Stoners

Stoners is a colloquial term for people who regularly consume cannabis, particularly for recreational purposes. The label is informal and can carry a range of connotations, from casual self-identification to stereotypes about laziness or countercultural identity. The term is most widely used in English-speaking countries and has been applied to both individuals and subcultures connected by cannabis use.

Historically, cannabis use has occupied a central place in 20th-century counterculture. The image of the stoner has evolved through music, film, and online communities, from the 1960s to present day. Among the cultural markers associated with stoner subculture are casual dress, music tastes across rock, reggae, and hip-hop, and gatherings at social spaces where cannabis is consumed where legal. Slang terms for cannabis itself vary regionally.

In media, stoners appear as characters embodying laid-back attitudes, humor, or rebelliousness. They have been the subject of comedy as well as more earnest explorations of cannabis culture and policy debates. Real-life usage patterns vary and may overlap with other forms of substance use.

Health and policy: Cannabis use can impair judgment and coordination, with effects depending on dose and method of use. Some individuals may develop cannabis use disorder. Research into medical benefits for certain conditions continues, and many jurisdictions regulate cannabis differently, ranging from medicinal and legal recreational use to strict prohibition.

Legal status: Laws governing cannabis range from decriminalization or legalization for medical or recreational use to prohibition. Enforcement and penalties differ by country, state, or province, shaping how the term stoner is perceived and lived.