How many grams in an ounce of weed? An ounce is 28.35 grams, and dispensary menus round it to 28. Every other size on the menu is a fraction of that ounce: an eighth, a quarter and a half. Below you'll find the full chart, how far each amount goes and what Michigan law lets adults buy and keep.
How many grams in an ounce of weed, and why menus use 28
The ounce used for cannabis is the standard U.S. ounce, which equals about 28.35 grams. A pound is 16 of those ounces, or about 453.6 grams.
Cannabis is weighed in metric grams but named in old fractions of an ounce. Rounding the ounce to 28 makes those fractions divide neatly, so an eighth becomes 3.5 grams instead of 3.54. The difference is about a third of a gram per ounce: small, but worth knowing if you compare a menu with a home scale. Licensed products state their net weight on the label, so you can always see exactly what's in the package.
Every common weight, from a gram to a pound
| Size | Share of an ounce | Menu weight | Exact weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gram | About 1/28 | 1 g | 1 g |
| Eighth | 1/8 | 3.5 g | 3.54 g |
| Quarter | 1/4 | 7 g | 7.09 g |
| Half | 1/2 | 14 g | 14.17 g |
| Ounce | 1 | 28 g | 28.35 g |
| Pound | 16 ounces | Not sold: over the 2.5-ounce limit | 453.6 g |
For context, Michigan's 2.5-ounce limit works out to about 71 grams. For a closer look at the most popular sizes:
What each amount looks like
Bud density varies a lot, so two packages of the same weight can look very different. A dense, tightly trimmed eighth may look half the size of an airy one. As a rough guide:
- A gram: one or two medium buds, enough for a couple of joints or several small bowls.
- An eighth: a small handful of buds that fits easily in a typical dispensary jar.
- A quarter: two eighths' worth, roughly a full palm.
- A half: enough to fill a large jar.
- An ounce: a substantial amount for one person, best kept in a large airtight jar.
You pay for weight, not size, so trust the label over the eye test.
How many joints or bowls a gram makes
Researchers who analyzed more than 10,000 U.S. cannabis purchases estimated that the average joint holds about 0.32 grams. Other estimates run from roughly 0.3 to 0.5 grams, and one study put the figure at 0.66 grams. Here's the math at both ends of the common range:
| Amount | Joints at 0.5 g each | Joints at 0.3 g each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gram | 2 | 3 |
| Eighth (3.5 g) | 7 | 11 |
| Quarter (7 g) | 14 | 23 |
| Half (14 g) | 28 | 46 |
| Ounce (28 g) | 56 | 93 |
A small pipe or bong bowl takes just a pinch, a fraction of a gram, so one gram can pack several bowls depending on their size.
Pre-roll sizes: minis vs. full grams
Pre-rolls make the math easy, because the weight is printed on the package.
- Full-gram pre-rolls hold 1 gram, which is a lot for one person in one sitting.
- Half-gram pre-rolls hold 0.5 grams, close to what many people roll for themselves.
- Minis are smaller still and usually come several to a pack, which makes them easy to share or spread out.
Infused pre-rolls add concentrate to the flower, so check the label for both the weight and the THC. Our pre-roll buyer's guide compares sizes and multipacks.
Buying tips: price per gram, and bulk vs. small sizes
- Do the math. Divide the price by the grams to get the price per gram, then compare across sizes and products.
- Expect better value in bigger sizes. Larger amounts usually cost less per gram than single grams or eighths.
- Buy what you'll finish. An ounce only saves money if it stays fresh until it's gone, so store it airtight, cool and dark.
- Stack the savings. Check our deals page, and Join The Society, our free loyalty program, to earn points on qualifying purchases. Try a new strain as an eighth before buying more.
Our guide to shopping on a budget has more ways to save.
What drives price in Michigan
Prices move with supply and with the product itself. A few factors matter most:
- Quality tier: premium buds cost more than smalls or shake from the same plants.
- Potency and type: high-THC flower and concentrates usually cost more per gram than everyday flower.
- Retail taxes: adult-use purchases carry Michigan's 10% excise tax plus the 6% sales tax. Because the sales tax is figured on the price including the excise, the two together add about 16.6%. Registered medical patients don't pay the 10% excise; only the 6% sales tax applies.
- Wholesale tax: as of October 2026, a 24% wholesale tax, in effect since January 1, 2026, applies when growers and processors first sell adult-use products to retailers. It isn't a line on your receipt, but wholesalers may pass the cost along.
Current prices are on your store's live menu, so check there rather than relying on averages.
Michigan possession and purchase limits
Here's what Michigan law allows for adults 21 and older, and for registered patients:
| Situation | Limit |
|---|---|
| Buying at a licensed adult-use store | Up to 2.5 ounces per transaction, no more than 15 grams of it concentrate |
| Carrying it with you | Up to 2.5 ounces, no more than 15 grams of it concentrate |
| Keeping it at home | Up to 10 ounces, plus what your own plants produce; anything over 2.5 ounces must be locked up |
| Registered medical patients | Up to 2.5 ounces a day and 10 ounces a month from provisioning centers |
You'll need a valid photo ID issued by a government agency, since adult-use stores must check it before every sale. Keep your cannabis in Michigan, too: don't travel across state lines with cannabis. For the full rundown, see our guide to Michigan cannabis laws.
