Stoner Slang – Marijuana Lingo Translated

Whether you are a casual smoker or you are looking to buy marijuana seeds (remember - for souvenir purposes only!), you'll inevitably come across some weird and wacky slang terms if you spend any time around marijuana smokers.

When marijuana became part of the 1960's counterculture, it also developed its own slang and inside jokes. This is partly for practical reasons – after all, smoking marijuana is against the law (although I hasten to add that it isn't illegal to buy marijuana seeds!) and so smokers and growers have always used euphemisms for marijuana to stay out of trouble and avoid the authorities.

But marijuana smoking slang has also developed for less practical reasons. Marijuana smokers are a community, and every community develops its own lingo. It is a way of identifying those who are in the know, sharing jokes and just having fun. And, over time, marijuana smokers have developed a truly remarkable collection of strange and wonderful slang words to describe marijuana, the act of smoking, the effects of the drug, and much more.

There are some very comprehensive marijuana slang dictionaries out there on the web, but this is a selection of some of my personal favourite euphemisms and expressions…

Assassin of Youth, n. There are (literally) hundreds of nicknames for marijuana, but this one is perhaps the most melodramatic! It is named after a 1930's film that was intended to warn people of the dangers of marijuana, but (predictably enough) it has become a stoner movie classic (much like "Reefer Madness.")

"You up for some fun tonight? You, me and the Assassin of Youth?"

Bogart, v. This characterful piece of slang refers to Humphrey Bogart, who seemed to go through a number of 1950's film noirs with a cigarette permanently attached to his lower lip. To "Bogart" a joint is to hold on to it too long before passing it on.

"Hey, pass it along. Don't Bogart that joint!"

Boxed, n. When you've smoked so much marijuana that you've lost control of your legs (like a boxer who tries to stand after being knocked out.)

"Sorry I didn't come and see you last night. I couldn't move, I was boxed!"

Dutch Oven, n. What happens when you smoke marijuana for a long time in a small, poorly ventilated room, a phenomenon more commonly known as hotboxing.

"We were smoking for hours in that tiny room…it was a real Dutch Oven by the end of the night."

Four-Twenty, n, adj, v, etc. In America, Four-Twenty is more than just a piece of slang – it is a description of a way of life! No one quite knows how it started, though it is believed to have been the time of day when a group of friends would gather and smoke after school. It has now come to mean the act of smoking marijuana, an invitation to smoke, and generally stands as an exclamation that identifies you as a marijuana smoker. A person, place or even a country can be described as "420 friendly", indicating that marijuana smoking is encouraged or at least tolerated.

Henry, n. An eighth of marijuana, named after the famous King Henry VIII.

"Did you buy much?"

"Nah, just a Henry."

Secret Agent, n. A Secret Agent is a joint that is cunningly rolled to look like a normal cigarette or a rollup. If you spark it up, of course, it won't pass the smell test, but it will pass a quick visual examination.

"I walked out of my house with a joint in my hand and a cop was right there! Luckily, it was a secret agent, so he didn't notice…"

Wizard of Oz, n. An ounce of marijuana: oz is the standard abbreviation of ounce, while the "wizard" refers to the ‘magical' properties of the substance in question.

"No need to pick up for a while, I just brought home the Wizard of Oz."

About the Author Robert Kane

Robert Kane is the web editor of Sensible Seeds. Based in the UK, the company allows you to buy marijuana seeds and informational books on... (show bio)

Official sources: Stoner Slang – Marijuana Lingo Translated