Out of Papers? 7 Ways to Smoke Weed When You’re in a Pinch

We’ve all been there. You’re ready to unwind after a long day, you’ve got your stash—and of course—no rolling papers. Before you text your buddy or make a midnight run to the corner store, let me share some creative workarounds I’ve discovered over my years in cannabis culture.

First, a quick reality check: smoking anything isn’t great for your lungs. Period. But if you’re determined to light up without papers, I want you to do it as safely as possible. I’ve tried most of these methods myself (some out of curiosity, others out of desperation), and I’ll tell you what actually works.

1. The Apple Pipe: Nature’s Perfect Smoking Device

My go-to paperless solution is the humble apple pipe. It’s practically a rite of passage in cannabis culture, and for good reason.

Here’s how I make one:

• Remove the stem
• Use a pen to poke a hole from the top (where the stem was) halfway down
• Make another hole from the side that connects with your first hole
• Optional: create a third hole on the opposite side as a carb

The first time I made an apple pipe was during a camping trip when my friend knocked our only pack of papers into the lake. Not only did it work beautifully, but the slight apple flavor complemented the earthy notes of our strain. Plus, you can eat the evidence afterward (minus the burnt parts, obviously).

Other fruits and vegetables work too—carrots, potatoes, and pears can all be transformed into single-use pipes using the same technique. Each imparts its own subtle flavor to your smoking experience.

2. Empty Cigarettes: The Quick Swap

If you or someone around you smokes cigarettes, this method is super straightforward. I learned this trick from my roommate in college:

1. Gently roll a cigarette between your fingers to loosen the tobacco
2. Twist and pull to remove the filter (optional but recommended)
3. Carefully empty out the tobacco
4. Pack with ground cannabis
5. Twist the end closed

The paper burns evenly, though you might taste a hint of tobacco. I usually remove the filter since it can block some of the THC, but leaving it in makes for a smoother hit.

Worth noting: cigarette papers contain additives to control burning that you wouldn’t find in regular rolling papers. While convenient in a pinch, this isn’t ideal for regular use since you’re inhaling these additional chemicals.

3. Corn Husks: The OG Rolling Paper

Before commercial rolling papers existed, people used what nature provided. Corn husks have been used in Mexico and Jamaica for generations, and they work surprisingly well.

Last summer, I tried this after a barbecue when we had corn on the cob but no papers. I:

• Peeled off an inner layer of husk (the thinner, the better)
• Let it dry for about 20 minutes near the grill
• Trimmed it to size with scissors
• Rolled it up just like a regular paper

The result? A slow-burning, even smoke with a subtle sweet taste. The natural fibers in corn husks make them sturdy enough to hold your ground flower without tearing.

4. Natural Alternatives: Other Plant-Based Rolling Materials

The tradition of using plant materials extends beyond corn husks. Throughout history and across cultures, people have used various plant fibers when commercial papers weren’t available:

• Bamboo membrane: The thin inner layer of bamboo can be dried and used similarly to papers
• Rose petals: When carefully dried and lightly moistened before rolling, these create a fragrant, slow-burning wrap
• Dried banana leaves: Used traditionally in Caribbean and Latin American cultures
• Tree bark: Certain thin, papery barks can work in extreme situations, though they’re harder to work with

These natural alternatives generally burn more slowly than commercial papers, which some users prefer. However, they can be more difficult to roll and may require practice to master.

5. Gravity Bong: The Heavy Hitter

When I was in my early twenties and perpetually broke, the gravity bong (or “bucket”) was our savior. It’s not subtle, but it’s effective.

You’ll need:

• A plastic bottle with the bottom cut off
• A bucket or sink filled with water
• A small metal bowl piece (or in a real pinch, aluminum foil, though this is not ideal from a health perspective)

The physics of it creates a vacuum that pulls a concentrated hit into the bottle. Fair warning: this method hits HARD. My first experience with a gravity bong had me coughing for what felt like an eternity, followed by an intense high that lasted for hours.

If making a gravity bong, try to avoid heating aluminum foil directly, as this can release harmful compounds. A small metal bowl piece from a regular pipe works much better if you have access to one. Also, never use plastic bottles repeatedly for this purpose—the heat can cause the plastic to degrade and release toxins.

6. Gum Wrappers: The Convenience Store Solution

In a real pinch, certain gum wrappers can work as makeshift papers. The trick is finding the right kind and preparing them properly.

Here’s my method:

1. Find gum with paper-foil combination wrappers (like Wrigley’s or Trident)
2. Carefully separate the thin paper layer from the foil backing
3. Use only the paper portion, discarding the foil
4. Let it dry completely if there’s any moisture
5. Roll as you would with regular papers, though be extra gentle as they’re delicate

The paper is thin enough to burn properly, and sometimes the sugary residue even helps it stick.

I’ve used this method exactly once, during a road trip through rural areas where finding a proper smoke shop was impossible. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done.

Some people also suggest using thin tracing paper, though make sure it’s high-quality and free of any chemical treatments. The key with any paper alternative is ensuring it’s not treated with chemicals that release toxic fumes when burned.

7. Hot Knives: The Old School Method

This technique dates back decades and requires:

• Two metal butter knives
• A heat source (stove or torch)
• A small piece of cannabis

You heat the knives, sandwich the weed between them, and inhale the rising smoke. I tried this in college with a roommate who swore by it. While it worked, I found it cumbersome and potentially dangerous with the hot metal. Not my favorite method, but it has its devotees.

