How It’s Made
How Pre-Rolls Are Made
What goes into the perfect pre-roll? We explore how Licensed Producers twist up their ready-to-go joints.
Last updated April 14, 2025 | Published on August 24, 2021
You may pride yourself on your joint-rolling techniques (if you need tips, check out our how-to), but if you prefer to leave it to the professionals, you’re in luck — Licensed Producers are creating pre-rolls to suit every taste and preference. Available in a range of specific strains, THC and CBD potencies and sizes, these products are convenient, portable and precisely rolled.
Rolling a joint for a solo session is one thing, but how do Licensed Producers turn out pre-rolls for the masses? Here’s a look at the pre-roll production process, from selecting the raw material to filling the cones to shipping them out.
Step 1: Picking and drying
As with all cannabis products, the first consideration is the base material: dried flower.
Some pre-rolls contain trim or shake (the small bits that break off larger buds during handling), while others are made from only milled whole flower. Licensed Producers can also choose to focus on a single strain or use a blend.
Many cannabis consumers prefer joints made from whole flower (or whole buds). Flower that’s been carefully trimmed to preserve the natural trichomes, cannabinoids and terpenes of the plant is thought to deliver the full flavour profile and more consistent effects than shake, which can contain a variety of plant material and strains.
With the base material selected and harvested, it’s time to hang- or tray-dry the bud to achieve optimal moisture content. Next up is curing, which preserves the aromatic and flavourful terpenes. After that, the buds are trimmed of excess leaves and other unwanted plant parts, and sent onward for milling.
Step 2: Milling the flower
Consistency and texture are key when it comes to milling, a process that breaks down the dried flower to a uniform particle size and removes any unwanted bits, like stems that can ruin the flavour or poke holes in the rolling paper. This process can be quick or it may take a few days, depending on the type of machinery used and how much is milled at a time.
Every cultivar has its own unique properties, sometimes requiring adjustments to milling or grinding techniques. Some Licensed Producers will mill flower in small batches using lower-temperature methods to better control the consistency, texture and effects of the finished product.
The size and distribution of the grind affects the smoking experience in a few ways. A 2023 Canadian study showed that it takes fewer puffs to finish a joint with a finer grind (about one millimetre), potentially causing effects to be felt quicker. A larger grind (about five millimetres) improved the airflow and offered a slower burn but resulted in a greater amount of THC being released. The study also showed consumers preferred joints with varied particle sizes (two and six millimetres, mimicking hand-ground flower) for the smoothness, even burn and less frequent relighting.
Step 3: Filling ’em up
Once the flower is milled, it’s ready to roll — that is, to be loaded into the rolling paper. But before the filling begins, Licensed Producers have a lot of choices to make, from the thickness and type of paper (such as unbleached wood paper, hemp or organic) and filter (like non-bleached paperboard, or cellulose) to the shape of the pre-roll cone (tapered or slender? short or long?), all of which affect the quality of the burn.
How the pre-roll cone is filled and sealed also influences the quality and consistency of the final product. Some Licensed Producers use a fully manual process, some a semi-automated system (often with a machine that holds many cones and distributes the milled flower between them), and others employ an entirely mechanical system that makes the pre-rolls from start to finish.
Some Licensed Producers add nitrogen to the package before sealing it up to preserve freshness and shelf life.
Regardless of the machinery or number of hands involved, the process is essentially this: The cannabis is loaded into paper cones, which are then tapped and tamped with a rod to remove any air pockets and ensure the material is packed neither too loosely nor too tightly. Uniform distribution throughout a pre-roll helps deliver a smoother burn, consistent cannabinoids and a more balanced aroma and flavour.
Step 4: Sealing and testing
Just like you would at home, Licensed Producers seal their pre-rolls with a simple twist or a fancy dimple, where the paper is neatly tucked into the end. This step ensures no cannabis is lost in the package during shipping and that the pre-roll can be lit easily.
At this point, the finished pre-rolls are inspected and weighed to ensure they adhere to all the legal requirements. Strict and rigorous testing are key reasons to buy legal cannabis, and pre-rolls are no exception. Testing — which includes verifying cannabinoid and terpene content and looking for the presence of heavy metals, pesticides and microbes — can be done in-house or by a third-party lab, before and after milling, and post-rolling as well.
Step 5: Packaging up and shipping out
Packaging of cannabis products generally focuses on two essential aspects: safety and quality. By law, pre-rolls — like all other cannabis products, except seeds — must be packaged in child-resistant packaging with a security feature and a label that clearly describes the potency.
Labelling requirements for pre-rolls follow the same rules as other legal recreational cannabis products in Canada. The outermost container will show details that include the cannabis symbol, brand name, THC and CBD content, health warning message, lot number, ingredients, “packaged on” and expiry dates, plus the federal excise stamp, which shows the product is certified legal.
Could you roll your own joints? Sure. But when you’re looking for convenience and simplicity, pre-rolls are a great option, offering a no-fuss way to share safely with friends and try different strains from Licensed Producers across the country.
