Contributed by: free the hemp
Using the right kind of rolling paper can greatly increase the amount of taste and flavor you get from your spliff. Less paper is good, and I like to cut extra paper off before I begin wrapping my smoke. Papers that are thinnest provide the best smoke, while allowing you to avoid inhaling too much paper.
There are currently an abundance of rolling papers on the market, with novelties of everykind (homer simpson papers, etc.) I have tried and thoroughly tested all kinds of rolling papers and I find rice papers to be the best for their thinness as well as the slowness of the burn. Hemp papers tend to burn more quickly than rice, although they are also quite good, and definitely better than thick tobacco papers.
Zig-Zags are very common, however, I advise against their use unless a better alternative cannot be found. Rampant over use of toxic glue and the thickness of the chemically over treated tree pulp make for a paper that sticks well, but is not as good as more natural papers. If you must use Zig-Zag, I recommend cutting off a portion of the glue (approx. 50%) as it is unnecessary.
Look for papers that use all natural gums as adhesives instead of harsh, chemical glues. Also unbleached paper such as rice or hemp is ideal.
Regarding thinness, a good rule of thumb is you should be able to see your green through the paper.