If you’ve been reaching for pre-rolls more often lately, you’re not alone. What used to be a quick grab at the counter when you were out of papers has become the go-to for millions of cannabis consumers around the country, and for good reason.
Pre-rolls let you try new strains without committing to a larger purchase. They provide easy access to infused products and joint and blunt formats you might never roll for yourself. Whether it’s a kief-coated joint, a hash-hole, or a live resin-infused option, pre-rolls have become one of the most creative, potent, and flavorful product formats in the game.
We surveyed nearly a thousand cannabis consumers and looked at sales data from 14 legal markets to understand what’s making pre-rolls an everyday essential, the third-best-selling cannabis product category in the country.
More Than Just Convenient
The appeal of pre-rolls starts with convenience. There’s no grinding, no rolling, just light and go for an instant sesh.
But that’s not why they’ve taken over the cannabis world. When we asked consumers what they love about pre-rolls, variety and innovation were mentioned just as often as convenience.
And the proof is in the numbers: in just the past 18 months, monthly pre-roll sales have jumped from around 14 million units to more than 27 million per month. Pre-rolls now make up about 15% of the entire U.S. cannabis market, and that share keeps growing.
Who’s Smoking Pre-Rolls?
Honestly, pretty much everyone who smokes weed these days.
Our survey found that 82% of cannabis consumers buy pre-rolls, and 94% say joints are their preferred way to smoke, which backs up a New Frontier data report that found joints as the favorite way people consume. Ages ranged from 19 to 76, with an average age of 43 and an even split between men and women.
These aren’t casual smokers either; nearly 80% use cannabis multiple times a day, and joints remain their go-to method. Many have been smoking for at least a decade and still reach for a pre-roll for their regular sessions.
Age-wise, Millennials lead the pack in pre-roll purchases, followed by Gen X, Gen Z, and Boomers. But the momentum is clear across every age group and demographic: pre-rolls are the people’s choice.
What People Are Actually Buying
If you’re buying single joints, full-gram pre-rolls are still the most popular. But lately, the real action is in multi-packs, especially five-packs of half-gram joints. They provide flexibility, a better value per joint, and options to match your mood or the occasion.
It’s why the top-selling pre-roll products nationwide are almost all multi-packs, which makes sense if you’re someone who smokes regularly and wants variety on hand. Plus, you don’t have to go to the dispensary as often.
Brand-wise, Jeeter dominates with nearly 9% of all pre-roll purchases nationwide, largely thanks to their infused lineup. STIIIZY is a close second with a strong presence in California and Michigan. Dogwalkers, Cali-Blaze, and Presidential have all carved out their own industry-leading lanes, too. What do these brands share? Consistency, quality you can count on, and packaging that catches your eye.
Potency and Premium Options Matter
When choosing a pre-roll, most consumers tell us they prioritize potency first, price second and brand third.
This tracks with what’s flying off dispensary shelves. Infused pre-rolls are now the top sellers, with about 70% of consumers buying infused options featuring flower combined with concentrates like kief, live resin, diamonds or rosin, though many save them for special occasions rather than everyday smoke.
Paper type also matters more than you might think. Hemp papers and ultra-refined white papers are most common, with natural brown papers also popular among certain smokers.
And if you’ve noticed more pre-rolls with premium filter tips, you’re not imagining it. Nearly 60% of consumers have tried pre-rolls with glass, wood, or ceramic tips. If you’re wondering, glass leads the pack, but ceramic is gaining fast as both have natural properties that help cool the smoke for bigger, smoother hits.
Pre-rolled blunts are also gaining in popularity, though the numbers are a bit deceiving, since so many pre-rolled blunt options fall into the “infused” category for tracking purposes.
That said, the same New Frontier survey found that blunts are the third-most popular way people want to consume cannabis and pre-roll blunts, usually made with hemp wraps or hybrid hemp wraps due to regulations, now provide a similar slow-burning, more flavorful experience.
And when you add a premium filter tip to a blunt tube or cone, the hits are smoother, cooler, and taste even better. Trust us, if you haven’t tried it, you are missing out.
The Best Part – Better Value
And here’s the kicker. Even as more people are buying pre-rolls and pre-rolls are getting more potent and better tasting, prices have actually dropped, with the average price of a pre-roll today being significantly lower than it was just a few years ago.
It’s more variety, better quality, and more options than ever before at lower price points. No wonder they’re so popular.
Pre-rolls have officially evolved from a convenient backup plan to a cannabis staple. They’re smoked by every demographic and every generation, purchased for both daily sessions and special occasions, and are widely recognized as drivers for potency, innovation, and choice.
The bottom line? Pre-rolls aren’t just about convenience anymore – they’re about getting more of what you want at a great price.