If you've ever shopped for cannabis flower containers and wondered what "19 dram" actually means — you're not alone. The dram is a unit of measurement with roots in apothecary pharmacy that got adopted by the cannabis packaging industry as the standard sizing system for pop-top bottles. It's not intuitive unless someone explains it, and most packaging suppliers don't bother.
Here's the full breakdown.
What Is a Dram?
A dram (also spelled "drachm") is a unit of liquid volume equal to approximately 3.7 milliliters. It originated in apothecary measurement — the old pharmacy system that predates the metric system — and was commonly used to measure doses of liquid medicine.
When the cannabis industry needed a sizing system for the small cylindrical bottles used to package flower, it borrowed the dram from pharmacy packaging (which had been using pop-top bottles as pill containers for decades). The "dram" rating on a cannabis bottle refers to its volume capacity — but in practice, what dispensaries care about is how much flower fits, not how much liquid volume the bottle has.
This creates some complexity because flower is a solid with highly variable density — a fluffy, airy strain takes up more volume than a dense, compact one at the same gram weight. The dram-to-gram relationship is therefore a guideline, not a guarantee.
Dram to Gram: The Cannabis Packaging Size Chart
| Dram Size | Approx. Flower Capacity | Common Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Dram | 0.5g – 1g | Single gram portions, samples, roach containers |
| 13 Dram | 1g – 2g | 1-gram and 2-gram retail units |
| 19 Dram | 3.5g (1/8 oz) | The dispensary standard — eighth of flower |
| 30 Dram | 7g (1/4 oz) | Quarter-ounce flower |
| 60 Dram | 14g (1/2 oz) | Half-ounce flower |
| 90 Dram | 21g – 28g (oz) | Full-ounce packaging |
| 160 Dram | 28g+ (oz+) | Full ounce and multi-ounce bulk storage |
The 19 Dram: Why It's the Industry Standard
The 19 dram bottle is the most ordered cannabis container in the industry — by a wide margin. The reason is simple: it's perfectly sized for an eighth of flower (3.5 grams), which is the most common retail unit sold at dispensaries across every regulated market in the United States.
The 19 dram provides enough volume for 3.5g of most flower densities with room for the product to settle naturally without being overly compressed. It's also the right physical size for a consumer's pocket or purse — small enough to be discreet, substantial enough to feel like a real product.
If you're setting up a dispensary for the first time and can only stock one bottle size, the 19 dram is the one.
Color Matters More Than You Think
Pop-top bottles are available in a wide range of colors — and color is one of the most underutilized brand tools in cannabis retail. Here's how to think about color selection:
Opaque black — the premium default. Professional, clean, and appropriate for every market and price point. Most compliant with state opaque packaging requirements.
Opaque white — clinical and modern. Works well for medical-adjacent positioning and wellness brands.
Translucent clear — lets the product be the visual. Good for premium strains where the flower's appearance is part of the selling proposition. Check your state's opaque packaging requirements before using clear containers.
Color-coded by strain type — some dispensaries use different bottle colors to visually indicate indica (purple), sativa (red/orange), and hybrid (green). Simple, effective, and speeds up the customer selection process.
The Rip N Shred: Pop-Top + Built-In Grinder
One of the most innovative products in the pop-top category is the Rip N Shred — a 25 dram child-resistant bottle with a built-in herb grinder integrated into the base. Your customers store their flower in the bottle and use the grinder on the bottom when they're ready to use it. At $0.15/unit, it's a genuinely differentiated product that customers talk about.
Tips for Labeling Pop-Top Bottles
- Measure the circumference of your bottle (diameter × 3.14) to determine your maximum label width for a wraparound label
- Use a label applicator for consistent application — hand-applying wraparound labels on cylinders is slow and inconsistent at any volume
- Add a small round label to the pop-top cap for an additional brand touchpoint
- Include all state-required compliance information — most markets require THC %, weight, producer info, batch/lot, and warning symbols
Browse Dragon Chewer's Pop-Top Bottle Collection
127 products spanning 6 dram through 160 dram, in 15+ colors. Pricing from $0.07/unit in cases of 60–315 units. Also available: the full Pop Tops collection combining bottles and pre-roll tubes.