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When you refer to the Meriam-Webster definition of “weed” you’re not going to read what today’s hip youth are referring to as marijuana. In fact, far from it.

Definition:
Weed (pr: wēd): A plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth.

According to dictionary.com, the term weed is defined as “any undesirable or troublesome plant, especially one that grows profusely where it is not wanted.”

Wow… ok. One could certainly argue the fact that what you’ll find in today’s weed dispensary near you is far from “not valued.” And let’s not skirt the fact that many of us find it desirable as hell!

In fact, a weed dispensary in today’s legal landscape produces some of the highest quality cannabis this country has ever seen. The science of cultivating marijuana for recreational sale has come a long way in recent years, making some wonder if we should still call it weed?

Where Did “Weed” Come From?

Let’s take a deeper look at the origin of the term weed when describing marijuana.

One of the earliest introductions came in 1929 when American Speech first listed it “Among the new words” in reference to a marijuana cigarette. Since that first contribution to slang terms used to describe marijuana, the term weed found a renewed renaissance in the 1990s. It is theorized that this new generation of cannabis users wanted a way to distinguish the plant from what their parents might call “pot” or “dope,” and the use of the word weed was also a far cry from what the hippies of yore would call “grass.”

Taking a closer look at the use of the term in American literature, it’s interesting to see a spike beginning in the early 2000s. It seems that Millenials are the driving force behind choosing the term as their preferred moniker for the plant. In fact, when you compare the use of the phrases “smoking pot” or “smoking marijuana” versus “smoking weed” in web search, it is clear that people are more inclined now to search for and use the latter as their preferred descriptor.

For many of you, the term “weed” might conjure up memories of a ziplock baggy holding just enough shake to roll up one last joint. It might take you back to the Pink Floyd days when smoking weed was your invitation into a world soaked in blacklight and uncontrollable laughter.

Depending on what website you choose to reference, there are anywhere from 400 to 1,200 different slang terms used to describe the lovely flower that blooms from the cannabis plant. In that light, who’s to say that using the term weed is any better or worse than the plethora of other options one might select?

So, here we stand at Billo in the midst of the legal cannabis industry, grappling with how to talk about the plant professionally. On the one hand, those of us who operate in the cannabis world tend to call it just that; cannabis. On the other hand, customers search terms like “weed near me” or “who has the best weed” more now than they once did. As a dispensary, it’s difficult not to consider using that jargon as well. We tend to cringe at the idea of ever being called a weed dispensary. It appears, however, that is what a large majority of people are searching for on our behalf.

If you ask our dedicated growers, many would balk at ever using the word “weed”. There is a high level of science involved in curating the perfect strain of our favorite plant. Calling it anything else seems to belittle the process.

So the questions remain: Do we opt for an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” mentality? Or do we continue operating in what we deem a more professional manner when describing our products? For now, let’s just agree that whatever you or we choose to call it, it’s an incredible plant that we’re thankful to cultivate and sell legally here in Colorado.

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No matter what you call it, browse our online inventory or stop by our Steamboat Springs dispensary for the best selection of top-shelf marijuana flower, concentrates, and cannabis-infused products!