A weed by any other name would smell as dank. Cannabis, weed, reefer, trees, loud – the list goes on for the many monikers of marijuana. But what do they like to call it online and in the streets of South Africa? Norway? India?
The Marijuana.com team has compiled a list of the most commonly searched weed-slang from around the globe. We analyzed a laundry list of frequently used words in the marijuana lexicon to identify which were the most popular in each country. We then compared the trending popularity of specific weed words in search queries — a string of words typed into a search engine.
In our research, we learned there are three terms in the stoner lexicon with overwhelming popularity all over the globe: “420,” “Mary Jane,” and “Weed.” Those three terms ranked somewhere at the top of the list in almost every country. While these slang terms originated in North America, sweet Mary Jane and the legendary Waldos are identifiable to stoners across the planet, reminding us that the cannabis community is incredibly tight-knit.
Fun Fact: The search “420” saw a significant spike from April 16 to April 22, 2017, rising above “marijuana” by 39 percent. That same spike in interest was seen for “420” in almost every other country during the exact same period.
Mary Jane
Rick James may have been the first to belt out his love for Mary Jane in 1978, but the rest of the U.S. and Canada have been singing her praises for decades. Mary Jane came in right behind 420 in popularity for American and Canadian weed slang. It’s actually a play on the Mexican pronunciation of “marijuana” which sounds a lot like “Maria Juana,” or Mary Jane.
Ganja
“Gimme some ganja” pulses through the background lyrics of Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA,” a sentiment reciprocated in U.S. and Canadian weed-related search terms.
The United Kingdom
Skunk
Most predominant in the Northern regions of the UK including Scotland and Northern Ireland, Skunk is the most searched, and according to our intel at Marijuana.com, the #1 cannabis slang term in the United Kingdom.
Peng
Peng originated in Nottingham to describe what we would call “nug-run” cannabis. But marijuana isn’t the only lady this term is used to describe; peng is also used around the UK to refer to an attractive female. Essentially, peng is the good stuff.
Zoot
Roll up a zoot and get your blaze on! A zoot is the equivalent of a spliff or joint. Although, spliffs and joints are distinguished by the inclusion of tobacco, “zoot” is used interchangeably to mean both. So ask before taking a hit if you’re tobacco-averse and offered a zoot.
Teahead
A “teahead” is defined as a habitual cannabis user and even has its very own dictionary definition on Google. Go ahead and search for it, we’ll wait.
Australia
Hooch
Hooch is the #1 slang term for marijuana use by the elderly generation of Australians — it’s the American equivalent of “grass.” Hooch typically refers to a joint, and the term is a derivative of “hoochie,” which is used to describe easy access to … you know. And so, since joints present an easy-access high, prerolls have been given a similar name.
Ganja
The folks down under like to stick with the classics. Their second most popular cannabis nickname is Ganja.
Choof
While visiting the sandy landscape of Australia, a fellow chief may ask you to go for a choof. Choof refers to both the marijuana plant and the act of smoking it — it’s common among the casual community, not really the full-timers.
India
Bhang
“Bhang” predates any other weed slang term except ganja. More of a cultural food item than a slang for cannabis, there are multiple ways to prepare Bhang, including a marijuana-infused drink that’s often served as an alternative to alcohol.
Ganja
Also a popular term in the U.S., Australia, Romania, and Switzerland, ganja is the literal translation for marijuana in Hindi.
Hash
The etymology (which is a five-dollar word for “the origin of a word”) of hash is derived from the Arabic word hashish — the first known use dates back to 1598.
South Africa
Dagga
Another oldie but goodie, this term is keeping it real. “Dagga” is a term for marijuana that developed in the late 17th century from the Khoikhoi, a nomadic pastoral agricultural people whose name translates to mean “people people” or “real people.”
Netherlands
Wiet
Wiet is Dutch for weed, and is pronounced to sound exactly like you’re saying, “weed.” What language barrier? In the global cannabis community, we all speak in green.
