Pre-rolls, smalls, shake and moonrocks

Not everything on a menu is a gram of flower. A handful of terms describe the form, and they change what you pay and what you get.

Pre-rolls are ready-made joints. “Pure” means only cannabis, so the joint costs more and burns like it. “With tobacco” (“Tabak” on Dutch menus) means cannabis mixed with tobacco, which is cheaper, burns differently and brings nicotine along. Check which you want, and keep in mind that the rules for smoking tobacco differ from the rules for cannabis (see entry 04). A “donut” is a pre-roll, or a piece of pressed rosin, shaped as a ring; either way it is very strong and meant to be shared.

Smalls are the smaller buds from the same plant. It is the same strain, usually at a lower price, so they are often good value, though they can be a little drier and less pretty. Shake, or gruis in Dutch, is the loose crumbs left over after trimming and handling. It works well in a joint and costs the least, but quality varies a lot, and the strain is often not named.

A moonrock is a bud dipped in hash oil and rolled in kief (loose resin), so it is dense, sticky and very strong. It is sold per piece, and one is easily enough for several people. A jar is a sealed, fixed amount, usually 3.5 grams, often branded (see entry 19).