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Why you should stop calling it “marijuana”

Why you should stop calling it “marijuana”

history of the word marijuana

The majority of Americans now approve of cannabis legalization on the federal level. Yet the majority of the country still refers to the plant by much different name: marijuana.

If you walked up to someone in their mid-forties and asked them their opinion on cannabis, there’s a chance they wouldn’t know what you were talking about. However if you asked them if they supported the legalization of marijuana, there’s a higher likelihood of them supporting it than not.

So where is the confusion?

When we have been referring to cannabis as “marijuana” for nearly a century, it isn’t as easy to telling people that the name has changed. But the reality is that cannabis was always, well, cannabis.

Origins of cannabis

Cannabis has been a known and used plant for medicine and recreation for centuries. With use dating back to 8,000 B.C. in Mesopotamia, those studying medicine throughout the generations have had plenty of time to learn about the origins of the cannabis plant.

Through these studies, this is where the plant’s name originates. Actually, it has several names for the various types of cannabis that can be found across the globe.

Cannabis Ruderalis (northern/central Asia), Cannabis Sativa (Eastern Europe/Central Asia), and Cannabis Indica (China, Korea, Southeast Asia, Himalayas, Middle East) are the most studied and well known biotypes of cannabis. These are the scientific names for the plant. Notice that none of them have the word “marijuana” or anything close to it in their title.

So if cannabis had held that name for centuries of scientific study, what changed?

The answer to this question is why you should stop using the word “marijuana” when talking about cannabis.

Origins of “marijuana”

The origins of the word “marijuana” or “marihuana” are debated among the cannabis community. But one thing is inarguable; the word is racist.

Cannabis,  AKA hemp, was a major cash crop in the United States for decades, with the government even requiring its production by farmers during the Revolutionary War. Now, why cannabis became illegal in the first place is highly debated.

Many argue that cannabis became illegal because major paper manufacturers and big cotton producers partnered together to phase out hemp as a material for paper. However there is very little historical information to back this up. The more recognized and historically traced reason for the criminalization of cannabis goes back to the introduction of Mexican immigrants to the United States.

Prior to their arrival, recreational use of cannabis was not widely accepted. The plant’s main uses were medicinal and manufacturing. Hash and concentrated forms of cannabis were commonly used by doctors to treat a variety of ailments. The fibers of the hemp plant were great not only for creating boat sails which were vital to the war effort, but hemp was also a vital material in clothing and paper for decades.

However it was when Mexican immigrants arrived and brought their preferred method of cannabis consumption with them that the plant would begin to gain notoriety. Opposed to consuming it in a medicinal form such as a tincture which was common in the country at the time, the immigrants would roll up loose cannabis flower into cigarettes or pack it into pipes and smoke it.

Just like today, immigration of Mexicans to the United States stirred up xenophobia. In the 1930s a man named Henry Anslinger, the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotic (now the DEA), made a distinct effort to link cannabis use to Mexican immigrants to stir up fear in the community and build support for prohibition.

Keep in mind this is the 1930s, and alcohol prohibition had already been in effect for almost a decade. So the idea of banning a substance through provoking fear in the public was by no means a new concept.

Anslinger would coin the term “marihuana” to replace cannabis. He chose the word because of its foreign sounding nature that could be attached to Mexican immigrants. But Mexicans weren’t the only victims of Anslinger’s racist campaign against cannabis.

Henry Anslinger held such views on cannabis as, “Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men,” and, “Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing.​” One of his most famous quotes is as revealing as we need it to be to recognize the racist intentions of the word “marijuana”:

“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.​​”

Need I say more?

In the end as we all know, Anslinger’s plan would be a success. In 1937 the United States passed the Marihuana Tax Act which would be the basis for criminalizing the plant nationwide in the years to come.

After the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 went into effect, the Bureau of Narcotics arrested Moses Baca for marijuana possession. Baca was a Mexican-American and was the first victim of the federal government’s war against drugs.

It’s time to move on

To make a long story short, the only reason the word “marijuana” even exists in the first place is because of racism. And that same racism has fueled the drug war that has plagued the United States for decades, with that word being at the forefront of the campaign.

Does this make everybody who calls cannabis marijuana a racist? Of course not. Don’t attribute malice to that which can be explained by ignorance.

It’s not like the history and prohibition of cannabis is taught the same way prohibition of alcohol is in high school. Politicians don’t want to talk about the dark, tattered history of the plant and why it became illegal in the first place. Anybody who wanted to know the history of cannabis had to seek it out themselves, and in most cases still do!

Let’s not forget that cannabis is still illegal on the federal level, all because of the racist campaign Henry Anslinger started in the early 20th century. Well, we’re in the 21st century now, and it is time to move on from the outdated, racist terms used to describe a plant that thousands use as medicine and recreation.

It isn’t snobby to call cannabis by its proper name to combat the decades of racism its former helped promote. It isn’t elitist or trying to be cool to use the proper terms for a plant that the majority of us want to be legal.

