Weed Slang: Different Names For Weed Around The World

Ever wondered how to buy weed in Paris? For starters, you have to at least know how to say it, as the French are notorious for sticking to their own language.

But what if your travels take you elsewhere? While we probably wouldn’t recommend running around Russia asking where to score, since you could easily land yourself in prison, knowing a bit of local lingo can help you find some herb across the world.

While there are a million slang terms for cannabis, and many of them are used worldwide, some are more regionally specific. Whether that’s formal terms for cannabis like translations in other languages, or street names and nicknames, this guide covers it all.

For the well-traveled stoner, here are the most common slang terms for weed you’ll likely encounter across the globe.

Different Names For Weed Across 15 Countries 

Cannabis goes by countless names across different languages and cultures. You’ve probably heard of classic nicknames like “pot” and “ganja,” but their history goes deeper than you think. Many of these marijuana slang terms, code words, and street names for marijuana reflect regional histories and cultural attitudes towards it.

In other words, you can easily pick up the vibe of how the locals feel about weed simply by how they refer to it. And the nicknames for marijuana vary dramatically depending on where you are in the world. Consider this guide your dictionary for cannabis slang names.

Without further ado, here’s how folks around the globe describe weed.

United States

The United States is absolutely brimming with weed terms, and the list is never-ending. Even researching this, I came across names I’ve never heard before. Ones that might just have Gen Z written all over them.

To make this as easy as possible for both of us, here are just a few of the most popular street names for marijuana in the United States:

• Grass: One of the oldest slang names dating back to the 1960s
• Pot: Possibly derived from the Spanish “potiguaya”
• Reefer: Made famous by the propaganda film “Reefer Madness”
• Mary Jane: A play on the word “marijuana”
• Herb: Our favorite 😉
• Bud: Referring to the flower of the cannabis plant

You might come across more “colorful” street names for marijuana like “killer green bud,” “rainy day woman” (made popular by Bob Dylan), and “lady Jane.” You might also overhear classy ladies chatting about picking up some “marijuana cigarettes,” which are none other than skinny joints. On the other hand, a “blunt” refers to cannabis wrapped in a tobacco leaf.

Canada

The land of legal weed. Canadian weed slang isn’t so different from American. We usually just call it weed. But when it comes to other nicknames, they’re a bit of a vintage “hoser” vibe. Still, you’re likely pretty familiar with these nicknames for marijuana use:

• Doobie: A popular term for a joint
• Dime bag: A small amount worth $10
• Green: Refers to the color of the plant
• Sticky icky: Referring to high-quality resinous buds
• Chronic: Particularly potent weed

Bonus points if you ask a Canadian stoner if they wanna head “out for a rip,” bud.

United Kingdom

The UK is on a whole other level when it comes to cannabis vocabulary versus Canadian slang:

• Skunk: Referring to potent weed
• Zoot: A joint
• Peng: High-quality cannabis
• Tinger: A dime bag (small amount)

British cannabis culture also has terms like “buda butter crack” in some areas, which is usually just really potent weed, not harder substances.

Jamaica

Cannabis culture has deep roots in Jamaica. The country’s connection to cannabis is unlike any other. If you’re heading to Jamaica, knowing a bit of local weed slang will definitely pay off:

• Ganja: The most widely known term, also with roots in Hindi
• Herb: Often used in Rastafarian contexts where cannabis has religious meaning
• Kaya: Made famous by Bob Marley
• Lamb’s bread: A specific strain associated with Jamaica
• Spliff: Typically larger than joints in other countries, usually not mixed with tobacco

The word “ganja” has spread like wildfire, and Jamaica has become recognized worldwide as one of the most welcoming places for cannabis use. A must-visit for stoners looking to spark up on their getaway.

