The Origin of “Wake and Bake”

The phrase “wake and bake” combines the act of waking up with “baked,” a slang term for being high. According to Merriam-Webster, the first documented use dates to 1987. Dictionary.com notes that while people had long been smoking in the morning, the catchy rhyme didn’t take hold until the late 1980s and 1990s, when it spread through stoner culture, comedy, and music.

Some cannabis historians trace the practice of morning smoking back to the 1960s and 70s, when hippie communities and bands like the Grateful Dead helped normalize cannabis rituals. Cannigma notes that Deadheads popularized the idea of starting the day with a joint, even if the phrase itself came later. The Dead’s countercultural ethos intertwined music, psychedelics, and cannabis, cementing the ritual as part of stoner identity [Leaf Nation].

The hippie era also gave us legendary strains like Acapulco Gold, Panama Red, and Maui Wowie, which fueled the “wake and bake” lifestyle. As MJB Farm explains, these strains became symbols of freedom, creativity, and counterculture. The morning ritual wasn’t just about getting high — it was about setting the tone for a day of music, art, and rebellion.