Snoop Dogg’s attempt to trademark “Smoke Weed Everyday” just got shut down by federal regulators over marijuana legality and the phrase’s massive popularity.
Snoop Dogg just got blocked from owning one of hip-hop’s most iconic catchphrases.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected his bid to trademark “Smoke Weed Everyday” this week, and the reasons are pretty straightforward.
The feds said no for two main reasons. First, marijuana’s still federally illegal, so you can’t trademark something tied to unlawful goods.
Second, the phrase is too famous now. It’s everywhere. It’s on t-shirts, mugs, stickers, Amazon listings. Consumers don’t see it as Snoop’s brand, they see it as just a thing people say.
The phrase comes from Dr. Dre‘s 1999 classic 2001. Nate Dogg sang that unforgettable hook on “The Next Episode,” and it became one of the most quoted lines in hip-hop history.
Snoop Dogg was featured on the track too, alongside Kurupt. That one line turned into a cultural moment that lasted decades.
The USPTO specifically noted that the phrase functions as an “informational social, political, religious, or similar kind of message” rather than a trademark. It’s basically become public property at this point.
Snoop’ Dogg is still building his cannabis empire regardless.
He’s got the S.W.E.D. brand selling hemp products online, a dispensary in Los Angeles, and even a coffeeshop in Amsterdam.
The trademark rejection doesn’t stop any of that. It just means he can’t exclusively own the phrase legally. The USPTO did mention that hemp-related terms could potentially get trademarked since hemp was legalized federally in 2018.
But CBD and other cannabinoids are still blocked from being marketed as food or dietary supplements because the FDA hasn’t approved them. So the legal landscape around cannabis branding remains messy.
Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney, noted on his firm’s blog that Snoop could appeal, but the federal legality issue makes it an uphill battle.
The rejection affects the trademark registration only, not the actual business operations. Snoop’s been a fixture in cannabis culture for decades.
He’s talked openly about smoking 81 blunts a day, hired someone to roll blunts for him, and even had a staffer make sure people don’t get too high when smoking with him.
He’s advocated for NBA players to use cannabis instead of opioids. He’s done it all. The catchphrase lives on though, trademark or not.