Brazil

In Brazil, the Portuguese language gives us different terminology:

• Maconha: The most commonly used Brazilian term for marijuana
• Erva: Translates to “herb”
• Beck: A joint
• Baseado: Another term for a joint
• Fininho: A thin joint

Mexico

Many common forms of cannabis in the U.S. historically came through Mexico. You’ve probably heard names like “grass dope” and other code words for different cannabis strains. In some cases, slang terms for weed in America are nearly exact translations of Mexican weed slang:

• Mota: Perhaps the most common Spanish slang for weed
• Yerba: Literally “herb”
• Porro: A joint
• Grifo: Refers to someone high on marijuana
• Pacheco: Mexican word for “pothead”

Spain

Spanish cannabis culture has its own unique terminology:

• María: The Spanish equivalent of “Mary Jane”
• Hierba: Translates to “grass” or “herb”
• Porro: A joint (shared with other Spanish-speaking countries)
• Canuto: Another term for a joint
• Chocolate: Refers specifically to hashish

Netherlands

In the cannabis-friendly Netherlands:

• Wiet: Pronounced like “weed”
• Hennep: Refers to hemp varieties of cannabis
• Jonko: A joint
• Blowen: Smoking marijuana
• Stickie: A pre-rolled joint sold in coffee shops

Germany

German cannabis terminology includes:

• Gras: Literally “grass”
• Dope: Borrowed from English
• Tüte: A joint (literally means “bag” or “cone”)
• Piece: A pipe for smoking
• Bong: Same as in English for a water pipe

South Africa

Here’s the cannabis slang you can likely expect to hear in South Africa:

• Dagga: The most common term, derived from the Khoikhoi language
• Zol: A joint
• Boom: High-quality cannabis
• Ganja: Borrowed from Jamaican terminology
• Skyf: Smoking marijuana

India

Cannabis has ancient roots in India and comes with its own slang and nicknames:

• Bhang: A traditional beverage made with cannabis
• Charas: Hand-rolled hashish
• Ganja: This time, it’s the flowering tops of the plant
• Sulfa: A cheaper, lower-quality form of cannabis
• Maal: General slang for cannabis

Australia

Australian cannabis slang is pretty entertaining:

• Hooch: General term for cannabis
• Durry: Can refer to a joint (also used for cigarettes)
• Cone: A single serving of cannabis in a pipe or bong (a bowl)
• Stick: A small amount of cannabis
• Choof: Smoking cannabis

France

French cannabis terminology includes:

• Beuh: Pronounced similar to “bud” without the “d”
• Pétard: A joint (literally means “firecracker”)
• Shit: I know what you’re thinking, but it refers to hashish
• Tarpé: Refers to sticky, resin-packed weed
• Marie-Jeanne: The French equivalent of “Mary Jane”

Italy

Italian cannabis slang includes:

• Erba: Literally “grass”
• Spinello: A joint
• Fumo: Hashish (literally “smoke”)
• Canna: Another term for a joint
• Maria: Similar to the Spanish “María”

Russia

Again, we don’t recommend trying to get weed in Russia. But here’s some terminology (for educational purposes):

• Travka: Literally “grass” (diminutive form)
• Plan: General term for cannabis
• Kosiak: A joint
• Konoplya: The formal word for the cannabis plant
• Anasha: Central Asian term adopted into Russian

Global Trends in Weed Slang

As mentioned, weed slang is always changing. I didn’t know half the terms I initially stumbled upon. And who knows, maybe next year, we’ll have to update this list as they become common street names.

But how does that happen? Several factors influence how these terms develop and spread:

1. Music and Media: Terms like “reefer” and “sticky icky” spread through song lyrics and films. Bob Marley introduced “kaya” to the world, while Cypress Hill popularized terms like “getting stoned.”
2. Migration Patterns: Terms like “ganja” (from India to Jamaica to the world) come from pure human migration and cultural spread.
3. Internet Culture: As we know, it never quits. Many weed terms you’re familiar with are a result of internet culture. Terms like “couch lock” and “mashed munchies” are now recognized worldwide.
4. Legalization Impact: In places where weed is legal for recreational use, you’ll usually find an abundance of nicknames. Whereas more relaxed places like Canada often refer to it as straight-up weed or flower.

Words like “joint,” “weed,” and “cannabis” have become nearly universal in multiple languages. But for more complex language barriers or navigating areas where weed isn’t particularly legal, knowing some cannabis lingo definitely pays off.

And we’re not just talking about knowing how to describe cannabis in different places. You’ll understand a bit more about the plant’s complex global journey from traditional medicine to prohibited substances to increasingly accepted recreational and medicinal treatment options.

Many states in the U.S. and Canada are already one step ahead. With time and advocacy, we can only hope that more countries adopt a similar view and see our favorite plant as less of a drug and more of what it actually is: herbal relief.