How can we expect legalization of cannabis when we can’t agree on what to call it?

The Real Dirt 420 Events Etiquette Guide

The Real Dirt 420 Events Etiquette Guide

With 4/20 happening on a Saturday this year, it’s bound to be a good holiday. But there’s some general rules of etiquette you should follow so you don’t ruin it for others.

4/20 is a great day. It’s one of the only days out of the year where cannabis is not only tolerated by the masses, but celebrated by the cannabis community.

With 420 events happening on a Saturday this year (compared to Friday last year when most people had to work until the evening), theres bound to be more people celebrating than last year. It also means there’s a higher likelihood of something stupid happening that could easily be avoided.

Here’s a few tips for making sure you have a safe and awesome time at your 420 events.

Pick Up After Yourself

When cannabis was first legalized in Colorado, the 420 events that happened that year were massive. However, with the new legalization came a new crowd of cannabis consumers excited to celebrate the plant throughout the city of Denver.

Unfortunately with so many people getting baked across the city, at a wide range of events in both private and public spaces, there was a huge buildup of trash. Not just trash, but also litter.

The event spaces were filled with trash once the festivities were over, with very limited crew to clean it all up. This led a lot of non-celebrators blaming “stoners” for leaving a mess around the city. Suffice to say, it didn’t make the community look good.

With that said, the community has stepped it up, starting 420 events cleanup initiatives to clean up event spaces. But you can still do your part. Don’t leave your roaches all around town, throw them in a trash can.

Recycle that water bottle that you just finished. Yes, it’s annoying getting all the little handouts from businesses at these events, but you can easily so no thanks, or just throw it out instead of onto the ground.

Pace Yourself

You might be thinking that 420 is basically the holiday of smoking as much weed as possible in one day. At least, that’s what I did in college. But as it becomes more accepted in broader society, it isn’t necessary to be so excessive for the sake of celebration at this year’s 420 events.

If you’re in a legal state like Colorado, there’s a ton of events going on across Denver. If you burn through a half ounce at 10 AM, it might make it more difficult to go out later in the day. But if you’re smart and plan it out, you’ll be fine.

Stay away from anything hybrid or indica before lunch. Stick with a straight sativa if you can (even though those labels are really just a myth), until you go out. Once you’re at the Mile High Festival or wherever you decide to go, you can transition to a hybrid. You can relax and enjoy the music without feeling too bogged down at your 420 events.

You should stick with hybrids or sativas as long as you want to be active during the day, and only switch to an indica when you’re winding down for the evening. Most of all, pace yourself.

Don’t pop a bunch of edibles then chase it down with a gram joint. Treat it like alcohol, and just be responsible.

The Smoke Circle

The smoke circle is a delicate ecosystem with unspoken laws especially at 420 events with potential strangers. As long as you know the rules, you have nothing to worry about. Even if you don’t, you don’t really have anything to worry about except for the glares you might get when you put half the joint in your mouth to hit it. Which brings us to the first rule.

Don’t slobber all over whatever you’re smoking, whether it’s a pipe, joint or blunt. A good technique to try with a joint or blunt if you just happen to be a slobbery individual is to hold the joint or blunt between your middle and ring finger and cup both hands to your mouth and pull, and you can hit it without even touching it with your lips.

This can take some practice if your new, but make sure you don’t crush the joint between your fingers when you cup your hands.

Second, and probably the most well-known (and enforced) is the “puff-puff-pass” rule. This rule has been interpreted through the times to mean one of two things. When your passed the joint or blunt, you can either puff-inhale, puff-inhale, or puff-puff-inhale. In close circles, you can get away with two puff-puff-inhales, but in most cases it’s one or the other.

Though to this day, it’s still up for debate among scholars.

The main purpose of the puff-puff-pass rule is to avoid breaking the last rule in the smoke circle, which is commonly referred to as “Bogarting”. Given this unique name from a man named Humphrey Bogart, it refers to holding onto the blunt or joint longer than your turn. Whether you puff-puff-puff-pass on accident or you hold it too long while you tell a rambling story, bogarting has many forms, all of which should be avoided.

Just Have Fun

Let’s get real now. 420 is just a simple holiday to celebrate how far we have come as a cannabis community, how much we have grown. Just look at how the industry is thriving; the boom of legal hemp and CBD, the expanding recreational and medical industries across the US with over half the country now legal in some form.

When I was a freshman in college (6 years ago) I remember saying that cannabis would be federally legal in 5 years. I’ve learned that progress is slow, and the only way to keep this industry thriving and growing is to keep the same enthusiasm we had when we were pushing for state legalization.

But more importantly, we need to appreciate how far we’ve come.

In that spirit, this weekend’s 420 events are about celebrating cannabis however you want. The connection is different for everybody, that’s what makes cannabis, and 420, so incredible. 

Investing in Cannabis with Louis Han

Investing in Cannabis with Louis Han

When Louis Han started at Arcview Group in 2015, the firm had only invested about $60 million in cannabis ventures. Today, they’ve invested over $250 million.

