Snoop Dogg has been denied a federal trademark for the phrase “Smoke Weed Everyday,” a line famously associated with his music, after U.S. officials determined the slogan cannot function as a protected brand name.
According to a March 10 notice from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the application seeking exclusive rights to the phrase was rejected because the wording is widely used in popular culture and would likely be interpreted as a general message rather than a distinctive brand.
The phrase originated in the Nate Dogg-sung closing line of the 2001 hip-hop track “The Next Episode,” by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg, and has since become one of the most recognizable catchphrases in cannabis culture. Trademark examiners concluded that consumers are already accustomed to seeing the phrase used broadly across merchandise and other products.
Evidence included examples of the slogan appearing on apparel, drink accessories, and other retail items sold online. Because of that widespread use, officials determined that the phrase functions more as an informational or cultural message than as an identifier for a single company or business.
The filing was tied to plans to use the phrase for cannabis-related retail services, including dispensaries and online shops selling cannabis-themed products.
However, the application faced another major hurdle. The agency also noted that federal trademark protections apply only to goods and services that are lawful under U.S. federal law. Since cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, certain marijuana-related activities cannot qualify for trademark registration.
The ruling does not prevent Snoop Dogg from continuing to use the phrase commercially. It simply means he would not receive federal trademark protection that could help stop competitors from using similar names.
The rapper has already incorporated a variation of the slogan into his cannabis ventures. He operates a dispensary called S.W.E.D., an acronym for “Smoke Weed Every Day,” in Los Angeles, along with a coffeeshop with that name in Amsterdam. Unlike the full phrase, the acronym version of the brand has reportedly made progress in the federal trademark process and has received preliminary approval.
Snoop Dogg could still challenge the rejection by responding to the examining attorney or appealing the decision through the trademark office’s review system or federal court.