Is it just me or does it get on your nerves when you hear people refer to our favourite plant as "Marijuana"? 
Why?
Well, first of all, the plant`s correct, scientific name is Cannabis (indica/sativa). There`s no plant on Earth thats called Marijuana.
So, does everyone have to call it Cannabis? No, of course not, there`s lots of slang like weed, pot etc.
So what`s my point? Why am I getting worked up about the word "Marijuana"?
Marijuana, as most of you know, is Spanish.
Mari = Mary
Juana = Jane
OK. When the American politicians decided to prohibit it`s use earlier last century (
), they had to make the public fear this "dangerous drug".
How to do so? Use some old-fashioned scare tactics*, that are still being used today:
Its those damn foreigners (in this case, Mexicans) bringing their strange drugs into our goddamn country!
*Other old tactics still being used in the war on drugs:
"It`s dangerous!" "It`s addictive!" "It ruins our youth!" "It makes people insanely violent and practically bullet-proof!" "It turns you into a criminal!"
They had to give it a name that sounded foreign, so they used the slang word that the immigrant Mexicans were using: Marijuana. But that`s all that word was. Slang. And used on purpose by the US government to twist peoples perception of a herb.
But when did that slang word become the "official" term? Even "dope", with it`s negative connotations is preferable.
Now, lawyers, politicians, doctors and scientists are talking about "Medical Marijuana", on the news people are being busted for "Marijuana possession".
I mean, that`s the same as calling it "Medical weed", or "Medical chronic", right???
It just irks me every time I hear it said, because of the original reason that it was used.
OK,
Bit of a rant but I wanted to see if anyone else feels the same way.
Or maybe I`m over-reacting and it hadn`t occured to anyone.
Tell me what you think.
Why?
Well, first of all, the plant`s correct, scientific name is Cannabis (indica/sativa). There`s no plant on Earth thats called Marijuana.
So, does everyone have to call it Cannabis? No, of course not, there`s lots of slang like weed, pot etc.
So what`s my point? Why am I getting worked up about the word "Marijuana"?
Marijuana, as most of you know, is Spanish.
Mari = Mary
Juana = Jane
OK. When the American politicians decided to prohibit it`s use earlier last century (
), they had to make the public fear this "dangerous drug".How to do so? Use some old-fashioned scare tactics*, that are still being used today:
Its those damn foreigners (in this case, Mexicans) bringing their strange drugs into our goddamn country!
*Other old tactics still being used in the war on drugs:
"It`s dangerous!" "It`s addictive!" "It ruins our youth!" "It makes people insanely violent and practically bullet-proof!" "It turns you into a criminal!"
They had to give it a name that sounded foreign, so they used the slang word that the immigrant Mexicans were using: Marijuana. But that`s all that word was. Slang. And used on purpose by the US government to twist peoples perception of a herb.
But when did that slang word become the "official" term? Even "dope", with it`s negative connotations is preferable.
Now, lawyers, politicians, doctors and scientists are talking about "Medical Marijuana", on the news people are being busted for "Marijuana possession".
I mean, that`s the same as calling it "Medical weed", or "Medical chronic", right???
It just irks me every time I hear it said, because of the original reason that it was used.
OK,
Bit of a rant but I wanted to see if anyone else feels the same way.
Or maybe I`m over-reacting and it hadn`t occured to anyone.
Tell me what you think.
Last edited:
) but figured he was born around 1995 or thereabouts. Ah, youth.
