We've covered how to roll a joint and the difference between a joint, a blunt, and a spliff — but not the paper itself, which is easy to treat as an afterthought and shouldn't be. The paper decides how easily the thing rolls, how slowly and evenly it burns, and how much of what you taste is the flower versus the wrapper. Walk into the paper aisle cold and it's a wall of near-identical booklets in confusingly different materials and sizes. This guide sorts it out: the three materials, the size chart, cones versus flats, and a straight answer on what to pick.

What are rolling papers actually made of?

Almost every paper you'll see falls into one of three material families, and the material is the single biggest thing separating one booklet from another. It changes the thickness, the grip, the burn rate, and how much flavor the paper itself contributes. Sizes and shapes matter too, but material first.

Hemp rolling papers: the forgiving all-rounder

Hemp papers are made from hemp fiber, and they're the most popular pick for good reason — they're the easiest to live with. The texture is slightly rough and grippy, which is exactly what you want when you're learning: the paper holds onto the flower and onto itself instead of sliding around and unrolling. They sit in the medium range for thickness, burn at a slow, steady pace, and add only a faint earthy note of their own.

• Rolls easily — the grip is beginner-friendly and forgiving of a loose technique.
• Slow, even burn — less likely to "canoe" (burn down one side) than the thinnest papers.
• Low but present flavor — a mild, earthy character that most people never notice.
• Widely available in every size and as cones.

If you don't want to think about it, hemp is the answer. It's the paper we'd hand almost anyone starting out.

Rice rolling papers: thin, slow, and nearly flavorless

Rice papers are pressed thin from processed rice and are the choice of people who want the flower to be the whole show. Because there's so little paper, they burn slowly and contribute almost no taste or smell of their own — the purist's pick. The trade-off is handling: rice papers are slick and thin, they don't grip well, and a dry mouth or clumsy fold will fight you. They also tend to need a good lick to seal.

• Cleanest flavor — the least paper taste of the three; the flower does the talking.
• Very slow burn once lit and rolled well.
• Least forgiving — thin and slippery, easy to tear, harder to seal. Not where beginners should start.

Rice rewards a steady hand. If you've rolled enough that technique isn't the bottleneck and you're chasing taste, this is the upgrade.

Wood pulp rolling papers: the classic, easiest to handle

Wood pulp is the traditional paper — the material most "classic" white booklets are made from — and it's the thickest and sturdiest of the three. That heft makes it the easiest to physically manipulate: it holds a crease, it's hard to tear, and it stays put while you work. The costs are that it burns the fastest, is the most likely to burn unevenly if you rush, and adds the most of its own flavor (often lightly toasty). Many are bleached white; unbleached "brown" versions skip that step.

• Sturdiest and easiest to fold — great if thin papers frustrate you.
• Burns fastest of the three and can run unevenly.
• Most paper flavor — noticeable to sensitive palates; look for unbleached if that matters to you.

How do rolling paper sizes compare?

Once you've picked a material, size is the next choice — and it's really a question of how much flower you're rolling and how many people are sharing. The three you'll see most:

1. Single wide — the small, narrow, old-school size. It makes a slim, modest joint and is the most economical, but it's fiddly and holds the least. Fine for a small solo roll; not many people's daily driver anymore.
2. 1¼ (one-and-a-quarter) — the everyday standard and the size most people mean by "rolling papers." A bit wider and longer than single wide, it comfortably rolls a solo-to-shared joint and is the sweet spot for most rollers, beginners included.
3. King size — the big one, longer and wider, built for a group or a longer session. There's also "king slim," a longer but narrower version. King takes more flower and a bit more skill to roll evenly, so it's better once you've got the motion down.

Cones vs. flat papers: which is easier?

This is the split that matters most for a beginner. A flat paper is what it sounds like — a blank sheet you fill, shape, roll, and seal entirely by hand. It gives you total control and it's the cheapest way to roll, but it's also the skill you have to learn. A cone is a paper that's already been rolled into a cone shape with a filter tip built in; you just pack flower into the open end, tamp it down, and twist the top shut. No rolling motion required.

• Cones — fastest, most forgiving, consistent shape every time. Ideal for beginners or anyone who'd rather not roll. Cost a little more per unit and you're locked into the cone's size.
• Flat papers — full control over size, shape, and tightness, and the most economical once you can roll. The catch is the learning curve.

Both come in every material above — you can get a hemp cone or a rice flat, whatever suits you. Many people keep both around: cones for speed, flats for when they want to roll the way they like it.

What about the tip, filter, or crutch?

A tip (also called a crutch or filter) is the small rolled piece of card at the mouth end of a joint. It isn't a health filter like a cigarette's — it's a structural piece that keeps the end open, stops bits of flower from pulling into your mouth, and gives you something firm to hold so you don't burn your fingers at the end. Cones come with one built in. If you roll flats, tips are sold separately (or you can fold one from thin card). It's a small thing that makes a rolled joint noticeably nicer to smoke.

So which rolling paper should I actually buy?

Here's the shortcut, matched to where you're at:

• Total beginner: a 1¼ hemp paper, or skip rolling entirely with a hemp cone. Forgiving material, standard size, and the cone removes the hardest step.
• Getting comfortable: stick with 1¼ hemp flats and practice the roll. Add king size when you start sharing.
• Experienced, chasing flavor: thin rice papers, king size if it's a group. Purest taste, slowest burn — worth the extra care they demand.
• Thin papers frustrate you: go wood pulp (unbleached if you're picky about taste). The extra thickness makes folding and sealing far easier.

If you'd rather not decide at the shelf, tell a budtender how experienced you are and whether flavor or ease matters more — they'll hand you the right booklet. Rolling papers are accessories, so you'll find them alongside the flower when you visit us in downtown Burlington.

What flower goes well with hand-rolling?

Papers are only half of it — the flower and its prep matter just as much. A few things that pair naturally with rolling your own, all on the live menu:

• Whole flower (an eighth or quarter of a good Vermont-grown cultivar) is the obvious partner — buy the bud, roll it your way. If you're unsure how to choose, our guide to picking flower helps.
• Pre-rolls if you want the same joint experience with none of the rolling — a good fallback while your technique catches up.
• A grinder, so your flower is an even, fluffy consistency that rolls tight and burns evenly. Here's how to use one.

Every cannabis product on our shelf is Vermont-grown and moves through the state's lab-tested supply chain, so what's on the label is what's in the bag. Papers, tips, and grinders are the accessories that go with it.

A few Vermont basics before you light up

However you roll it, the Vermont rules are the same. Cannabis here is adult-use for 21 and older, and public consumption isn't permitted anywhere in the state — not on Church Street, the waterfront, or in a car — so a joint is for private use at home or another allowed setting. It also can't legally cross state lines, even into a neighboring legal state. And keep it, along with your papers and gear, away from kids and pets.