Filed Under: Hijacked Holidays
Every year, like THC clockwork, weed brands and dispensaries roll out the same lazy, tone-deaf Cinco de Mayo campaigns. Sombreros slapped on joints. Infused taco packs. “Highdration” margarita gummies. And every time, it’s the same story. No context. No history. Just one more excuse to get faded in a costume.
Let’s get something straight. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. It’s not a celebration of tequila. It is not about party hats and salsa flights. It is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, a brief but significant military victory on May 5, 1862, where outgunned Mexican forces defeated Napoleon’s French army. It was about resistance. Pride. Identity. Not branding.
But in America, it became a meme. The liquor industry got there first. Then the Taco Bell crowd. Now, cannabis is catching up, and it looks just as clueless.
The Real History
Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16, not May 5. Cinco de Mayo commemorates a single battle that symbolized Mexican resilience during a time of occupation and chaos. It was never about drunken parades. In fact, it is barely celebrated in most of Mexico.
So why did it blow up here? Because in the 1980s and 90s, U.S. alcohol companies realized they could spin “Mexican pride” into a party. Beer brands like Corona and Modelo turned the day into a marketing jackpot. Sales boomed. Stereotypes followed. The rest is hangover history.
Cannabis Jumps on the Bandwagon
Now the cannabis industry is playing the same game. One brand sold “Piñata Punch” cartridges last year with cartoon lucha libre packaging. Another offered a “Cinco de Haze-o” special. There are “el blunto” gift boxes. There are “Fiesta packs” with sombrero-shaped lighters.
And not a single one of these brands even mentions Puebla. Or the war. Or the fact that Mexico is still struggling under the weight of U.S.-driven drug policy.
The industry that claims to fight for justice, equity, and cultural legitimacy is parroting the same shallow bullshit as every other cash-grab business on the block.
Weed Culture Should Know Better
Weed culture has deep roots in Latin America. From Oaxacan landraces to the smuggling routes of the 1970s, the plant’s global journey has always been intertwined with Mexican identity. And yet, on May 5, most weed companies pretend Mexican culture is just a flavor.
This is the same industry that barely supports Latino growers. The same world where legacy operators with immigrant backgrounds are getting squeezed out while corporate weed drops “spicy” strains for Cinco de Mayo with zero context.
A Better Way Forward
If cannabis culture actually cares about roots and rebellion, then maybe Cinco de Mayo should be honored differently. Educate. Celebrate Mexican cannabis pioneers. Amplify Mexican American advocates. Run specials that donate to immigration defense funds or equity organizations.
Stop selling caricatures and calling it culture.
And No, We’re Not Buzzkills
No one is saying you can’t smoke and enjoy yourself on May 5. But if you’re lighting up for a holiday, maybe know what you’re celebrating. Maybe show some fucking respect. Maybe don’t turn a war for sovereignty into a weed pun.
Because if weed culture wants to be taken seriously, it has to start acting like it stands for something real.
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