[Ads-l] Antedating of "Viper" (Drug User)

[Shapiro, Fred]

viper (OED, 4., 1938)

1936 Daily Herald (London, Eng.) 21 Feb. 1/3 (Newspapers.com)

Smoking of dope cigarettes is spreading among British dance musicians.  The habit is fairly common among American Negro musicians ... one cigarette will usually suffice for several "vipers," or "weed" smokers, who will smoke it in turn.

Fred Shapiro

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