In a conversation yesterday something came up about rolling papers and how a person who had them was accused of smoking pot. Now I was under the impression that there’s no difference between rolling papers used for pot and rolling paper used to roll tobacco cigarettes. But what do I know - I’ve never smoked either one. So Dopers with more chemical experince, help me out here. Am I right or are there in fact different papers for different plant materials?
In my limited experience you use different sizes of paper.
The other difference is that most people I know use ‘normal’ paper for their tobacco and ‘rice’ paper for their marihuana, ‘rice’ being self-extinguishing and thinner (less taste of paper).
disclaimer: Where I live it is legal to smoke pot/grass.
You can get papers made from different plant material-rice,wheat and typical wood derivative.
If you buy roll your own cigarette tobacco they usually supply plain paper.
“Heads” or head shops had wider versions for those who couldn’t roll with the usual width.But maybe that helped with stems and seeds,how would I know?
The main difference I remember was the size. Top, Bull Durham and OCB were small papers, used by the cigarette guys (or accomplished joint rollers). These are small, plain, white papers. Dull Durham and OCB are a little thinner/lighter paper than Top. Top could be a bit harsh on a smallish joint. The bigger papers were used by weed guys, and many of those are thinner paper that’s not as harsh with weed.
Weed guys also used the more expressive names, I never saw a guy roll tobacco in an JOB 1.5, EZ Wider, Joker, Zig-Zag, Canada Goose Space Ranger, stuff like that. Never saw cigarette guys use flavored, or colored, or decorated papers.
I did- I wasn’t a very good roller and I preferred Zig Zag papers. It was what I was used to.
ETA- but to answer the OP- it’s strictly a personal preference, there is no “weed paper” and “straight paper.”
Hehe, yes, I’ve had some funny looks if I bring out tobacco and papers in public (not nowadays, as one is no longer allowed to smoke in enclosed public places here). People have even asked outright, but I just muttered that it’s a lot cheaper than ready-made cigarettes (and yes, I am not unfamiliar with Mary Jane, but have not seen her for a long time now).
Yes, some people do use larger papers for skinning up joints, but, really, most people I knew thought that was just silly, PLUS it could potentially have the side effect of making a smoking preference public when you did not want it to be.
Liquorice papers will tend to sort of “cool down” the smoke, though, and some people who, despite having the unhealthy habit of smoking, try to make sure only to buy papers that are acceptably vegan. Everyone else will tend to care more about just whatever brand the shop conveniently has in stock. 
And these days, it’s more common for the tobacco to be already packaged together with a packet of papers, so anyone using larger papers has probably made a point of buying them specially.
I always just used Tally-Ho papers for both. In the case of a big, party joint, the small papers would present no problem, and I could craft an enormous jay from multiple papers and including a built-in holder, using a technique I’d probably best refrain from discussing here.
A little facility and a well-broken-in dollar bill could have you rolling your preferred smoke with a single-wide in no time. I’ve rolled both joints and tobacco cigs with single-wides.
[slight hijack]The biggest pain about roll-your-own cigarettes is the ugly brown stains on your fingers and fingernails. [/slight hijack]
Based on the replies I guess I was half right. Consensus seems to be that there are different kinds of rolling paper but they are not strictly a guide to what you’re smoking. Thanks all.
And I was one of the few that could roll more than a toothpick with a single wide and no apparatus other than my fingers. None of my smoking buddies could pull it off, a lost talent now.
I’ve rolled my own cigarettes (both kinds) since 1974, and have always used single-wides. In Canada, we used Players papers. Down here I use the kind supplied in the canister of Roll Rich. I dislike Zig-Zag and Drum papers, and I have no use for 1 1/2 or double-wide. Those are either for people who want to roll BIG JOINTS or can’'t master the logistics of a single-wide paper.
You’d be surprised at how difficult it is to find regular cigarette papers at the stores here. They all have fairly large displays of all manner of what would be used primarily as joint papers. Of course, as others have stated, there are no strictly “joint papers”, but if they’re flavored or colored or made of rice paper or wider than a single, most folks buying them are not likely to be rolling cigarettes with them.
