Ask a Stoner: Rolling Joints With Arthritis

Dear Stoner: I love smoking joints, but arthritis has made that more painful and time-consuming than it used to be. Do I have any more options?
Gare Bear

Dear Gare Bear: Someone wrote in asking about an automatic weed grinder a long time ago. The person asking the question wasn’t arthritic or handicapped, so I was pretty dismissive about why they’d need one;  reading this makes me regret that answer. The thought of trying to roll joints with arthritis never dawned on my smooth brain, but I can see how grinding up buds and rolling, which both require finger dexterity, could be difficult.

If you can’t or don’t want to buy pre-rolled joints from a dispensary, then consider an electric grinder. There are novelty grinders that look like the traditional ones, with a battery pack on the bottom, and those are good for traveling. However, a plug-in herbal grinder, similar to a coffee grinder, will last much longer. As for rolling, I would stay away from loose paper and joint-rolling contraptions, and stick to pre-rolled cones. All you need to do is stuff them with herb, and you can always cut them shorter with scissors.