As the cannabis industry matures, so must our understanding of what it means to create safe, high-quality products. While we’ve made great strides in cultivation practices, lab testing, and product transparency, one critical component of the cannabis pre-roll experience remains alarmingly underregulated: the rolling paper.
The recent study conducted by Dr. Derek Wright and his team at Lake Superior State University revealed elevated levels of heavy metals in printed rolling papers and cones, specifically copper, chromium, and vanadium. These metals were traced to pigments in colored inks (particularly blue and green), and their presence raises serious questions about the safety of combusting and inhaling these types of printed rolling papers.
RELATED: Warning issued for controversial cannabis compound
After reviewing the findings and speaking with Dr. Wright, we at Custom Cones USA made a clear and immediate decision to no longer offer printed rolling papers. This was a values-based decision rooted in science and guided by a simple question: if we know something poses a potential risk to consumers, why would we keep selling it?
The study used one of the most sensitive analytical methods available, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), to test rolling papers for 26 different elements. In many cases, printed papers showed metal concentrations far exceeding the limits set by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP 232) and International Council for Harmonization (ICH Q3D) for inhaled pharmaceutical products. In fact, depending on usage levels, some papers could expose consumers to heavy metal doses up to 11 times the daily acceptable limit.
Regulatory Gaps in Cannabis Product Materials Testing
Since cannabis is strictly regulated, most consumers, and many in the industry, for that matter, assume that rolling papers are safe simply because they are sold alongside regulated cannabis. But in reality, rolling papers, wraps, and other smoking accessories are not regulated at all. In many states, pre-rolls are not tested in their final, ready-to-smoke form. Instead, only the flower is tested, leaving the paper and any additives or inks used in it completely unexamined.
There’s a dangerous assumption in the marketplace that if something is labeled as “soy-based” or “food-safe,” then it must be safe to inhale, but that’s not how toxicology works. What’s safe for the stomach is not necessarily safe for the lungs, as inhalation provides a direct pathway to the bloodstream, bypassing the filtering mechanisms of the kidneys and liver. A contaminant that might pass harmlessly through your gut can have much more serious implications when it’s combusted and inhaled into your lungs.
RELATED: “Alarming” cannabis report sounds safety sirens
Since day one, Custom Cones USA, has tested all of our rolling papers for heavy metals, pesticides, and microbials, holding them to the same standards as cannabis flower. We always believed that anything designed to be smoked should be tested like it’s going to be smoked.
But across the industry, testing standards for papers and other smoking materials aren’t always as rigorous, and in many cases, they’re simply not required. As more scientific data emerges, we believe it’s time to take a closer look at how these components are regulated and raise the bar collectively. Brands and manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are safe, especially in a wellness-driven industry like cannabis.
While printed papers may offer branding opportunities and visual appeal, no aesthetic is worth compromising consumer safety. That’s why, in addition to printed rolling papers, we’ve previously discontinued other trendy wraps like rose petals and palm leaves due to concerns around pesticide and chemical exposure.
We believe transparency should be the industry standard, which is why we started our consumer smoking accessories brand DaySavers, where we include QR codes that link directly to full-panel lab test results – because our customers deserve to know exactly what they’re inhaling.
RELATED: This city is giving residents cash thanks to weed
We were planning on making a line of printed rolling paper and pre-rolled cone products, but once we learned of the risks of heavy metals and other chemicals in the inks of printed rolling papers, we decided we’d never make a printed rolling paper product under our DaySavers brand.
And as one of the largest and most trusted suppliers of pre-roll materials in the world, we’re using our position to push for higher industry standards. If the data shows a credible risk, we believe the ethical response is to act. Waiting for regulations to catch up is not good enough.
Responsible companies should be proactive, not reactive.
To the broader industry: it’s time to rethink what we’re putting into our products and start designing them for how they’re actually consumed.
And to consumers: ask questions, call for transparency, look beyond flashy branding, and be wary of marketing gimmicks.
*This article was submitted by a guest contributor. The author is solely responsible for the content.