When most people go shopping for gold, they bring home jewelry or a collectible item. The newest craze in gold is something completely different, however. Lately, manufacturers have been producing cigarette rolling papers made of 24-karat gold in an attempt to lure in smokers who want a status symbol.
It might seem as odds with the typical man who rolls his own cigarettes. He’s usually hoping to save money, but 24kt gold rolling papers certainly aren’t the most frugal choice. However, the Shine brand is targeting anyone who has money to burn — literally. Smokers of nicotine and marijuana now have a new choice if they want to appear stylish and rich. That’s as long as smokers are willing to shell out $60 per pack of twelve papers. You can get over 100 papers for less than $4 at retailers like Amazon. So it looks like consumers will likely only break out the gold wrappers on special occasions, whatever those occasions might me.
The man behind Shine, who only goes by Dave D., doesn’t think that this product is one that consumers will buy on a daily basis. While you might think that Dave makes his product in California, he bases his operations in South Carolina and Las Vegas. Of course, there are plenty of people who hit up the Vegas strip with money that they won’t mind using, so tourists might be drawn to the market’s newest product.
Shine 24k gold rolling papers
As of now, Shine papers have sold in almost two-dozen countries, so the papers have attracted the eye of more than just wealthy Americans. Of course, it’s not the first product of its type. London Cut Cigars, which helps Dave manufacture the papers, already sells a Dominican cigar wrapped in the same type of gold leaf over Connecticut Shade papers.
The papers are edible with a slow-burning interior paper that holds everything together. They still have to be thin enough to roll, though, and some consumers have voiced their concerns online. One smoker criticized the taste of the papers while adding that Shine papers aren’t easy to roll.
Gold rolling papers are too new to glean any information about long-term side effects, so it’s probably best if smokers use them infrequently. Neither the FDA or The American Lung Association have released official word on the product.Nevertheless, the hip-hop world has already taken to Shine papers. Don’t be surprised if you see them popping up on music videos, among other places, where rappers are quick to flaunt their assets and success. Although health effects have led to a decrease in smoking — rates were highest in the 1950s and have steadily dropped since the ’60s according to a study by the National Cancer Institute — there seems to be a demand for this type of product. Dave has already seen some repeat customers, so they must be happy with his product. It seems like smoking may one again become the “cool” thing to do if Shine papers remain popular.
If you’re interested in a status symbol that’s less harmful to your health, fine jewelry never goes out of style. After all, music videos will always feature watches worth thousands of dollars and fancy cars.