What Are The Weirdest Cannabis Names From 1920 to 1975?

Article by Angela Stelmakowich, Growth Op

Language is an ever-evolving thing and cannabis slang has mirrored that to keep pace with changing times, with terms such as weed and bud standing the test of time while other, arguably more interesting names have fallen by the wayside.

Digital magazine Green State recently came up with what it regards as some of the weirdest weed slang names from 1920 to 1975, a taste of yesteryear that will surely titillate and surprise.

The site points out that the Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of cannabis slang shows there are currently 400-plus, English synonyms for the plant. Whether that’s comprehensive or not is up for debate, but Green State’s own list of six wonderful weirdos is made up of the following:

Muggles

This was apparently a nickname, favoured by jazz musicians, for marijuana cigarettes. Although the origin of the name remains elusive, one fun option is that Louis Armstrong produced a recording called Muggles, which some maintain he belted out while high, Green State reports. Historian Michael Aldrich’s pitch for the word’s origin? The name is derived from “smuggle.”

Mary Warner

Perhaps less splashy than other options, this was, nonetheless, a sneaky way of saying “marijuana” in the 1930s. It is said the Mary part of Mary Warner inspired a name that remains steadfastly proud and present today: Mary Jane.

Giggle-smokes

Okay, enough said. This giggle-worthy moniker is thanks to a 1943 TIME Magazine article outlining popular terminology for weed. Green State reports other nicknames mentioned in the article included goof-butts, love weed and joy-smokes.

Read the full article here.