Ganja

Etymology of Ganja

• The term ‘ganja’ was borrowed from Hindi/Urdu.
• It is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘gañjā’.
• The term was used in Europe as early as 1856.
• It was introduced in Jamaica around 1845 by 19th-century workers.

Contemporary Use of the Term Ganja

• Ganja is a common term for marijuana in the West Indies.
• Peter Tosh defended ganja in the song ‘Legalize It’ in 1976.
• The term was revived in the US by Cypress Hill in 2004.
• Eminem referenced ganja in the song ‘Must Be the Ganja’ in 2009.

English Use of Ganja

• ‘Ganja’ is the primary term for marijuana in the West Indies.

Ganja in Popular Culture

• Peter Tosh defended ganja in the song ‘Legalize It’ in 1976.
• Cypress Hill brought back the term in the US in 2004.
• Eminem mentioned ganja in the song ‘Must Be the Ganja’ in 2009.

References

• Merriam-Webster
• Schwartz, M. Iranian L, and Some Persian and Zaza Etymologies
• McGregor, R. S. The Oxford Hindi-English dictionary
• Torkelson, A. R. The Cross Name Index to Medicinal Plants
• Kranzler, H. R.; Korsmeyer, P. Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior

Ganja Data Sources