Do you ever wonder why marijuana is called ‘reefer’? Well, if you’re a weed smoker, you’ll be interested to find out the reason behind this interesting and humorous name.
Reefer has become the preferred slang term for referring to marijuana and its cannabis-related products over time – but have you ever stopped to ask yourself where it all began?
We’ve done some research in order to unravel the mystery of why marijuana is termed reefer by those who choose to indulge.
Read on if you want some enlightenment on this cult word!
Why is Weed Called Reefer?
‘Reefer’ is a slang term for marijuana. This term became popular in the 1930s after a propaganda film about marijuana called ‘Reefer Madness‘ showed students who were pressured into smoking weed and then go on to commit a series of unfortunate events including manslaughter, suicide, and attempted rape.
The term first appeared in print in 1931. An article in Time Magazine talked about how marijuana leaves could be dried, ground, and then rolled into a ‘reefer cigarette,’ saying ‘These cigarettes are bootlegged under the name of ‘muggles,’ ‘reefer,’ or ‘Mary Warners.’
Although we aren’t exactly sure how the word became related to cannabis, some say it is derived from ‘grifa’, which is a Spanish word for marijuana. There is another theory that says it originated from sailor slang. In sailing, to ‘reef’ means to roll up the sail – almost like how you roll a joint – and a ‘reefer’ is the person who does the rolling.
What is Reefer Madness?
The film ‘Reefer Madness’ from 1936 is probably the first thing that comes to many people’s mind when hearing this term.
In the 1930s, The Federal Bureau of Narcotics was recently formed, and the newly appointed commissioner Harry J. Anslinger, launched a campaign to demonize cannabis. Anti-marijuana activists claimed that the plant made users violent and uncontrollable, while also causing hallucinations.
The film ‘Reefer Madness’ latched onto these ideas, and shows high school students who go to a ‘reefer party’ and smoke marijuana. Their night unfolds as a series of unfortunate events as a result. The film is an over-the-top dramatization and was poorly received by audiences.
Today, the film is accepted by the cannabis community as a hilarious cult-classic and is often played at midnight showings in movie theaters across the country. It was even remade into a musical in 2005, “Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical,” starring Kristen Bell, Christian Campbell, Alan Cumming, Neve Campbell, and Ana Gasteyer.
Other Terms for Call Marijuana
So we discovered reefer weed meaning and now it’s time to focus on the other terms. There are numerous terms for marijuana, reflecting its widespread use and cultural diversity.
Some common terms for weed include “cannabis” “pot,” “weed,” “bud,” “ganja,” “herb,” “dope,” “grass,” “chronic,” “kush,” “skunk,” “blunt,” “doobie,” “nug,” “sticky icky,” “wacky tobaccy,” and “devil’s lettuce,” among many others.
These terms vary by region, generation, and subculture, highlighting the rich and evolving lexicon associated with the cannabis plant.
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