Have you ever wondered how to say popular weed words and phrases in sign language? If so, you are not the first! Thankfully, the American Sign Language is way ahead of us and has created a number of signs for the stoner community. This is awesome news for everyone! For those who sign regularly and want to broaden their vocabulary, cannabis sign language means inclusivity. But for those of us who don’t, weed sign language can be extremely beneficial when you need to keep it incognito. Either way, here is how to talk about cannabis, using your hands.
Rule of thumb – Use your dominant hand to make the dominant gestures
Weed sign language for Dried cannabis flower
- As if you were smoking a joint, pinch your index finger and thumb together while holding your middle, ring, and pinky straight up.
- Thumb and index finger first, move your hand towards the corner of your mouth, and then move it away. Repeat this gesture.
Cannabis sign language for 420
To sign 420: Make the sign for four, then the sign for twenty!
Four
- Curl your thumb into your palm and hold your four fingers up, palm facing towards you
Twenty
- Curl your back three fingers with your palm facing down
- Tap your index finger and thumb in a pinching motion, twice
Sign Language for Pipe
- Extend your thumb and pinky out, while curling your three middle fingers towards your palm
- Fingers and palm facing out, tap the corner of your mouth twice with your thumb
Pass the weed
Use this sign to tell your buddy to pass the joint!
- Pinch your index finger and thumb together and extend your other fingers up.
- As if you were holding a joint to your lips, bring your thumb and pointer finger to the corner of your mouth.
- Keeping your fingers in that position, make a circular, counter-clockwise motion.
Sign for Cannabis plants
1st hand motion – sign for dried cannabis flower
- As if you were smoking a joint, pinch your index finger and thumb together while holding your middle, ring, and pinky straight up.
- Thumb and index finger first, move your hand towards the corner of your mouth, and then move it away. Repeat this gesture.
2nd hand motion – this motion signifies the plant
- With a flat hand, turn your palm to face your chest.
- Raise your other hand behind your palm, fingers first.
- As you raise your hand, spread your fingers out.
- Repeat this motion twice.
Pothead – A cannabis enthusiast
1st motion – sign for dried cannabis flower
- As if you were smoking a joint, pinch your index finger and thumb together while holding your middle, ring and pinky straight up.
- Thumb and index finger first, move your hand towards the corner of your mouth, and then move it away. Repeat this gesture.
2nd motion
- With one slightly lower than the other, bring both hands in front of you, palms facing inwards.
- Make two fists as you pull your arms down.
Medicine
- Hold your hand out flat, palm up
- Using your middle finger, hold your fingertip in the center of your palm and rock your finger from side to side
Cookie
This sign is used to represent the noun cookies. But, if the sign for dried cannabis flower is used first, it’s easy to sign cannabis cookies.
- Hold one hand flat, palm up.
- Hold the other hand as though you were turning a door handle, fingertips down on your palm.
- Turn your wrist from side to side while tapping your fingers on your palm.
Dab
There is no official sign to represent cannabis concentrates but there is one that is commonly recognized throughout the cannabis community, the dance move known as dabbing.
- Drop your head into the elbow of your upturned arm.
- Extend your other arm in a parallel direction.
The author would like to acknowledge and thank both her mother, Marie Veintrop, and the hard work of Jolanta Lapiak and HandSpeak: American Sign Language Online.