Louis Han is the Director of Deal Flow for The Arcview Group, an investment firm with a strict focus on investing in cannabis. Financing is one of the most difficult aspects of starting a cannabis business.

Louis and The Arcview Group make it easier.

Investing in Cannabis Businesses

Cannabis is still federally illegal. Banks operate on a federal and state level. This makes most banks averse to the idea of loaning money to new cannabis businesses, even if they operate within a legal cannabis state.

The Arcview Group negates the need for cannabis entrepreneurs to go to banks at all. With its massive investor network, from small scale angel investors to big money opportunists, Arcview can invest in cannabis businesses big and small.

Rising Opportunity, Limited Investors

While the opportunity to start a business in the cannabis industry has never been more possible, investors are still limited, and competition to obtain investment is fierce. This means Arcview can’t just invest in anybody. That’s where Louis Han comes in.

As Director of Deal Flow, an aspect of Louis’ job consists of vetting businesses seeking investment. There’s a lot of people looking for financial assistance, but only the most promising will get to interview with Arcview investors. Louis has seen some of the most successful cannabis businesses go through Arcview.

With his experience running his own cannabis business in California, plus his years with Arcview, Louis has an eye for what a cannabis business needs to obtain investment in the industry.

In This Episode

Louis Han is a cannabis investment expert. In this week’s episode of The Real Dirt, Chip and Louis talk over the phone about investing in cannabis and hemp. From how to formulate your pitch to reading your audience, Louis and Chip go through the full investment process.

In the words of Louis, “Getting involved with an investor is almost like getting married. Especially if they own a large portion of your business, they can have an impact on your financial decisions, and the way your business runs.” 

If you’ve been considering seeking investors for your cannabis business, this an episode you’ll want to hear. And check out Arcview Group’s Investor Meeting happening in Canada on April 23rd!

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Maintaining Cannabis Quality: Tony Don’t Smoke OG Ep. 107

Maintaining Cannabis Quality: Tony Don’t Smoke OG Ep. 107

Cannabis quality isn’t everything when it comes to growing, but it’s definitely at the top of the list.

Chip, Tony and i225 are back this week with a new episode of Tony Don’t Smoke OG. In this episode, the three talk about cannabis quality.

i225 Grew some great Cookies that the gang puffs on during the episode, and it brings up the topic of growing great tasting weed, consistently. While it may be as simple as i225 puts it — just making sure your plants get what they need when they need it — it ain’t always that simple.

How plants are grown, how far apart plants are places in the garden, air flow, etc. All of this plays a factor in how your plants turn out. But being consistent with how you grow your plants, regardless of how well you’re actually growing them will always produce similar results.

That’s why it’s always best to stay on top of your schedule, take care of your plants just right, and do it consistently. Don’t over-pour your nutrients or over water to compensate for not watering often.

Hear more on consistency in the garden in the full episode of Tony Don’t Smoke OG!

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Croptober Problems: Harvest Special Pt. 3

Croptober Problems: Harvest Special Pt. 3

Croptober is here! Which means harvest time, and harvest problems.

If you’re in a more arid, dry climate right now, your harvest is probably going off without a hitch. The same can’t be said for the East coast growers out there.

With the extremely rainy hurricane season that hit the east coast this year, growers, especially those in the Southeast, are feeling it.

Croptober harvest problems

October has always been the prime time for harvest, with the natural transition into fall pushing plants into their flower stage just in time for harvest. While those who grow indoors do not have to worry about the changing seasons since they can regulate their environment and grow year round, outdoor growers aren’t as fortunate.

Some can’t afford to grow indoors, others prefer outdoors, and some don’t have any other option than to grow outdoor. This puts the grower at the mercy of nature, and she hasn’t been too kind to growers in the east this year.

Not just the weather

If you thought it was just the weather impacting farmer’s harvests, think again. On the opposite side of the country, it’s a little too dry.

You may have noticed from the 400,000 acres of scorched earth in Northern California that there have been some fires. When fires destroy thousands of acres of land, they also destroy the homes of thousands of wildlife. Especially squirrels.

The impact of the forest fires in California have displaced thousands of squirrels, pushing them south into the Emerald Triangle. I’m sure you can see where this is going.

The refugee squirrel problem

Forced from their homes and into the hills of the Emerald Triangle, squirrels have become an unwelcome guest on many cannabis farms. While non-violent toward the farmers, the same can’t be said of the squirrels and their relationship with cannabis plants.

Crawling all over the plants, eating the stalks and breaking off branches of plants are just some of the problems caused by the new squirrel migrant crisis. It’s too soon to say the total impact this event will have, but many farmers are already reporting ruined harvests due to the rodents.

Harvest Special Pt 3

Hear all about the savage squirrels, the drenched east coast and more on this week’s Harvest Special! Join Chip on Lookout Mountain in Georgia as he talks harvest tips, problems, and solutions.

Listen to the episode right here on The Real Dirt, or listen on the go on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more.

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