The Messy History of the word ‘Marijuana’

Although it goes b

y many names, such as pot, dope, cannabis, grass, ganja, and even Mary Jane, no other word is used as frequently as “marijuana.” But where does this word come from? While some may know of the Mexican origins of the word “marijuana,” there is a lot more to it. Nearly a century ago, prohibitionists were drawn to the exotic sounding word in order to appeal to the present xenophobia of the time. Anti-cannabis organizations were attempting to place an emphasis on the drug’s foreignness to white Americans in order to create a negative connotation surrounding the word.

Looking into the ban on cannabis in the United States, nearly everything comes back to Harry Anslinger. In 1930, Anslinger became the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the first architect of the war on drugs. He did not hide his prejudice, stating “There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, results from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and others.”

Although these claims were clearly false, they ultimately gave cannabis a bad look, along with the minority groups associated with the drug. Anslinger helped popularize the word “marijuana” in order to appeal to the anti-Mexican prejudice in the United States during this time period, which some say is where the stigma surrounding cannabis was born.

The cannabis industry has grown to be a multi-million dollar business in the United States. The more states that are legalizing cannabis for recreational usage, the more revenue is being brought in. However, while companies are building grow-houses and edible-factories, massive amounts of people, specifically minorities, continue to face incarceration due to possession of negligible amounts of cannabis. Although statistics show that different races use marijuana at roughly the same rate, racial minorities continuously face increased levels of punishment. In 2020, there were 350,150 arrests for marijuana-related violations, which disproportionately affected minority groups.

In today’s world, the words “cannabis” and “marijuana” are used fairly interchangeably, but there has been a push for the use of “cannabis” over “marijuana” due to the messy history of the word. Lawmakers in

Washington D.C. recently passed a law ordering the replacement of the word “marijuana” with “cannabis” in various sections of the Revised Code of Washington, citing the racist, xenophobic history. While some may consider this legislation to be miniscule or small-scale, it still shows effort being made to heal the wrongs that were committed against minorities surrounding cannabis.

While teenagers smoking in their basements might continue to refer to their blunts and joints as marijuana, it’s important that we recognize this complicated, xenophobic history regarding the word, and learn to be mindful of its effect on others. As the cannabis industry continues to bloom, we must learn to do our part in supporting the affected communities and allow them to decide for themselves whether or not the term “marijuana” should continue to be used.