We love a good deal. We love walking through Chatuchak or a local night market and finding hidden gems.
But when it comes to what you smoke, “cheap” can be dangerous.
Counterfeit rolling papers are everywhere in Thailand right now. They look like RAW, they say “Made in Spain,” but they are often made in unregulated factories using chalk, shoe polish, and chemical glues.
Smoking fake papers isn’t just about bad flavor, it’s about your health.
Here is how to check if your stash is real or if you just got scammed.
1. The “Lighter Test” (The Magic Trick)
This is the easiest way to impress your friends and expose a fake pack in 5 seconds.
Take a sheet of RAW or Elements paper out. Hold a lighter about an inch under the gum line (don’t burn it, just warm it up).
- Real Papers: The natural gum (usually Acacia) will react to the heat and naturally curl up towards the flame. It’s alive!
- Fake Papers: The gum line won’t move, or worse, it will just melt/burn quickly because it’s made of synthetic chemical glue.
If your gum line stays flat when heated, throw that pack in the trash.
2. The “Spelling Bee” Check
Fake manufacturers are surprisingly bad at English. They copy the design, but they often mess up the text.
Look closely at the back or the inside flap of the pack. You will often see spaces missing between words.
Common typos we see in Thailand:
- “moistengently” (instead of “moisten gently”)
- “leavesper” (instead of “leaves per”)
- “ablend” (instead of “a blend”)
If the text looks like it was smashed together, it’s a fake. Brands like Smoking and Vibes have strict quality control; they don’t make typos.
3. Check the “Starter Sheet”
When you buy a fresh pack of premium papers (especially RAW Classic or Black), the very first sheet is usually a “Starter Sheet.” It’s that non-smokable protective paper that keeps the rest of the pack fresh.
Counterfeiters save money by skipping this detail. If you open a “new” pack and the first thing you see is the rolling paper itself, be suspicious.
Pro Tip: Look for the holographic seal on Vibes boxes or the QR code on Smoking packs. If the QR code takes you to a broken link or a weird Chinese website, you’ve been duped.
The Bottom Line
Fake papers burn faster, taste like chemicals, and ruin your session.
The only way to be 100% sure? Buy from a source you trust. At Rolling Paper Thailand, we import directly from the official factories in Europe and the US. No middlemen, no fakes, just the real deal.
Respect your lungs. Keep it authentic.