Rolling papers are small, very thin sheets of paper meant to be used for rolling cigarettes. Most rolling papers are made from a combination of wood pulp and food grade glue. There are, however, many popular brands that use hemp, flax or rice as the base material. Some retailers are even offering papers in a variety of flavors meant to enhance the smoking experience. Colloquially, rolling papers may also be known as rollies or skins.

Let's first take a look at size. In the US there are two main size categories: single wide and doublewide. Generally a single wide is categorized as 1.0 or 1.25, and a doublewide is 1.5 or 2.0. In some areas of the US, the term 'Corona' implies a general size rather than a specific one. The length of rolling papers is always 1.25 inches, and referred to as Spanish Size or French in Canada and Europe. It is important to understand the numbers associated with different widths of rolling papers do not indicate a measurement. Their meaning is as follows: a 1.25 paper is designed to roll 25% more content than a 1.0, a 1.5 is designed to roll 50% more than a 1.0, and a 2.0 is designed to roll 100% more than a 1.0. In addition, there is the King Size designation which is generally a 1.5 but is 25% longer than a standard length.

The use of rolling papers for roll-your-own tobacco cigarettes has taken off in the last few years, thanks to the massive increase in taxes imposed on machine made tobacco cigarettes. In 1993, a pack of 20 cigarettes cost $1.69 in the US (not including sales or local taxes). In 2007 the same pack cost $4.34. In 2011, depending on the state, the cost is anywhere from $6 to $9. In Canada, the packs contain 20 to 25 cigarettes and cost $10 or $11 depending on the province. Rolling papers cost, on average, about $2 to $3 for a pack of 38 to 50 papers. The cost of a 40 gram pouch of loose tobacco sells for about $4 depending on the state, and can yield about 50 unfiltered cigarettes. Clearly choosing roll-your-own cigarettes is, at least financially, a smart way to go.

There are other uses for rolling papers, however. Their thin, absorbent nature makes them a great little bandage for minor paper cuts or shaving nicks. Musicians who play woodwind instruments often use rolling papers to absorb moisture that collects in between keys. Some even place a rolling paper over their two bottom front teeth to prevent the weight of the instrument from cutting their lip. Photographers also like to use the delicate rolling papers as disposable lens cleaners. Even their use as a facial blotter for excess oil or sweat is common.

For those who cannot seem to get the hang of hand rolling a cigarette, a rolling machine might be the best option. Rolling machines can be purchased for as little as $8 in the US, and use either rolling papers or tubes. There is still a significant cost savings compared to store bought cigarettes, and the smoker can still enjoy a well rolled cigarette.

There are several popular brands of rolling papers throughout the world, but perhaps the most well known in North America is Zig-Zag. The company was founded in Paris in 1879 by brothers Maurice and Jacques Braunstein. The brothers were responsible for the practice of cantilevered packaging of rolling papers, leading to the name of the company. Success came swiftly when Zig-Zag received a gold medal award at the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1900. The company expanded, and was eventually sold after World War II after one of the Braunstein brother passed away.

Two more well known manufacturers of rolling papers are TOP and Bugler. TOP papers are made in France and imported to the US via Republic Tobacco of Illinois. Their main competitor is Bugler, a tobacco and rolling paper manufacturer owned by R.J. Reynolds Company. There is some conjecture in the smoking community that TOP is the number one brand of rolling papers used in American prisons, while Bugler comes in at a close second. Of course there isn't a lot of scientific evidence for those claims, but the chatter does show the popularity of the two brands at least in the context of smokers.

The taxman has found ways to take a bite out of everyone's wallet these past few years, regardless of nationality. For smokers, it has meant going back to rolling one's own cigarettes just like the old days. Life was simpler back then, tobacco was free of all the extra (and lethal) chemicals and people took their time rolling their smokes. Perhaps this is a good trend, something that will make us slow our lives down a bit and take notice of the beautiful things in life.