Wait, Not All Rolling Papers Are Vegan?
As new brands of rolling papers tout a vegan product it can feel like just another buzzword, like gluten-free or organic. A quick Google search of ‘vegan rolling papers’ yielded pages of press releases
Keep in mind your weed isn’t the only thing being inhaled, the paper and its ingredients are also combusted. Jokes aside, there is nothing wrong with wanting to be conscious about what you put in your body or wanting a product that is ethically sourced to wrap your flower. Rolling papers come in many forms; organic, chemical-free, cruelty-free, and if you like - vegan.
Non-vegan red flags
The main thing to look for when determining whether a product is vegan is the glue. Animal-based glues aren’t all hooves and horses, in fact, glue can be made out of pretty much every animal - including fish. The bits and pieces are boiled down or soaked in additives to break down into animal proteins which have excellent adhesive properties. Popular brands such as Raw and High Hemp, use natural glues like Arabic gum, however, there are supposedly still brands using animal-based glue.
I couldn’t find any such rolling papers in my research, outside of tobacco products, that listed an animal-based glue. I searched the big brands and stoner favourites and found a bevy of natural adhesives. Chances are your papers have a natural glue but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are vegan. If you’re looking for a totally vegan product be mindful of natural adhesives like casein and albumin which are derived from animal by-products. Other non-vegan natural additives include beeswax and honey, dyes containing lactose, added flavouring.
Sorry blunt enthusiasts
Traditional blunt wraps are made with tobacco, an industry ripe with red flags for the vegan consumer. Ethically, the tobacco industry is known for animal testing and heavy environmental impact. In a strictly vegan sense, tobacco itself contains castoreum to get a sweet, smokey flavour. Castoreum is a secretion from animal anal glands, usually extracted from beavers. Blunts that come with an adhesive strip are usually from animal or lactose based glues.
Vegan doesn’t mean cruelty-free
People often use the terms vegan and cruelty-free interchangeably but they don’t actually mean the same thing. A cruelty-free product isn’t tested on animals whereas a vegan product doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products. It is possible for a product to be vegan and have components, such as added colours or flavouring, that were tested on animals. A cruelty-free product might never be tested on animals but could contain an ingredient, such as beeswax or honey-based glue, that wouldn’t be suitable for vegans.
So, there you have it, considering how your rolling papers are made is yet another way you can stay true to your personal ideals when making spending decisions.