Cannabis Code Names
By Ayriese Smith
It doesn’t matter what you call it, all that matters is that it’s green. A splif, a roach, weed, flower, marijuana, or tree; we’re going to explore the different titles of the green we love. Entomology origins, common meanings, and so much more.
Marijuana
The origin of the word marijuana is still unknown. We know it derives from Mexican Spanish mariguana, marihuana. The first use of the word marijuana is actually from a Mexican research study dating all the way back to 1846. It became a popular part of the common vernacular in 1914 when the word marahuana was used to propose the The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Since then it has been a common and adored part of our life.
Reefer
It is widely believed that the wood reefer originated from either of two origins. The first is the Mexican slang word Grifa which means dope. The second is a sailing term, reefer, which are sailors responsible for rolling up their sails. That word evolved in 936 with the release of the anti-drug film Reefer Madness. This film was a propagandist tool to demonize marjuana and marjuana smokers in the eyes of the general public. This public perception of reefer slowly changed with movies and actors such as; Cheech and Chong, Harold and Kumar, and Saul and Dale.
Mary Jane
The most discreet nickname on our list today, the concrete origins of the use Mary Jane are unknown. It was popularized in the 60’s and the 70’s mostly in the music genre. In 1975 Janis Joplin released a blues song titled “Mary Jane” after it was first performed live in 1965. Shortly after Rick James released “Mary James” in 1978 which is a classic song on the playlist of many frequent users. In 1993 Tom Petty released “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.” While it’s no longer the most popular of nicknames, it is one of the most widely known names amongst our list today.
Hash
Hash is a common slang for the word hashish. Many people refer to the entire plant as hash, however it is actually the powdered form of the plant which leaves it in a more potent form. The earliest known slang is from the 1123 century in Arabic. The earliest written report is from 1598. It was featured in a story in the manuscript of One Thousand and One Nights. It was rarely mentioned until the late 19th century and in the 1960s it exploded in popularity with the Anti-War movement. As of now, most of the world's hash comes from Morocco, Nepal, Afghanistan, Nepal, and India.
Ganja
The first known use of the word Ganja is from 1689 borrowed from Hindi gā̃jā & Urdu gānjā "hemp, hemp flower buds," going back to Sanskrit gañjā "hemp.” Ganja spread through the world during the transatlantic slave trade with those taken from Jamaica or Africa in 1513. When they were transported here, they also brought elements of their culture and brought us Ganja. It was popularized in common culture when artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Cypress Hill popularized it in their music.
Now to call it a day, close out, bounce, or get out of here.
It doesn’t matter what you call it, all that matters is that it’s green. This is just a concise list of names we call our beloved Mary and there are so many more that we didn’t get to touch. Weed itself is a nickname that was first used around the early 1910’s. Its first official use was in 1929 in American Journal, a scholarly journal focusing on western hemisphere dialects. Because of its demonization throughout history it has needed to go by a plethora of different names to subvert unwanted eyes but regardless of what you call it, it smells like skunk.
