Language is wild, especially when it comes to cannabis. Stoners have been inventing code words, retelling legends, and turning side comments into vocabulary for decades. What started as hush-hush slang in the prohibition days is now a full-blown dialect. And we’re here to break it down, because knowing what someone means by “brick weed” or “getting zooted” might save you a whole sesh of confusion.
This one’s for the curious, the casuals, and the connoisseurs. Let’s get into it.
How Slang Got Twisted Up with Cannabis History
Back in the early 1900s, people in charge weren’t too chill about cannabis. They tossed around words like marihuana and reefer to make the plant sound foreign and scary. Movies like Reefer Madness made it worse, locking terms like reefer into the cultural vault of “yikes.” (Curaleaf Clinic, 2025).
Then the 1960s hit, and the youth said, “Nah.” Words like weed, grass, and pot got flipped into everyday rebellion. Suddenly, calling it weed was a power move. The counterculture took the language and made it their own. Even the term chronic later entered the game in the 1990s, not just through potent bud but also thanks to Dr. Dre.
Today, cannabis is the go-to for doctors and lawmakers. Weed is what your friends say. Marijuana still floats around, but it carries baggage. The name you choose says something. Cannabis sounds polished. Weed sounds personal. Pot sounds like your uncle who still listens to vinyl.
(Other source: Cupcake’s Cannabis)
All the Names for the Plant (Yes, All of Them)
Stoners love a good nickname. And depending on the decade, region, or friend group, the names change. But here are the ones that stuck around:
- Cannabis — The botanical term. You’ll find it in legislation, dispensary signs, and wellness guides.
- Marijuana — A word loaded with history. Originally used in U.S. anti-drug propaganda to exoticize the plant.
- Weed — The ultimate everyman term. Universally understood.
- Pot — Actually comes from the Spanish phrase potación de guaya, not the kitchen.
- Grass — Hippies loved it. The term conjures acoustic guitars and tie-dye.
- Reefer — Big during the jazz age. Also the villain in early propaganda.
- Mary Jane — Playful wordplay. A humanized nickname based on the translation of marijuana.
- Ganja — Imported from Hindi and embraced in Jamaica. Carries spiritual weight in Rastafarian culture.
- Herb — Speaks to its natural roots. Common in spiritual and reggae circles.
- Bud / Flower — Refers to the smokable part of the plant. You’ll see “flower” on dispensary menus.
- Hash — Short for hashish. A form of concentrated resin, often smoked or added to joints.
- Dope — Historically used for all drugs, including heroin. Some still use it for weed, but the meaning is muddy.
- Chronic — A slang term for high-quality cannabis. Allegedly born from a misheard “hydroponic.”
- Dank — A compliment. If your bud is sticky, smelly, and powerful, it’s dank.
- Loud — Bud with a strong aroma and effects. It doesn’t sneak up.
- Brick Weed / Schwag / Reggie — Low-quality cannabis, often compressed or seeded. It gets the job done, barely.
- Fire / Gas — Slang for strong and desirable weed. High praise.
- Devil’s Lettuce / Jazz Cabbage — Humor-driven terms that poke fun at old-school hysteria.
(Sources: GreenBee Life; Cupcake’s Cannabis; Eaze)
Talking Quantity: Slang for the Bag
Even the measurements have their own lingo. You’ll hear:
- Dime – $10 bag, usually about a gram. Here’s a whole article we wrote about A Dime Bag of Weed if you wanna know more.
- Dub – $20 worth. Slightly more weed, same low-commitment energy.
- Eighth / Quarter / Half / Zip – 3.5g, 7g, 14g, and 28g. A zip is an ounce and usually the legal limit you can buy in one visit.
- O – Short for ounce.
- Top-Shelf / Mids / Schwag – The unofficial quality scale. Top-shelf is premium. Mids are average. Schwag? Don’t.
(Source: 2Fast4Buds, Cupcake’s Cannabis)
The Tools of the Trade: Smoking Slang
The ways people consume cannabis come with their own terminology. It’s half language, half lifestyle:
- Joint / J / Doobie — A hand-rolled cannabis cigarette.
- Blunt — Cannabis in a cigar wrap. Burns longer, smells loud.
- Bong — A water pipe used for large rips. Coughing not optional.
- Bowl — The chamber where you pack weed in a pipe or bong.
- Pipe / Piece — Any smoking device, usually made of glass.
- One-hitter / Chillum / Spoon — Specific types of pipes. One-hitter = quick and stealthy. Chillum = cone-shaped. Spoon = classic handheld.
- Vape — A method that heats without burning. Often portable and discreet.
- Dab / Dab Rig — Involves vaporizing concentrates. Hits hard. Requires tools.
- Edibles / Medibles / Special Brownies — Infused foods. Effects are stronger and longer.
- Hotbox / Clam Bake — Filling a small space with smoke. Often a rite of passage.
- 420 — A universal signal. Means cannabis is around, accepted, and celebrated.
- Sesh — A group smoke session. Could be you and a blunt or a full backyard hang.
- Puff, Puff, Pass — Etiquette 101. Two hits, then pass it.
- Bogart — Someone who holds the joint too long. Don’t be that person.
- Toke / Chief / Spark Up — Slang for taking a hit or starting a sesh.
- Roach — The leftover stub of a joint. Often saved for later.
(Source: Eaze, GreenBee Life, Mental Floss)
And When You’re High? There’s a Word for That Too
Cannabis affects everyone differently, but the vocabulary to describe it is universal:
- High — General term for the cannabis effect.
- Stoned — Heavier sensation. Often sleepy or sedated.
- Baked / Toasted / Fried — Creative terms for being seriously high.
- Blazed / Lit / Faded — Feeling it in a strong but pleasant way.
- Zooted / Gone / In Orbit / Spaced Out — You’re not on this planet.
- Geeked / Giggly — Laugh attacks. Everything is hilarious.
- Couch-Locked — You sat down and you’re not getting up.
- Munchies — Strong cravings for snacks, usually at 2am.
- Cottonmouth — Dry mouth. Bring a drink.
- Red-Eye — Bloodshot eyes. Eye drops are your friend.
- Paranoid — Not your favorite effect. Often strain-related.
- Greening Out — Too much THC leads to dizziness, nausea, or panic. Ride it out.
- Stoneover — That foggy, day-after feeling. Happens to the best of us.
(Source: 2Fast4Buds, Eaze, GreenBee Life, Curaleaf Clinic)
Language That Grew With the Plant
Cannabis slang is more than lingo. It’s history, culture, and creativity rolled into one. It’s how stoners kept the culture alive when cannabis was underground. It’s how we keep things fun now that it’s mainstream.
Every word in this guide tells a story. And knowing the language means knowing the vibe. You can say “cannabis flower” if you want to sound fancy. Or you can say “loud, top-shelf dank” and watch the budtender nod in respect.
Either way, you’re speaking our language.
