The other day, I was speaking to my mother about a dab rig she just bought. She didn’t know the term for the quartz piece you place your concentrate into. A banger. That was the word she was looking for. Though she used to smoke weed in her younger years, she stopped once I was born. Now that I’m older and the cats out of the bag that I use cannabis, she’s been slowly easing her way back into the culture.
What this interaction with my mom told me was that things have changed in the cannabis culture. There are some words used in today’s High Life Society that many boomers who once toked the devil’s lettuce, may not know. We, your one-stop smoke shop, want to help the baby boomer generation by giving you a
list of terms and lingo used in weed culture. So, if you decide to walk into a smoke shop or dispensary, you’ll know what terminology to use like a pro.
Smoke Shop and DispensaryTerminology :
Below is a list of common terms used in smoke shops and dispensaries, with definitions and images to accompany! Be mindful, if your state has NOT yet legalized cannabis, some smoke shops may not like you using some of these terms. However, if you live in a state where cannabis IS legal (medically and/or recreationally), you shouldn't have any issues.
1) Bong – A large water pipe. The mouthpiece is typically a tube in which your lips go inside, rather than over like a bubbler or traditional pipe. Some smoke shop owners may get upset that you used this word, they may prefer you use “waterpipe” since federally, cannabis is still illegal.
2) Beaker – beaker style pipes, or bongs, have a wide chamber and base to house a large amount of smoke.
3) Straight Tube – Another style for most bongs, the water pipe is completely straight from top to bottom.
4) Bowl – The area or part of the pipe with a concave surface that curves inward, in which you place your dry herbs to be combusted and inhaled.
5) Bowl Slide – This part acts as the “carb” so you can remove it from the water pipe and allow air that has been built up in the chamber to flow freely.
6) Downstem – A long, skinny tube in which the bowl slide will fit. It directs the smoke into the water pipe where it is filtered prior to inhalation.
7) Diffused Downstem – A downstem with slits on the bottom that acts as a percolator to filter the smoke.
8) Ice Pinch/Ice Catcher- Pinched glass formation inside the neck of a bong usually, that will hold and “catch” ice above the water chamber. Usually found in bongs.
9) Dab Rig – a bubbler apparatus designed for dabbing concentrate.
10) Dab – A portion of concentrate to be vaporized for a hit.
11) Dabber – a tool used to scoop up concentrates
12) Percolator – The filtration part of a bong or water pipe that makes the water bubble. It helps filter the smoke through the water before being inhaled, allowing for a smooth, flavorful hit.
13) Carb Cap – a cap placed on top of a domeless nail or vapor dome for regulating airflow.
14) Banger – An apparatus typically used for dabbing and smoking herbs, plants, and/or essential oils.
15) Flower – not be confused with an image like a rose, it refers to the cannabis material you put in your bowl to smoke.
16) Carb – a hole on the side of a pipe that regulates airflow. On hand pipes, it’s usually found near the bowl.
17) Spoon Pipe – a style of pipe named for its resemblance to a spoon. It’s a common hand pipe for many.
18) Female/Male – Might sound silly, we know but its good to know these terms too. These refer to the types of joints. Female joints require male dome, nail, or bowl for proper use. Male joints require a female dome, nail, or bowl for proper use.
19) Piece- A slang term uses to refer to a hand pipe, water pipe, or piece of glass in general.
20) Water Pipe – A pipe that features a percolator and uses water, may also be used to describe a
bubbler or bong.
To many stoners, these are terms we hear regularly in social circles and social media. However, not everyone is savvy to the terminology used in today’s stoner culture. As many baby boomers witnessed in their youth, cannabis was stigmatized and labeled as a drug with no value to human life. However, that
perspective is changing as cannabis, also commonly referred to as weed or marijuana, is growing in popularity. With 11 states legalizing recreational use and 33 states legalizing medical use, it’s no surprise that marijuana use among seniors rose drastically over the last decade as more boomers discover its
ability to treat a variety of health problems including pain, anxiety, and depression. Stay tuned as we will post more terminology next week!