What Is a Zip of Weed? Cost, Size, and Origin Explained

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A beginner’s guide to slang for weed measurements
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With marijuana becoming increasingly mainstream and more states legalizing it for recreational use, you’re likely to hear some new slang if you aren’t a regular smoker. A “zip” refers to an ounce of weed, which is 28 grams. In this article, we’ll explain what a zip is, where the term comes from, and what a zip should cost. We’ll even break down the scenarios where new smokers might save some money by buying a zip.

What’s a "zip" of marijuana?

A “zip” refers to an ounce of marijuana, which is 28 grams. In terms of size, that comes out to roughly enough weed to fully fill a standard sandwich bag. A zip is one of the most common amounts purchased by a heavy marijuana user.

Section 1 of 7:

What is a zip of weed?

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  1. A zip refers to a medium-sized bag of marijuana flower. It’s a common unit of measurement in the world of marijuana, and it’s one of the most frequent amounts that smokers will purchase when they’re refilling their stash. [1]
    • “Flower” refers to typical marijuana plants that have been dried out to smoke. It’s what most people picture when they say “weed.”
    • If you want help conceptualizing this, a zip of flower is about the size of a basic sandwich.
    • Is a zip a lot of weed? It depends on your perspective. For a regular smoker, no. A zip is kind of like a case of beer–it’d be a lot for a non-drinker, but it’s pretty normal for someone who enjoys a few beers every week to have a case at home.
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Section 2 of 7:

How much should a zip of weed cost?

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  1. There are a few big factors that impact the price of a zip (and weed in general). [2] They are:
    • Location. Progressive states with legal marijuana tend to have the cheapest prices. A zip will cost, on average, $380 in North Dakota, but only $210 in Oregon, for example. [3]
    • Quality. Higher-end strains of marijuana, boutique breeds, and stronger weed will all fetch premiums compared to “reggie” (regular weed).
    • Legal status. Marijuana tends to be more expensive if it’s illegal and users have to buy it on the black market. It’s a little cheaper in states with medical marijuana, and even cheaper still in states where recreational weed is allowed.
    • Volume. Most dispensaries will offer discounts if you buy in bulk, so the price of a zip can drop quite a bit if you buy a lot.
Section 3 of 7:

Where does the term zip come from?

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  1. We’ve tried digging deep here, but nobody has a clear answer on how the term “zip” came to be. [4] Here are the three best explanations we’ve come across:
    • Theory #1: “Zip” refers to a Ziploc bag. A zip conveniently fits neatly into a typical Ziploc sandwich bag. Since dealers often used Ziploc bags for their ounces, this could be the origin of “zip.”
    • Theory #2: “Zip” is short for “zipper.” In the 70s and 80s, smokers often stored their weed in small bags that had zippers on them. Supposedly, these bags stored about an ounce of weed at most.
    • Theory #3: “Zip” refers to “zipping up.” “Zipping up” is old school slang for rolling a marijuana cigar. This seems like the least likely explanation, but it’s still a possibility!
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Section 4 of 7:

How long will a zip of weed last?

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  1. Obviously, how long a zip lasts will differ from smoker to smoker, but we can make some good estimates here. An ounce comes out to roughly 50-60 joints, so if someone smokes every day a zip should last them about 2 months. [5]
    • What if I’m not a regular smoker? If you don’t smoke often, a zip is probably going to be too much weed. Assuming you don’t use humid-controlled storage designed specifically for weed, the marijuana will likely start to turn stale after about 3 months, so you’re probably best off purchasing less marijuana. [6]
      • Under perfect storage conditions where you monitor humidity and use a special storage unit designed for marijuana, a zip should stay fresh for 6-12 months.
Section 5 of 7:

Standard Weed Measurements

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  1. Weed is measured using the metric system. A gram is typically the smallest amount of marijuana a smoker will buy, and a single gram will come out to roughly three “joints” (marijuana cigarettes), or one and a half “blunts” (marijuana cigars). Here’s how the standard measurements break down: [7]
    • 1 Gram = The smallest unit of weed (outside of a “nickel bag” which is $5 worth of weed–enough for one joint. Nobody really uses “nickel bag” anymore, though).
    • 1 Eighth = 3.5 grams. This is ⅛ of an ounce, and it will last a regular smoker about a week.
    • 1 Quarter (often called a “Quad”) = 7 grams. A quarter ounce (¼ oz.) of weed will last a regular smoker about two weeks.
    • 1 Half Ounce (often called a “Half”) = 14 grams. A half ounce should last regular smokers a few weeks to a month.
    • 1 Ounce = 28 grams. For a regular smoker, this is a good amount of weed. It should last at least a month.
    • 1 Pound = 448 grams. This isn’t a normal amount for any smoker to buy because the weed will typically get a little stale towards the end of the package if you’re smoking alone.
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Section 6 of 7:

Other Weed Measurement Slang

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  1. Nobody really buys nickel bags anymore and most dispensaries won’t sell anything smaller than a gram. However, a “nick” or “nickel” refers to a joint’s worth of weed–about $5 worth, or ¼ of a gram.
  2. Like nickels, dime bags are relatively obsolete now. Still, a “dime” refers to enough weed for a large blunt that could be shared among 3-5 smokers. The term “dime” refers to the price, which is $10 (½ a gram).
    • “Sawbuck” is another slang term for a dime bag. It comes from the Roman numeral 10, which is an X. Since an X = 10 and “buck” is slang for a dollar bill, a “sawbuck” is a $10 bill. [8]
  3. This is a fun one. “Elbow” comes from the abbreviation for a pound, which is “lb.” Phonetically, “lb” sounds like “el bee,” which sounds a lot like “elbow.” [9]
    • You may also hear people refer to a pound as a “bow” or “L.” It all comes from the same origin–the abbreviation “lb.”
    • A pound isn’t really a normal amount of weed for a consumer. You also can’t buy or possess this much weed in most states anyway.
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Section 7 of 7:

Why buy a zip of weed?

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  1. If you smoke pretty daily (or close to it) and you don’t prioritize variety when it comes to the strains of marijuana you smoke, a zip is a good amount of marijuana. It should save you from running out or needing to run to the dispenser every other week to “re-up” (buy more weed).
    • A zip is probably too much weed if you aren’t a regular user or you don’t like smoking the same strain every week.

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      Warnings

      • Do not purchase or consume marijuana if you’re underage or you live in a state where marijuana is illegal. [10]
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      • It’s illegal in some states to possess a zip of weed. You can only have a few grams in some states, so refer to your state laws before you carry or purchase a zip. [11]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://magneticmag.com/2022/09/zip-of-weed/
      2. ↑ https://magneticmag.com/2022/09/zip-of-weed/
      3. ↑ https://oxfordtreatment.com/substance-abuse/marijuana/average-cost-of-marijuana/
      4. ↑ https://magneticmag.com/2022/09/zip-of-weed/
      5. ↑ https://magneticmag.com/2022/09/zip-of-weed/
      6. ↑ https://hightimes.com/guides/how-long-does-weed-stay-good-for/
      7. ↑ https://weedmaps.com/learn/products-and-how-to-consume/weed-measurements
      8. ↑ https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sawbuck.asp
      9. ↑ https://oldpal.com/how-to-measure-weed/
      1. ↑ https://www.ncsl.org/health/state-medical-cannabis-laws
      2. ↑ https://www.thestone.com/marijuana/zip-cannabis-reality-check/

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