Cannabinoid Containing Cannabis Extract Infused into Rolling Paper

Abstract

A rolling paper is formed according to a modified conventional paper-making process. The end product is infused with cannabinoids from an oil extract from the cannabis plant. Since paper-making is highly water intensive and the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is an oil that is ordinarily immiscible in the water, an emulsifier is used to allow the cannabinoids to evenly disperse in the making of the paper. The addition of the cannabinoids and the emulsifier is done prior to the drying of the paper. Preferably, the emulsifier and cannabinoids are added during the sizing step of the paper-making. Preferably the emulsifier is a starch-like carbohydrate, a modified starch, more preferably hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose. The cannabinoid containing cannabis extract can be added at the pulping, web-forming step and/or preferably at the sizing step of paper-making.

Claims

1. A method of paper-making using a quantity of water with suitable pulping components comprising the added step of infusing cannabinoids prior to a dried paper product being formed wherein the steps of paper-making are otherwise conventional but with the addition of a step of adding cannabinoid containing cannabis extract during the pulping, web forming, and/or sizing step.

2. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is added to the sizing step of the paper-making.

3. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 2 wherein an emulsifying agent is used for creating an emulsion during the sizing step of the paper-making.

4. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 3 wherein said emulsifying agent is selected from the group consisting of a modified starch, Dextrin, tapioca, and hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose.

5. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 3 wherein said emulsifying agent is hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose.

6. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is placed onto the rollers used in the sizing step of paper-making.

7. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of adding cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is during the pulping and sizing steps.

8. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is emulsified by use of a component selected from the group consisting of a modified starch, Dextrin, tapioca, and hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose.

9. A method of paper-making as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is emulsified by use of a hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose composition.

10. A rolling paper made according to the process of claim 1.

11. A rolling paper made according to the process of claim 5.

12. A rolling paper made according to the process of claim 7.

13. A rolling paper made according to the process of claim 9.

14. A set of rolling papers made according to the process of claim 1 wherein said set comprise interleaved papers formed into a pocket-sized package.

15. A set of papers made according to the process of claim 1 wherein said set are ingestible.

16. A set of papers made according to the process of claim 5 wherein said set are ingestible.

17. A set of papers made according to the process of claim 7 wherein said set are ingestible.

18. A set of papers made according to the process of claim 9 wherein said set are ingestible.

19. A set of papers as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a flavorant.

20. A set of papers as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a flavorant.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] FIG. 1 is a chemical formula showing one form of a single starch unit used in connection with the present invention and

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a representative set of chemical formula showing cannabinoid structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] According to the preferred embodiment, cannabinoids are infused into paper during the paper-making/creation process. It is well known that the paper-making process uses a significant amount of water in the various steps of the process. According to well-known paper-making processes, there are three or four principal steps, pulping, filling or web forming, and sizing (and then drying). A binding agent is often used in the creation of paper. To form conventional rolling papers, a binding agent is used in one step, a filling agent used in another step and a sizing agent also used.

[0049] According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the infusion of the cannabinoids, in the form of a liquid, is desirably done during the sizing step but can also or alternatively be performed during the pulping, binding step and/or the filling step of paper-making. FIG. 1 shows a representative chemical formula for the single starch unit useful in connection with the present invention.

[0050] The basic chemical formula for a single representative starch unit for use in the present invention is shown in FIG. 1.

[0051] Since cannabinoids in liquid form, made from extracting cannabis plant material is substantially an oil and hydrophobic, merely adding it into one of the steps of the paper-making process, which uses quite a bit of water, will not result in consistency of concentration as the oily nature of the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract will tend to stay away from the water. FIG. 2 shows chemical formulas and are representative Cannabinoid structures used in the present invention.

[0052] It is a critical component of the present invention to use an emulsifier, at least if the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is to be added at the sizing step. The emulsifier will tend to surround the molecules of the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract and allow it to be much more evenly dispersed in and among the water molecules. This is preferably done during the sizing step but can alternatively or in addition be done during the pulping, web forming, binding and/or filling steps. The use of the emulsifier allows the paper pulp to remain quite stable with the cannabinoids infused therein. Then, the next steps, as are conventional, are followed to produce the right thickness, weight, length and width of the paper sheets. Preferably, the individual sheets are cut to size, interleaved, provided with at least one edge with a small quantity of water-activated adhesive, and sealed in an appropriate box.

[0053] As mentioned, the use of an emulsifier during and at the sizing stage provides a stable emulsion for the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract. Preferably the emulsifying agent is a starch, more preferably a modified starch and even more preferably a hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose.

[0054] The step of sizing, during the paper-making process, is generally done by spraying the sizing agent onto a set of rollers, carrying the paper pulp down the paper producing line of manufacture. It is during this spray step of sizing agent, before drying, that the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract is mixed with a carbohydrate starch emulsifier to make an emulsion which results in a composition which is capable of being mixed with water as the oily cannabinoid containing cannabis extract will become surrounded by the starchy emulsion and evenly dispensed in the water.

[0055] The infusion of the cannabinoids into the paper, during the paper-making process, preferably during the sizing step, results in superior uniformity of the concentration of cannabinoids within the paper. Then, when this rolling paper is used with tobacco, cannabis, or another leafy substance the cannabinoid, infused into the paper, will be activated by the heat of the lighting or burning of the cigarette which will tend to jump start or boost the considered pleasant effect of the smoking of the same.

[0056] By using an emulsifier with the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract, preferably a modified carbohydrate or starchy substance (See representative FIG. 1 of the basic chemical formula) more preferably hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose, the cannabinoids tend to become somewhat miscible with the water and this allows the same to be effectively used in the paper-making process. A uniform concentration of cannabinoids throughout the surface area of the paper is the result, far superior uniformity than that obtained by spraying cannabinoid containing cannabis extract onto the already dried, folding papers, at the time of use, and far more evenly concentrated and controlled in concentration than using a brush, dipping, and/or dropping small droplets of cannabinoid containing cannabis extract onto a rolled cigarette with dried rolling papers.

[0057] The cannabinoids, when surrounded with the starchy/carbohydrate emulsifier leads to an emulsion which is a highly stable composition over long time periods (useful for shelf life of the rolling papers) and is also stable at a wide range of expected room temperatures.

[0058] Appendix A shows the Standard Operating Procedure for manufacturing and testing the sizing agent precisely in a laboratory environment. The sizing agent, with the emulsifier, is combined with the cannabinoid containing cannabis extract. That combination, too, can be first simulated in a lab for initial quantity and concentration control.

[0059] The disclosed embodiment is illustrative and not meant to be restrictive. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims herein as interpreted by the Courts. While specific configurations of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that the present invention can be applied in a wide variety of ways without departing from the basic teaching of the invention. There are many alternative ways of implementing the present invention as will appear and be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art of paper making and the chemistry and mechanics of paper-making.