Weed Slang

Ground cannabis. It’s not surprising to learn that, when ground or shredded, cannabis flower can look like any other fresh herb, like basil or oregano. In fact, cannabis is considered an herbal remedy, since it’s a naturally occurring plant that has many nutritional and medicinal properties! Also, cannabis flower can be used as a garnish in weed-infused dishes, much like other culinary herbs.

It’s no wonder that the term “green” became slang for cannabis–high-quality weed is well-known for its lush coloring. It likely originated as a more low-key way of referring to weed in areas where it’s illegal, but nowadays it’s pretty much common usage. The color itself is also used to on adult use storefronts and medical dispensaries (such as on green crosses or signage) that signal the sale of cannabis and its related paraphernalia.

One of the oldest slang terms for marijuana, “ganja” is derived from the Sanskrit word for the flowers of the plant. Brought to Jamaica from India, ganja became a central part of Rastafari culture and wound up influencing the world via reggae music in the 60s and 70s. To this day, it remains one of the most well-known names for weed in the world.

The smokable (or concentratable, or decarbable, etc.) bud of the cannabis plant. It is usually cured, and it takes the appearance of densely packed green nuggets, sometimes with hairs of red or orange here and there. The most common preparation of flower is to grind and smoke it. When decarbed, it can be used like any other dried herb in foods to transform any dish into an edible.

Hot boxing is the act of smoking cannabis in a small, enclosed space. This fills the space with smoke, resulting (in theory) in each breath getting you a little higher. Popular hot box locations include cars or bathrooms, but more ambitious smokers may aim to hotbox larger rooms.

Excessively high. Similar in usage to stoned, baked, or bouldered. As it originally was used to describe the effects of hallucinogenic drugs, it tends to emphasize the psychoactive effects of weed, such as couch lock and altered perception. This term can also have a negative connotation, as it’s often used to refer to burnouts or people who indulge too much and too often.

A phrase referring to the psychoactive and emotional effects of a high. It implies that cannabis will change your headspace for the better. Indeed, ganja can put users in another headspace, and some stoners attest to its “opening” or “expanding” their worldview in new and exciting ways. As long as you partake responsibly, there’s nothing wrong with getting ahead change every now and again.

The act of loading an amount of ground cannabis flower into the glass bowl of a pipe or bong. Most stoners, whether they like to admit it or not, have opinions on how to load the “perfect” bowl, but a wise few believe that the best-packed bowl is one that’s about to be shared with some great friends. Regardless, as long as your bowl isn’t too densely packed to allow airflow, it’s probably fine.