“Cannabis is an elegant botanical compound. Cannabis rules: Call things by their right name. It’s a matter of respect. And history.”
As an industry we should really start defining the story and the messages - so much of our lexicon is rooted in the creation of an illegal substance to evoke fear and hatred…
What reference rings true with you?
In high school my friends and I would call it shush. And we wouldn’t dare call a water pipe a bong that gets you bared from the headshop.
It’s interesting that the terms people use to refer to cannabis have changed throughout history, but remained consistent. For example, hashish is the Arabic word for grass, and is one of the oldest terms used to refer to cannabis.
But we’re starting to see a refreshing trend – people referring to sativa, indica, ruderalis, and hybrids. With the exception of hybrid, these are Latin terms, the language of SCIENCE!
That’s one nice thing about being in Colorado now. We don’t have to watch our language anymore in terms of paraphernalia.
I think that cannabis, marijuana, pot, reefer, etc. are all acceptable names. One person might be more adamant than the next about this issue, but I think it is silly to get too hung up on the name of a plant. Nobody really calls a common crop such as a tomato its proper Solanum lycopersicum so why should anybody call another common crop cannabis sativa? Taxonomists might really disagree on this because they want everything in Latin but people go back and forth on common versus Latin name all the time. The term “cultivar” is also more appropriate instead of “strain” because these plants have been cultivated by humans for their desirable traits and do not breed true (similar) offspring. If people want to be specific we would label our plants as Cannabis indica ‘Northern Lights’ or Cannabis sativa ‘Durban Poison.’ I’d really like to see supercropping nuked from any growers vocabulary though 
I prefer to say Cannabis. It does feel like a more elegant and mature name for a plant that has been so villianized by the government and society for too long. Marijuana reminds me of Cheech and Chong and just draws a negative feeling IMO. Same with Pot/reefer/etc…it just dredges up all those dark years when I hear those nicknames. Unfortunately Alaska has chosen the term Marijuana in their regulations so I’m stuck having to hear and use what I feel is a derogatory name for a wondeful plant.
I’ll admit that I didn’t think about the connotations much until I started working here and @nick explained to me that cannabis was the preferred term in the industry for just the reasons you mentioned. Now I make a point to use cannabis when I talk to people outside the industry to explain what my job is.
It’s definitely one of those things you never think about outside of the industry. Cannabis sounds pretentious at first until you notice all the negative connotations for the other words.
I’m usually quick to educate people that weed, pot, and reefer are derogatory. Maine has the same problem with labeling the programs here with "marijuana ". For now I suppose it is ok because there are still a lot of people that don’t know what “cannabis” is. We all should be advocating the title cannabis I believe.
One thing that helps is if you can point out the racist history of the term “marijuana” in the US. That gets people to quickly switch to using the word cannabis.
Interesting article on the etymology of the word marijuana:
http://www.airavidashop.com/blog/2016/11/20/how-did-marijuana-come-to-be-the-word-of-choice
We use the term “cannabis” even though “Weed” is in the name of our product. 
Looks like Hawaii wants to officially change their wording from marijuana to cannabis:
http://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/hawaii-cannabis-replace-marijuana/
On the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Report which looked at Farmer Tom L
auerman’s operation in South Western Washington the federal government used the correct term–cannabis–on an official document for the first time since 1937.
I was quoted in my towns local paper recently when, at a town hearing about “recreational” marijuana, I explained to the selectmen and town folks how many of the names for cannabis stemmed from racist roots and asked if in the town ordinances that are to be drafted could refer to "recreational marijuana " as adult use cannabis.
There was an incredible book written in the 1980’s about the history of drug laws pasted between 1900 and 1950 in the south. The Dixycrats and there push to have cannabis listed as a scheduled drug in order to have the first pure food act.
I wish I could remember the name of the book. It may been in the power of the Dixycrats in reshaping laws against inclusion.
I will find the book reference and post. I think it’s in my catalog.
Way to go! Thanks for standing up and educating others about the negativity surrounding the many names that have been given to this incredible plant!
Dear @garymorgan,
A poem is needed
Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
I was taught to ask questions.
From the voices in my head
Ethan
I’ve heard that before and it sunk in real good when I first heard it. I’ve mostly spoke my mind ever since.
Me too, when you are surrounded by survivors, you kinda start see the world through different lenses.
From the voices in my head
Ethan Kayes
