Antefdatings of multiple "marijuana" references....

[Sam Clements]

While not an antedating of the term "grass" (OED=1943), the expression was
evidently around quite a bit earlier and no doubt led to the slang
expression:

>From the Elyria(OH) Chronicle Telegram, April 16, 1924:

     < It became known today that city officilas have appealed to the
Cleveland narcotic squad to investigate conditions here on 28th street and a
number of other points where it is believed a Mexican grass called marijuana
is being sold.  This grass is made into cigarettes.....>

"Weed" to mean marijuana is cited from the OED in 1929.

>From the Coshocton(OH) Tribune, May 3, 1927....

     <By rep. V.E. Cramer, Toledo, prohibiting sal in Ohio of Mexican weed
known as marijuana and adding it to list of banned drugs.>

This, again, may not be an antedating.

Also, while not an antedating, you might find an article from 1922
interesting--an atestation to marijuana making one hungry.

>From the Fort Wayne Journal, December 31, 1922:

     <But then you take a shot of 'M.'  That is morphine.  And it lifts the
depression.  So you see for a real 'hop' party you have to have both of
these drugs and also some marijuana cigarettes.  One of these, inhaled
lingerlingly, rouses an appetite.  Of course it isn't a real appetite, but
it helps you to eat, and you must have food, especially if the party is an
all-night one.>

And actual antedating--"Mary Warner" =marijuana.  OED has the term from
1938.  RHDAS from 1933.

The OED doesn't seem to have an earlier euphemism for marijuana, as they
quote 1925==Mary Ann.

>From the Washington Post, June 17, 1923:

    <The first raid under the new ordanance out lawing Marijuana, a Mexican
smoking weed better known as "Mary Warner" and said to be in reality the
East Indian Hashish, was made by the police today.>

"loco-weed" =marijuana--1935 for the OED.  1930 in the RHDAS.

>From The Washington Post, January 6, 1924:

     <"Marihuana," or "Marijuana" as some spell it, the everyday "loco weed'
that formerly grew wild on the deserts of northern Mexico,  now is being
cultivated for sale to addicts of the plant in this country, according to
Valdo Santos, arrested here with five pounds of it in his possession.>