Fact Checked by Doctor NameWhat is Cheeba?
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Among the extensive lexicon around cannabis, one nostalgic slang term stands out – cheeba.
Long before legalization, cheeba was used to refer to high-quality bud.
Let’s delve into the history and meaning of this classic cannabis word.
History of Cheeba
The origins of Cheeba can be traced back to 1930s jazz culture. It was used as slang for marijuana or hashish.
One theory suggests cheeba comes from a word in one of the many languages spoken along the trade routes that brought cannabis to the Middle East and Europe.
The term continued to be used as an innocuous code word through the mid-1900s.
Cheeba gained mainstream popularity when it was featured in the 1978 movie Up In Smoke, starring Cheech & Chong.
Is Cheeba cannabis?
Yes, cheeba specifically refers to cannabis of potent, high quality. Traditionally, cheeba denoted cannabis imported from foreign countries that were especially aromatic and psychoactive.
Dealers described quality products as “the real cheeba” or “a taste of cheeba.” Some old-school cannabis enthusiasts still use the word, and it appears in pop culture from time to time.
For example, Notorious B.I.G. boasts, “We blow cheeba smoke ligga” in his breakthrough song “Juicy.” While newer slang like bud, wax, and shatter is now common, cheeba remains part of cannabis culture and history.