Hennep
Hemp, or hennep in Dutch, is rich in wellness benefits, and those in the Netherlands are quite receptive to what hemp’s marijuana relative has to offer. The most common related searches associated with hennep are “hennep olie” and “hennep kweken,” meaning “hemp oil” and “hemp cultivation” respectively.
Germany
Gras
Good old grass! Just as they referred to it in the United States during the 70s, the German word for “grass” is Germany’s most commonly used cannabis term. So while in Deutschland, refer to your flowers as gras.
Hasch
If someone in Germany offers you a “Hasch Kekse,” know that they aren’t regular brownies or cookies and definitely contain pot. Hasch means “hash” in German and edibles seem to top the charts for German Google searches with queries like “hasch brownies” and “hasch cookies” in related searches.
New Zealand
Electric Puha
Puha is a vegetable native to New Zealand that has been consumed by the Maori for ages. Electric Puha is a different plant entirely, and if you’re reading this, one with which you are probably much more familiar: cannabis. So, puff, puff, and pass the electric puha.
Ireland
Dope
Kiss me, I’m faded! Weed is most commonly referred to as “Dope” in the lush emerald landscape of Ireland. The origin is from the Dutch word “doopen” — meaning to dip or mix — and eventually came to mean a dumb-person, then drugs.
Soapbar Hash
More of a PSA to the Marijuana.com audience than a pet-name for the beloved plant. Do not purchase or smoke “Soapbar Hash.” The term is referential to cannabis flowers that have been weighed down with additives that frequently include rubber and, in some cases, dog feces.
Sweden
Maja
The password is “Maja.” Cannabis is still taboo in Sweden as the sentiment surrounding marijuana is still overwhelmingly stigmatized. When looking for the herb in this country, ask for “maja.”
Mexico
Mota
This Hispanic weed-word is the most popular slang term in Mexico for “weed.” When translated it means “speck.”
Pacheco
Viva Pacheco! Stoners get a very special name in Mexico, Pacheco. Although “pacheco” originally referred to people who drank too much, its refreshed meaning for “pot-head” has a much lighter, and less negative connotation.
Hierba
Hierba is another cannabis nickname in Mexico. It literally means “grass.”
Grifo
Similar to “pacheco,” this local term also refers to a cannabis user in a negative light. The connotation attached to “grifo” is supposed to imply a filthy pothead.
Although all three terms are standard stoner (Pacheco) slang, it is interesting to note which areas in Mexico search these terms most often. In the image above, blue represents a high search interest for “Mota,” red is for “Pacheco,” and yellow is “Hierba.”
Philippines
Hash
Hash is the common word for cannabis in many countries, including the Philippines. With hash production spreading from Arab regions and into the international black market, many places around the globe have adopted hash as their primary means for smoking and referring to cannabis.
Sagada Gold
The cream of the crop in the Northern Philippines is Sagada Gold. This premium cannabis hash is similar to what we would equate to nug-run flower in the United States. Filipinos travel far and wide to get their hands on Sagada Gold, enduring 14-hour drives from the country’s capital into the mountains of Sagada, where these dank buds can be found.
Norway
Rev
The fox says he’s faded. The Norwegian word for fox, “rev,” is also their slang for cannabis. Rev is thought to have partly inspired the song that carved itself a permanent place in meme history, “What Does the Fox Say?” Ding ding ding de-ding … No? Okay.
Blossi
What originally meant a single puff from a cigarette later became the Finnish nickname for cannabis. It is also the name of a 1997 Icelandic film that portrays two lovers embarking on a drug-drug-fueled road trip across Iceland.
Spain
Mota
“Mota” translates to mean “speck” but is also the Spanish slang for cannabis. You’ll hear weed referred to as mota in Spain as well as Mexico.
Porro
Pass the porro! “Porro” is the Spanish word for a joint that’s frequently used in Spain and Argentina.
