Marie, MI: Consumers’ use of certain brands of commercially available rolling papers may result in heavy metal exposure, according to data published in the journal of the American Chemical Society (ACS Omega).
Researchers affiliated with Lake Superior State University’s School of Chemistry analyzed metal concentrations in 53 brands of rolling papers and paper cones. Products were purchased from four Michigan retail outlets. They included brands that are available nationally and internationally.
Investigators identified elevated levels of certain metals – including copper, chromium, and vanadium – in about one-quarter of the products tested. Metals were most frequently identified in colored rolling paper products.
The study’s authors concluded: “Under the current regulatory scheme, rolling papers are virtually unregulated, except in a limited number of jurisdictions. … This general lack of regulation is of concern in light of their potential to substantially increase exposure to several potentially toxic elements, particularly copper. … Additional efforts by state regulatory agencies to reach a consensus on limits to toxic elements in cannabis and smoking papers are warranted based on our findings, as is additional research to determine exposures based on realistic use patterns.”
A 2020 analysis of 101 rolling paper products purchased in California similarly reported that some papers used by the manufacturers of pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes contain metal contaminants and pesticides.
Full text of the study, “Elemental composition of commercially available rolling papers,” appears in ACS Omega.