The Ritual of a Morning Joint

The Ritual of a Morning Joint -

Jessica Reilly

By 6:30 in the morning, the sunlight is above the horizon and peaking into the windows of my bedroom.

The long hours of summer sunlight make it easy to get up and get going when my alarm goes off (if I’m not already awakened by the call of my bladder.) But in truth, the joy of a morning routine is also enough to get me out of bed.

The first thing I do after I get up is drink my water bottle and fill the electric kettle to start the process of making coffee. While it heats up, I read a few pages out of whatever book I’m making my way through until the water boils. Then it’s time to make coffee in the French press, a process more arduous than a drip coffee maker but with an infinitely better end result.

While the grounds steep, I head over to the weed cabinet and start my favorite part of my morning routine- creating my daily joint blend.

Creating my own cannabis blends

I have a well-stocked weed cabinet, so I have a lot of options to choose from. There’s THC, several different strains all from local growers. I have jars and jars of CBD, harvested from a hemp farm north of me. And then there’s the herbal blends; flowers and leaves selected, dried, and blended together.

There’s the lavender blend, which I reach for in the mornings I need calming and recentering. There’s a hibiscus blend, which I use on the days I need more energy and focus. And there’s a lemon balm and skullcap blend, one I typically save for night smoking sessions because it’s so relaxing.

The aroma of coffee meets the delicious smell of weed after I make my selection and place my nugs in the grinder. If I could find type II cannabis (the chemotype with a balance of THC and CBD) I wouldn’t need to make my own blends. But these types of cannabis aren’t yet popular in the legal market, let alone the legacy market, so I tap into the stoner ingenuity that’s helped generations of people get high.

Most mornings I stick with a 2:1 blend of CBD to THC, a ratio I’ve found optimal for helping me find a lift and focus to get through my day, without getting “too high”. CBD gives me what I need, but I like to use a little THC because it helps me feel the effects more, and not worry about wanting to smoke more. Occasionally I’ll skip the herbal blends and just stick with sweet cannabis flower, but more often than not I want the aroma and the effects that herbal blends provide.


Rolling my joints with intention

Adding herbal mixes to my smoking blends helps me add a layer of intention to my mornings; an answer to the question I ask myself every morning- what do I need today?

The ritual of rolling a joint is already filled with intention. There are other ways to smoke that require less time and effort and other ways to get high that are easier and more discreet. But rolling a joint is a time-honored stoner tradition, a process that brings me into the present moment, focused on what my hands are doing.

Rolling a joint can test your presence. If you let your mind wander, you’ll end up with a crooked joint. A careless finger can crumple the delicate paper and a distracted mind can just let everything drop to the floor. But sitting in my living room in the early morning light, surrounded by the delicious scents of coffee and weed, I don’t want to be anywhere else but right here.

In the hours to come, I’ll shower and do yoga, walk the dog and go through my emails. There are articles to write and studies to research and meetings to attend. The dishes need to be done, there’s laundry in the dryer, and I have to change the sheets. These are all thoughts that simmer in my mind, always ready to burst to the surface to remind me I’m not doing enough.

But when I’m rolling my morning joint, all of these things can wait. There is no sense in rushing through the grinding or the rolling or the smoking; it will take as long as it takes. And while the joint smolders in front of me, I can sip my coffee or turn on my morning Spotify playlist.


Tips for creating a morning ritual

  • Know what consumption method is best for you in the morning. Some people love a wake and bake, while others prefer edibles or tinctures.

  • Carve out the time for yourself. I could manage my day just fine getting up an hour (or two) later, but I get up at 6:30 because I love taking my mornings slow.

  • Experiment with creating your own joint blends. High THC cannabis doesn’t set me up for a productive day, so I mix in CBD and herbs.

  • Build a routine that works for you. It’s easy to compare your morning routine to the millions out there, but the best morning routine is one that serves your needs- no one else.


About the author

Jessica Reilly is a writer and cannabis aficionado. She combines her passion for cannabis with her love for the written word at Jessica Reilly, Writer and the staff writer for The Cannigma. She also runs the Cannabis Creative Blog and hosts an interview series featuring small business owners and industry leaders.