Dope

Introduction: What is Dope?

Dope is slang for drugs, particularly cannabis.

The term has changed meaning and connotation since the early 1900s.

Explore the history and use of this marijuana slang phrase.

History of Dope 

While today closely associated with cannabis, “dope” was originally used as a generic term for drugs and medications. It may derive from the Dutch word “doop,” meaning thick sauce or dip.

The term spread through immigrant communities in the Northeast U.S. before adopting the more specific cannabis connotation.

Early jazz musicians referred to smoking marijuana as “hitting the dope” in the 1920s. From there, dope became closely tied to counterculture and underground drug use, picked up by Beatniks and hippies.

It was popularized in film and music depictions of drug culture. While carrying negative connotations among cannabis users, dope can also indicate high-quality marijuana.

Is Dope Cannabis? 

In current slang, dope almost always refers to cannabis, especially herbaceous flowers and less processed forms like hash.

However, some regions associate dope with heroin or meth.

So, context matters. Among cannabis consumers though, hearing about dope implies a marijuana product, albeit one with a somewhat illicit overtone due to the term’s origins.

While informal, dope remains a ubiquitous synonym for cannabis in pop culture and conversation.