clips, forceps, needle nose pliers, ceramic pieces with holes through them, and tweezers.

References

{{Cannabis resources Cannabis culture Cannabis smoking Marij

Variations and terminology

Etymology and synonyms

See also

References