Let The Good Times Roll

Rolling papers are pre-cut, rectangular pieces of thin paper designed to roll dried plants or leaves in to inhale the smoke once lit. Newer papers come in a variety of sizes and shapes that control the consumption and concentration of intake. Pre-made cones or uncut papers provide flexibility for consumers who have specific ritual rolling styles. Rolling techniques can range from sophisticated packing with filters, and mouthpieces or a more novice approach of a dollar bill or joint-rolling devices used to shape the joint and pack it tightly. Although the rolling technique profoundly impacts an enjoyable smoking experience, rolling papers are the foundation of your smokables. 

Rolling papers can be made from hemp, rice, flax seeds, and wood fibers, to name a few. Flavor, permeability, and burn speed are three main factors to consider when choosing the right rolling paper for you. Thinner "barely there" papers made of rice burn quickly and tend to go out, making them less popular than other rolling materials. Rice paper, however, is easy on the lungs because it is so thin and made of natural ingredients. Finer rolling paper can also be more difficult to pack and roll because it is flimsy and difficult to grip. Thicker papers made of hemp tend to burn longer, allowing more leniency toward violations of the unspoken smokers rule of "puff puff pass." Like hemp, wood fiber papers also burn slowly and are popular among beginners, as they are textured and easier to roll. Though rolling paper choice comes down to personal preference, smokers universally agree that hemp rolling papers are the way to go. Because they are made of hemp fibers and not trees-Hemp papers are environmentally efficient. You can spot a hemp joint because it is brown in color- meaning it is all-natural and not bleached or dyed. Because of its mild taste, hemp paper holds onto aroma, allowing smokers to enjoy the intricate flavors of their favorite smoke product. Though rolling paper technology has progressed tremendously in the last 20 years, the budding industry's paper trail traces back to ancient times.

People have been puffing since the stoned age, so it's tough to gauge when the first actual "Rolling Papers" emerged. Rolling Papers first appeared as a market product in Spain in the 1660s: discovered by Alexandro Rizlette de Cramptone Lacroix, who noticed French Soldiers carrying them. Seventy-six years later, Lacroix's family began a rolling paper company that famously supplied his Royal Highness, Napoleon. Napoleon had the novel idea to distribute rolling papers to his army to encourage his soldiers to stop tearing pages out of expensive books to roll cigarettes. By the 1800s, rolling paper material consisted of rice paper, and the Lacroix company followed suit changing their name to Rizla-a combination of the French word Riz, meaning rice, and their last name Lacroix.  

With modern advancements and extensive research, rolling paper manufacturers offer endless options for rolling materials. Though the most popular rolling papers are made of hemp, rice paper, and wood fiber- companies have gotten creative with their smokable coverings. Nowadays, you can roll J's with papers made of gold leaf or even burn down with Benjamin using rolling papers that look like an actual 100 dollar bill. Thanks to the joint efforts of our predecessors and modern innovators-we can choose how we want to roll up with our best buds!