France
Pétard
Fire it up! Petard means “joint” in cannabis slang, but literally translates to mean banger or firecracker.
Le Shit
This reefer reference looks like it’s pertaining to something foul, but it’s definitely not. “Le Shit” is the name for cannabis resin in France. If you’re ever traversing the glistening, high-fashion, museum-filled streets of Paris, and in search of the good stuff, now you know how to ask.
La beuh
Ooo La Beuh! Pronounced “bud” without the “d” at the end. This French weed phrase is how the stoners of France refer to their herb.
Italy
Spinello
Puff, puff, and pass the spinello. This Italian marijuana word translates to “reefer” in English but is used to refer to a joint in Italy.
Erba
This word means “grass” in Italian but often refers to a very special kind of grass — the marijuana kind.
Le Canne
Canne is another Italian pet-name for cannabis. Canne loosely translates to “reeds” in English while Le Canne means “the joints.”
Brazil
Maconha
The actual word for “marijuana” in Portuguese is “maconha,” with the top related search query being “fumar maconha” which means to — you guessed it — smoke marijuana. The second related query for maconha is “maconha folha” or, “cannabis leaves.” Type that into your search engine and watch the internet retrieve images of our five-pointed, emerald darling.
Erva
“Herb” is the word and Brazilians are right on the money in recognizing cannabis’ sweetness. “Doce erva,” meaning “sweet herb” is the most popular related query, and rightfully so! Black Sabbath would agree, just put on their song “Sweet Leaf” and listen to the early 70s ode to cannabis.
Beck
Like to end your day fumando um beck? “Beck” is the Brazilian slang word for joint. Should you find yourself in a sesh circle in Brazil you can ask them to “Passe (pass) o beck” like a pro.
Fazendo a Cabeça
Mid-90s Brazilian rap/rock band Planet Hemp released their song, “Fazendo a Cabeça,” which is all about smoking weed. So puff, puff, and fazendo a cabeça.
Denmark
Tjald
Danish rock band Gasolin’ developed this cannabis code word in the 1970s and it quickly became a common term amidst the stoner and hippie cultures in Denmark. It is said the band was inspired by a ship named Tijaldur that was docked on the Copenhagen shore at the time.
Belgium
Pétard
Also the # 1 weed term in France, Pétard refers to a joint. This term’s popularity in Belgium is due to the mix of official languages that include, French, Dutch, and German.
Hashish
Originating from the Arabic language in the late 16th century, “hashish” has global use and notoriety. Despite its long-standing use, it still pales in comparison to the terms “420,” “Mary Jane,” or “weed.”
Israel
Hash
Hash is the collection of resin off the flowers of the cannabis plant. In Israel and around the globe, it is usually preferred to mix hash with tobacco or marijuana flower since the thick and sticky substance doesn’t burn well alone.
Marihuana
Marihuan-huh? What do Israelis and Michiganders have in common? They both prefer the old-school spelling of marijuana without the “J,” according to this trend analysis. A gram of good, top-shelf flowers generally costs 100 shekels which amounts to $25-$30 USD.
Romania
Weed
Romania experienced medical cannabis legalization in 2013, which may have influenced their most popular search query of, “smoke weed everyday.” It looks like this country picked up the idea from Snoop Dogg since the end of medical cannabis prohibition.
Ganja
Originating from late 19th century Hini, Ganja is the marijuana synonym most commonly searched in Romania.
Switzerland
Hasch
Also the most common weed word in Germany, “Hasch” which is German for “hash” is the most searched cannabis slang in Switzerland.
Ganja
Another marijuana term with foreign origins, Switzerland’s second most popular canna-slang is Ganja. Google searches for this term receive the most interest in Ticino, a region with a heavy Italian influence in language, food, and culture.
Pétard
Switzerland has four official languages, so it is only fitting that the top three weed words are in three different languages. Spark a pétard, which is the French slang for joint and loosely translates to “firecracker.”
credit:marijuana.com
