Think your rolling papers are safe because they’re marketed as “organic” or the printed designs are “soy-based”?
According to Custom Cones USA CEO Harrison Bard, you might want to think again.
Based on a study by Dr. Derek Wright, a professor of environmental sciences at Lake Superior State University, Custom Cones USA has decided to stop offering printed rolling papers immediately. The study showed printed papers have higher concentrations of metals compared to their unprinted counterparts, sparking concern from Bard that printed papers might pose a health risk to consumers.
Marijuana Venture spoke with Bard about the study and Custom Cones USA’s reaction to the results.
Marijuana Venture: What was your main takeaway from the Lake Superior State University study?
Harrison Bard: The main takeaway from the LSSU study was that even though these printed papers can be tested for heavy metals, pesticides and microbials, and even though manufacturers state that they’re soy based, there still are other heavy metals in the papers that aren’t being tested for.
So, for example, even in California or in Canada, there’s really only four to five main heavy metals that are being tested, but there’s other heavy metals like copper and aluminum that were revealed in this study that aren’t being looked at and they’re also potentially harmful.
Another takeaway is that the term “soy-based” is really a marketing gimmick. It’s something that just doesn’t matter. So the item is soy based; what else is in it? Soy may be the base, but then there might be a bunch of heavy metals and pigments and chemicals.
We went through this ourselves when we sourced these papers. We bought paper with soy-based ink and then we tested it, and it passed for all the heavy metals that we were looking for. And then talking to Dr. Wright and his team, we learned that it’s irrelevant. It doesn’t matter what the base is if there’s a bunch of other stuff in there that’s bad. And yes, it passes for those four heavy metals that are tested in the cannabis industry. But what about everything else? There’s all sorts of chemicals and pigments and dyes that aren’t as well known as, for example, aluminum or copper, where there’s a really clear marker that pops when you look in the analytical test data.
MV: Were printed rolling papers previously a significant part of Custom Cones USA’s business?
Bard: Printed papers are pretty niche on the B2B side. There are definitely companies that like to use these for special edition products, but we were about to make a printed paper product for our consumer smoking accessory brand DaySavers, and that’s where you really see printed papers be much more popular on websites. If you check some consumer sites, 90% or so of the pre-roll cones there are printed.
And it’s consumer protection that I think is the most important. Consumers are buying these papers on trusted websites by some of the biggest companies and retailers in the country. They’re just assuming they’re safe because no one goes into a store thinking that the items they’re buying are potentially harmful. But companies aren’t really doing their due diligence. The brand is going to say, “These are soy based, they’re organic, they’re tested.” But soy based, as I said, is meaningless. Like how people use the word organic and it’s totally not true. Nothing that’s manufactured can be organic. So I would take that with a grain of salt.
Let’s see the COAs, the testing results, you know? We produce those for all of our products. But the study that Dr. Wright put out shows that there’s other things that aren’t being tested for. And then there’s no test data that show what happens when these things are combusted and how they interact with the body. And that’s really the most important thing here: really looking out for consumer safety and consumer protection.
MV: Should other rolling paper companies follow your lead in removing printed rolling papers from their inventory?
Bard: I really do believe that all companies should discontinue these printed papers, especially if they’re being made with inks that contain heavy metals. If someone can show that they’re making these printed papers out of all truly organic food-based materials, like, say, pigments that come from a pomegranate, then maybe it’s okay. But if people are still using “soy-based” inks and those inks contain metals and chemicals, then I do not think it’s okay to be selling these to consumers, definitely not okay to be saying they’re organic.
As the cannabis industry matures, the methods of consumption and the products that we consume need to mature as well. Printing artwork onto a paper is not necessary. So when you can remove any potential harmful elements of something, I think 100% it is the responsibility of the companies and retailers to look out for their customers and remove all of those potential harms.
When people found out that vitamin E acetate was being included in vapes, it was crucial that it stopped immediately. When people found out that heavy metals were leeching from certain vape pens into the oil, that’s crucial. But that stops immediately. And this is still ongoing stuff.
But if you can create a product that is going to keep consumers safer, and you know that you’re removing potentially harmful chemicals, metals, pesticides, then it is important and I think it should be mandated that this happens.
MV: What can be done to educate the public about the potential dangers of printed rolling papers?
Bard: Honestly, we’d like to see more coverage in industry and other publications, as well as continued outreach to pre-roll manufacturers and producers. This study, for example, was done by a small university in the Midwest and did not get a lot of major media play, despite what we see as its importance to the industry as a whole.
We certainly highlight this type of information in our “Knowledge Center” blog and do our best to make sure our sales team is kept up to date on the latest science so they can share it with our customers and partners.
MV: Do you think regulations should be implemented on rolling papers, or is this a situation where over-regulation would burden the industry too much?
Bard: Yes, we do think regulations should be implemented. And we don’t think it would over-burden the industry too much for the simple reason that it should fall on suppliers, not the licensees themselves. The licensees have so many regulations to adhere to and hoops to jump through that asking them to do this kind of testing is a bit much.
However, the reality is that the burden does often fall to them as many states require testing of the product in its final form, which for pre-rolls means after they have been packed. This effectively tests the rolling papers along with the flower. And at that point if your papers fail, you may have to destroy that batch of pre-rolls.
We have also shown at Custom Cones USA that companies can do the right thing like testing and still be profitable.
MV: As things stand, it’s the responsibility of the industry — including manufacturers, producers, retailers, etc. — to ensure ancillary products, such as rolling papers, are safe for consumers. How can everyone do their part to ensure the highest standards for consumer safety are upheld?
Bard: I think we all help ensure consumer safety when we all take responsibility for our part in the process and the supply chain. At the end of the day, this is a business about the consumer so they have to remain our focus. And, like in any consumer-centric business, companies that cut corners or put their bottom line ahead of customer safety may make a quick profit, but will in the long run only drag down the entire industry.
But testing does add an extra cost, so ultimately, it may take some sort of tragedy and/or regulatory intervention before any real progress is made in the name of safety testing.
We’ve already seen this play out in the vape cart space when, without proper oversight, companies racing to the lowest price ended up using substances deemed safe in ways that they were not intended, sickening and even killing users. And while changes were made within the industry, governments ultimately had to step in to fully end the practice.
We’d love to see the pre-roll industry police itself, but again, simply pulling printed papers from their offerings is something other suppliers could be doing right now, but they are not. The key for now is for concerned manufacturers to make sure all of their suppliers care as much about the health of your customers and your business as you do.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.