Some may be preferred by certain people for certain types of rolling, but in general, no, you cannot assume what someone is smoking from what papers they have. Although assuming they are smoking pot if they have papers at all is a safe bet, since fewer people than ever, in the US at least, still roll their own- does anyone under 40 roll their own tobacco anymore?
Tobacco DIY’er checking in here. “Rolling yer own” has had somewhat of a resurgance here in the US as of late, because the various state legislatures are falling over themselves these days enacting more taxes on cigarettes. Ready-made ciggies that is.
The trick is to buy empty “tubes” - pre-rolled cigarette tubes and filters - which don’t invite scrutiny or suspicion like whipping out a packet of those rice-paper deals. Zig-Zag is the manufacturer of the roller itself (more of a slide-action) come to think of it. Their tobacco is quite horrid, however. The old stalwarts - Drum, Bugler, and Top - were always gamey tasting and strictly for emergency use only. Still, the state legislatures have left no stone unturned in their quest for healthy lives for all - even pipe tobacco, snuff, cigars and chewing tobacco have had their taxes increased significantly.
I did, until I stopped smoking 2 years ago, as did at least 20 of my friends. It was a fad for a while in my social group. At least a few of them did it so they could sprinkle a little bud in with the tobacco and get high in public. Most of us said we did it 'cause it was cheaper, especially in the case of American Spirit, our favored tobacco. I suspect most of us did it 'cause it was fun to sit around a campfire rolling smokes. It became our version of knitting, in fact. (Ha! Actually, now that I think about it, once the rolling fad was over, a bunch of the gals took up knitting instead!) I never mastered rolling strictly by hand, but I used two different types of pocket rolling machines - the injector style Common Tater mentions being my favorite because I could use filtered paper tubes with that.
As for the OP, in my circle, papers is papers. We have our favorites, of course, and if we have more than one kind, we might get choosy, but if you just ask, “anyone got papers?” you’re not expecting a certain kind, no matter what you’re rolling.
About hand rolling:
I went with some friends who are duck hunters who had hired a guide to show them some sites on the river. We all piled into a boat powered by an outboard,which the guide fired up and off we went.It was breezy and the water was choppy.
The guide,definitely over 40, while steering with one hand, reached into his jacket,pulled out a paper and tobacco and had a smoke rolled and lit in a jaw dropping short period. All the while gesticulating and describing good spots.
I’m the Queen of Joint Rolling. Zig Zag is my choice. There was a time I needed the 1.5 to manage a decent one, but I’m quite adept and the single now.
I recently saw a vegetarian paper that was as clear as cellophane. Velly intellesting.
To my knowledge, no difference between tobaccy and pot papers.
Former serious smoker here. I used to hand roll (sometimes) or make cigarettes with tubes (most of the time), sometimes even going to the trouble of chopping my own tobacco leaves. For rolling paper, for cigarettes, I preferred the Zig-Zag white packs (blue packs would do in a pinch). For joints, everybody I know preferred the Export Aquafuge (don’t forget up here we put filters in our joints also ).
Most papers are not self-extinguishing. The opposite is true. Take an unrolled cigarette paper and light it. Blow out the flame, and the glowing edge will burn all the way down.
In my early days, I used two papers per roll, and even some of those sweet flavored papers. Now, I see that as the sign of a rookie, or someone who loves the taste of paper smoke. Anybody can learn to roll a one-paper fatty; it’s just like a little bitty burrito. Get a couple extra packs, and sit down to practice. Roll it, tear it apart, and start again with a new paper. You’ll get the hang of it. 
Nitpick: As far as I know there isn’t anywhere in the world where pot is fully legal. Many people point to Amsterdam and claim that it is legal there but in fact there are still laws on the books that make it illegal, the cops just look the other way. There are many places where it is decriminalized, but that is not the same thing as it being legal.
Correct, but still the real-life chance of me getting arrested for smoking are close to zero.