View source for Rizla

{{Short description|French tobacco paraphernalia brand}}
{{Distinguish|Rizal (disambiguation){{!}}Rizal|Rizz (slang){{!}}Rizz}}
{{Advert|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox brand
| name           = Rizla
| logo           = Rizla brand logo.png
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| producttype    = [[Rolling paper]]
| currentowner   = [[Imperial Brands|Imperial Tobacco]] (1997–)
| producedby     = 
| country        = France
| introduced     = {{start date and age|1796}}<ref name=history/>
| discontinued   = 
| related        = 
| markets        = Europe
| previousowners = 
| trademarkregistrations = 
| ambassadors    = 
| tagline        = 
| website        = 
| module         = <!-- or: misc -->
| module1        = <!-- or: misc1 -->
| footnotes = Carcinogenicity: [[IARC group 1]]

}}
'''Rizla''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ɪ|z|l|ə}}), commercially styled '''Rizla+.''' ({{IPAc|fr|ʁi la kʁwa}}), is a French brand of [[rolling paper]], owned and produced since 1997 by the British tobacco corporation [[Imperial Brands]].

The name "Rizla" came in 1886 (''riz'' being the French word for "rice" and ''La+'' an abbreviation of ''Lacroix'', "the cross").<ref name=history/> Rizla rolling papers are available in a range of thicknesses, indicated by the colour of the packaging, and sizes.

==History==

===Creation===
Pierre Lacroix was inspired to begin the production of rolling papers when, in the year 1532, he traded some paper for a bottle of fine [[Champagne (wine)|champagne]] and realized their potential market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cigaretterollingpapers.co.uk/History-of-Tobacco--Weed-3-w.asp |title=A History of Tobacco |access-date=17 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307175947/http://www.cigaretterollingpapers.co.uk/history-of-tobacco--weed-3-w.asp |archive-date=7 March 2013 }}</ref><ref name=history>[https://www.rizla.co.uk/history/ History] on Rizla website (7 Sep 2020)</ref>

===The company breaks out===
[[File:Rizla 1881.jpg|thumb|170px|1881 Rizla- no glue strip]]
In 1660, having perfected the first paper specifically designed for rolling, the Lacroix family began production.<ref name=history/> Despite the early success, it was not until 76 years later in 1736 that the family acquired their own paper-mill, purchased by François Lacroix, founder of the Lacroix Rolling Paper company.<ref name=history /> In 1796 Napoleon granted the Lacroix company a licence to produce rolling papers for his troops.<ref name=history /> However, ''[[The Economist]]'' magazine has questioned the Napoleon story, reporting that "A museum in Angoulème, the Lacroix ancestral seat, calls this historical “fantasy” and says that until 1860 the family manufactured paper but not for cigarettes."<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-01-16|title=Branding lessons from Rizla|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/business/2021/01/16/branding-lessons-from-rizla|access-date=2021-01-18|issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

In 1865, a change was made to the formula—the tissue previously used in the papers was replaced with [[wafer paper]] made from rice.<ref name=history /> The "RizLa+" brand emerged as a combination of the French word ''riz'' {{IPA|fr|ʁi|}}, meaning "rice", with ''La'' and a cross, representing the Lacroix family name ({{literal translation|the cross}}).<ref name=history />

=== 20th century and beyond ===
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2022}}
[[File:Rizla carton publicitaire (1917).jpg|thumb|170px|Rizla 1917 advertisement]]
Rizla produced some of the first flavoured papers in 1906, with the release of [[menthol]] and [[strawberry]]. The first Rizla Blue fine-weight rolling papers were produced in 1910, with thinner paper and a more pronounced tobacco flavour. RizLa also released one of the first [[rolling machine]]s.

In 1942, the Rizla brand revolutionized the world of rolling papers when the Lacroix brothers acquired a patent for applying [[Natural gum|gum]] to the edge of rolling papers. This new feature solidified Rizla's position as a leader in the rolling paper industry, placing them at the top of the market.

In 1977, thirty-three years after the brand name change, Rizla released the first of their King Size rolling papers. The standard sized papers measure 69 x 35 mm. In most countries they are packed in a single interleaved stack of 50 papers, but in Belgium the packages contain two parallel stacks totalling 100 papers, which typically retail for €0.80{{En dash}}1.00.

Different thicknesses are colour-coded as follows:
* 26.5 gm<sup>−2</sup> liquorice
* 23 white
* 20 orange
* 17.5 red (with cut corners green)
* 14.5 blue, pink
* 13.5 silver

In 1978 Fernand Painblanc took control of Rizla, bringing the tradition of Lacroix family ownership to an end.

The [[Licorice|liquorice]]-flavoured paper was released in 1981. In 1986, Rizla began rapid growth and large-scale advertising. One successful advertising campaign in 1986 was a popular series of calendars, T-Shirts and posters. A café franchise, which was featured at various concerts in the UK in 1996, was also extremely popular. In 1997 they produced a limited edition King Size Rizla+ Purple medium-weight, extra width, king size rolling paper, in celebration of the Phoenix music festival.

[[File:Rizla+ Silver (Simple).jpg|thumb|Pack of Rizla ''Silver'' pictured in 2019]]
In 1997, Rizla was sold to [[Imperial Brands|Imperial Tobacco]]. One year later, Rizla continued their string of expansion and large-scale advertising, going so far as to release their own line of clothing, sold at their cafés. In 2002 Rizla closed a deal with Suzuki and became one of their top motor-bike racing sponsors, forming the Rizla-Suzuki racing team. The [[Caterham Cars|Caterham]] Superlight R500 sports is available with Rizla markings following its launch in collaboration with Rizla-Suzuki.

Rizla added a new paper to its lineup in 2003, with the introduction of the Rizla+ Silver, Ultra-Thin, King Size rolling paper. In 2003 the UK [[Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)|Advertising Standards Agency]] upheld a complaint that Rizla+ had alluded to their products' association with cannabis in a print advertisement that bore the caption "twist and burn"{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}.

In 2004, two more types of Rizla papers were released; one, the Rizla Red, Medium Weight, Slim paper is exclusive to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The other variety released in 2003 was the Rizla+ Silver (regular size) Ultra-Thin rolling paper.

In 2002, Imperial Tobacco closed Rizla's historic factory at [[Mazères-sur-Salat]] near [[Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne|Saint-Gaudens]] (south of France). In September 2005 [[Imperial Tobacco]] announced the closure of Rizla's Treforest factory at [[Pontypridd]] near [[Cardiff]] in South Wales with a loss of 134 jobs.  After the closure of the factory, Rizla production is now concentrated at [[Wilrijk]], Belgium.

From 2006 until 2011, Rizla sponsored the [[Suzuki]] [[MotoGP]] bike under [[Rizla Suzuki]] MotoGP team, which was ridden by [[Álvaro Bautista]].

==See also==
* [[List of rolling papers]]
* [[Recreational drug use]]
* [[Roach (smoking)|Roach]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Rizla (rolling paper)}}
* {{official website|https://www.rizla.co.uk/}}

{{Imperial Tobacco}}

[[Category:Cigarette rolling papers]]
[[Category:Imperial Brands brands]]
[[Category:French brands]]