by Dan Ketchum
Language is made to be malleable, and as cannabis culture evolves and flourishes — especially in the age of widespread legalization — it’s becoming clear that the word “stoner” is anything but set in stone. In the contemporary convo, stoner’s meaning has ranged from humorous to hurtful, with a set of stereotypical associations that don’t necessarily reflect the modern cannabis user.
As we roll through the ’20s, the word finds itself at a crossroads. It must evolve or simply get left behind.
‘Stoner’: Meaning and History
Let’s start with a little history. Writing for Jane Street, Madison Margolin theorizes that “stoner” may derive from the Italian word “stonato,” which the Cambridge Dictionary translates as “tone-deaf” or “out of key,” but is often applied as slang for confused, dazed or out of touch with reality.
It’s also possible that the slang derives from the act of being physically stoned, meaning actually pelted with rocks, as in the historical form of punishment and shaming (more on that later). In this way, it’d be akin to slang like “hammered” or “smashed” for drunkenness, which also draw comparisons to bodily harm. Of course, it’s also totally possible that the term simply compares the state of being high with the stationary nature of, you know, a stone.
Regardless of the word’s etymology, “stoner” has been a mainstay since at least the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
By the Book
The Merriam-Webster dictionary currently defines stoner as such: “a person who habitually uses drugs or alcohol.” And this is where we begin to see the problem with the word’s place in today’s cannabis culture: unsavory implications in terms of addiction don’t ring true when cannabis is widely legalized and regulated for medical usage and casual recreation alike. (Besides, Merriam’s focus on alcohol doesn’t even reflect the common lexicon.)
Where We’re At…
Speaking to The New York Times in 2019, Pot Culture: The A–Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life author Shirley Halperin put it simply: “No one wants to say the word stoner anymore.” Halperin speaks of a shift not just among people who use cannabis, but among the wider cannabis industry. Just a year before that NYT interview, prominent cannabis retailer MedMen ran a $2 million ad campaign centered around the tagline, “Forget Stoner.” The company’s former senior VP of communications Daniel Yi told The San Diego Union-Tribune, “That word can be used to negatively stereotype people. We want to take that stigma away.”
Largely, the pushback against words like “stoner” and “pot” is a drive for inclusivity, and a move away from labels that can come across as pejorative. Campaigns to move away from the word seek to normalize the responsible use of cannabis, and to recognize the spectrum of its usage, from professionally prescribed medicinal applications to the occasional dab from a hybrid CBD vape.
As the CDC itself notes, about 48.2 million people in the United States used cannabis at least once in 2019. That’s about 18% of all Americans. It’s easy to understand why stoner’s meaning and usage is increasingly called into question. Are 18% of Americans “habitual drug users”? Are more than 48 million of us ripping bongs on our mom’s basement futon, covered in Cheeto crumbs, perpetually streaming Cheech & Chong: Still Smokin’?
Not likely.
…and Where We’re Going
In 2022, using cannabis does not have to be — and most often isn’t — the pillar of one’s identity. It’s something you can do once a day, once a week, once a month, or once a year; it’s a shared pre-roll to lubricate conversation at a party, a CBD cream to treat day-to-day aches, half an edible for a better night’s sleep, or a dab to inspire creativity. Cannabis is not who you are. It’s simply part of what you do.
In an interview with Dope Girls, DOPE Magazine co-owner David Tran says of “stoner,” “It’s similar to language we use around people who drink alcohol. Usually, if there’s a word to indicate use, said use is in excess. Hence, a ‘wino’ kills a couple Franzia boxes a week. Even calling someone a ‘drinker’ implies that their consumption is frequent enough to be a qualitative pillar of their identity. We don’t have special terminology to cover the spectrum of alcohol consumption.”
It’s this oft-made comparison that truly deconstructs the need for “stoner” in its former sense.
Two Paths Diverge
Just as flourishing canna-culture offers us all kinds of options for intake and application, we’ve got options for this rocky old word. Historically, socially progressive movements often find power in repurposing or appropriating a word that was once derogatory. You absolutely have the right to reclaim the word “stoner,” and to wear it with pride. Drive its meaning away from its former stereotypes by just being who you are, a fully formed, active human being with diverse interests who happens to use cannabis and happens to do a thousand other things, too.
But just as you can repurpose the word, you can just as easily leave it behind. With millions of people partaking and stacks of hard research detailing its benefits, cannabis use (and your place on the spectrum of that use) doesn’t need a label, just as the Wednesday wine drinker doesn’t need a nickname. Whether it’s for your health or just for fun, using cannabis is no longer something that needs to be excused, and the walk away from “stoner” is one more step on that path of progress.
Or, as Tran puts it, “The ones who still think it’s a bad thing, I don’t really need their approval anymore.”
Dan Ketchum is an LA-based freelance lifestyle, fashion, health and food writer with more than a decade of experience. He’s been fortunate enough to collaborate and publish with companies such as FOCL, Vitagenne, Livestrong, Reign Together, Out East Rosé, SFGate, The Seattle Times and more.
Sources
Jane Street – The Origins of ‘Stoner’
Cambridge Dictionary – Stonato
Merriam-Webster – Stoner
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention – Marijuana and Public Health, Data and Statistics
The New York Times – Marijuana, Reefer, Weed: Language and the Devil’s Lettuce
San Diego Tribune – The Marijuana Industry Pushes to Eliminate the Word ‘Stoner,’ Drawing Applause, Anger, Confusion