For the hot knife method, a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off can be used as a funnel to collect the smoke, making it easier to inhale. However, keep the bottle away from the hot knives to avoid melting plastic.

8. Book Pages: The Last Resort

I’m including this because people do it, but with major caveats. If you’re truly desperate, the thin pages from a dictionary or Bible can work as rolling papers. The best pages have minimal ink and are very thin.

During a music festival years ago, a guy in our camp rolled a joint using a page from “The Odyssey.” It burned unevenly and definitely wasn’t healthy (inhaling ink is bad news), but in his words, “desperate times call for desperate measures.”

If you absolutely must use book pages:

• Choose the thinnest pages available 
• Select pages with minimal or no ink
• Remove any hard edges or binding glue
• Be aware that even unprinted paper often contains chemicals from the papermaking process that aren’t meant to be inhaled when burned

What to NEVER Use (I Learned the Hard Way)

Through personal mistakes and witnessing others’, I’ve compiled a list of absolute no-gos:

• Receipt paper: Contains BPA and other chemicals that release toxic fumes when burned. Thermal receipt paper is coated with developers and fixers that release harmful compounds when heated. I tried this once and the harsh chemical taste and headache afterward were immediate red flags.
• Aluminum foil or soda cans: Despite their popularity in DIY pipes, heating aluminum can release toxic compounds. When aluminum is heated to high temperatures, it can potentially release aluminum particles and other compounds that you definitely don’t want in your lungs. If you must use aluminum foil (like in a gravity bong), minimize direct contact with flame.
• Colored or heavily inked paper: The dyes and inks release harmful chemicals when burned. These contain heavy metals and other toxins that vaporize when burned. A friend once used magazine paper and complained of chest pain afterward.
• Plastic: Never, ever use plastic as a smoking device if heat will be applied directly to it. When heated, plastics release a cocktail of toxic chemicals including dioxins, furans, and styrene. The toxic fumes are seriously dangerous.
• Parchment paper: While some people recommend it, most commercial parchment paper is treated with silicone or chemicals that shouldn’t be inhaled.
• Random packaging materials: Straw wrappers, tampon wrappers, Altoids tin foil—these materials are designed for packaging, not smoking. They often contain adhesives, plasticizers, or other chemicals that release toxic substances when burned.

Safer Alternatives Worth Considering

If you find yourself frequently without papers, maybe it’s time to explore alternatives:

Invest in a small glass pipe. They’re portable, reusable, and relatively inexpensive. I keep a small one in my backpack for impromptu sessions.

Try a dry herb vaporizer. They’re healthier than smoking and don’t require any accessories beyond the device itself. Vaporizers heat cannabis to temperatures that release cannabinoids and terpenes without combustion, potentially reducing respiratory risks associated with smoking. My PAX has saved me countless times when I’ve run out of papers.

Consider a one-hitter. These tiny, cigarette-looking pipes hold just enough for a single hit and are incredibly discreet and portable.

Explore edibles. They take longer to kick in but eliminate smoking altogether. I’ve gotten into making my own cannabis-infused honey that I can add to tea when I don’t feel like smoking.

Try tinctures or oils. These sublingual products work quickly, are discreet, and avoid respiratory risks entirely.

Harm Reduction Tips (From Someone Who Cares)

Whatever method you choose, keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t hold the smoke in your lungs for long periods. It doesn’t get you higher, just exposes your lungs to more tar. Research shows that nearly all THC is absorbed within the first few seconds.
• Clean your smoking devices regularly. That buildup isn’t just gross—it’s harmful to inhale. Resin contains concentrated carcinogens and tar that you definitely don’t want to be smoking.
• Stay hydrated! Cannabis can cause dry mouth, and smoking of any kind can be dehydrating.
• If sharing with friends, consider individual mouthpieces or at least wipe down shared surfaces with alcohol.
• Consider the context of your overall consumption habits. The occasional DIY smoking method when you’re in a pinch is very different from regularly using potentially harmful materials.
• Be mindful of potency, especially with methods like gravity bongs that can deliver intense hits. Start small, especially if you’re trying a new method.

Understanding the Health Context

While this article focuses on paperless alternatives in a pinch, it’s worth understanding how these methods compare to standard consumption methods from a health perspective:

• Vaping flower (not oils): Generally considered less harmful than smoking as it doesn’t involve combustion, though research is still evolving. Recent concerns about vaping have mostly centered on vitamin E acetate in unregulated cartridges, not dry herb vaping.
  
• Joints vs. Blunts: Traditional rolling papers have fewer additives than cigar wraps used for blunts, which contain tobacco and additional chemicals.
  
• Dabbing: While it eliminates plant matter combustion, the high temperatures and concentrated nature mean you’re getting much higher doses of cannabinoids, which can be overwhelming for inexperienced users.
  
• DIY methods: Generally less ideal than purpose-made smoking devices, as they may involve materials not designed for smoking. The apple pipe stands out as relatively safer among DIY options since it uses untreated organic material.

The next time you’re caught without papers, you’ve got options that don’t involve sketchy materials or a late-night store run. Just remember that these are temporary solutions—your lungs will thank you for using proper equipment when possible.

What’s your go-to method when you’re out of papers? I’m always curious to hear new ideas (though I might gently steer you away from the dangerous ones).