# Still Think Its Harmless > Still Think It's Harmless? is a 2010 image-macro template originating from a Purdue anti-cannabis PSA, pairing the slogan with ridiculous fake side effects and marijuana slang like 'jazz cabbage. "Still Think It's Harmless?" is a phrasal meme template that parodies anti-drug public service announcements by pairing the slogan with absurd, obviously fake "side effects" of marijuana[2]. The format originated from a real Purdue University anti-cannabis campaign image posted in September 2010 and picked up steam after CollegeHumor published mock PSA parodies in April 2011[1]. The meme became a staple of weed humor communities on Reddit, Facebook, and Instagram, often featuring ridiculous before-and-after comparisons and joke names for marijuana like "jazz cabbage" and "devil's lettuce." ## Origin In September 2010, the Purdue University Student Wellness Office published an anti-marijuana graphic on their website claiming cannabis was the "most common illegal drug in fatally-injured drivers," paired with the tagline "still think it's harmless?"[2]. The image was a sincere attempt at campus drug education, but its dramatic tone made it ripe for mockery. On April 20th, 2011 (notably 4/20, an unofficial marijuana holiday), CollegeHumor published a series of fake anti-marijuana PSA images with jokes about exaggerated effects followed by the slogan "Marijuana. Harmless?"[1]. These parodies took the format of the original Purdue graphic and cranked the absurdity to obvious levels, laying the groundwork for the meme's template structure. - **Platform:** Purdue University website (source image), Reddit / Facebook / Instagram (viral spread) - **Creator:** Purdue University Student Wellness Office (original PSA), CollegeHumor (parody series) - **Date:** 2010 ## Overview "Still Think It's Harmless?" uses the format of earnest anti-drug PSA campaigns and flips them into jokes. The typical version presents an image of a person, character, or object alongside a distorted or completely unrelated comparison image, captioned with some variation of "This is [X] after one marijuana. Still think it's harmless?" The humor comes from the absurdity of the "side effects" shown, which have nothing to do with actual drug use[2]. The format also spawned a deliberately misspelled variant known as "Anntenshone: Don't Think Marajuano Is a Bad Drug," which adds another layer of irony by butchering the spelling while showing bizarre before-and-after transformations of pop culture figures[2]. Common joke names for cannabis within these memes include "jazz cabbage," "devil's lettuce," "the electric spinach," and just "one marijuana," treating the drug as if it were a countable item[2]. ## How It Spread The format sat relatively dormant for several years before gaining real traction on social media. On June 23, 2016, Redditor Ocean_turtle posted a parody anti-marijuana image titled "Still think marijuana is harmless?" to the /r/trees subreddit, bringing the joke to one of Reddit's largest cannabis communities[2]. The meme picked up speed through the second half of 2016. On August 11, the Zesty Supreme Facebook page posted a comparison of X-Men villain Magneto next to Russian singer Vitas with the caption "This is Magneto after 1 marijuana. Still think taking a little puff is harmless?"[2]. The absurd pairing of two visually similar but completely unrelated figures became a model for future iterations. On December 7, Instagram user drgrayfang posted Amy Schumer next to Dog the Bounty Hunter with the caption "Still think marijuana isn't harmful?" and pulled in over 9,900 likes within eight months[2]. Meanwhile, the intentionally misspelled "Anntenshone" variant emerged on November 25, 2016, when Instagram user @crankeduptoelevent posted a VeggieTales-themed before-and-after cannabis joke[2]. Two days later, Redditor xDankMemes shared it on /r/dankmemes where it earned over 880 points. The Facebook page Crippling Things also picked it up, racking up more than 12,000 reactions, 2,900 comments, and 8,600 shares[2]. By mid-2017, the meme had branched into dozens of pop culture niches. On July 20, 2017, Redditor DiggurDig posted a version featuring the "melted duck" meme on Reddit, pulling over 2,300 points at 94% upvoted[2]. People plugged in everything from cartoon characters to historical figures to other internet memes, keeping the template alive through sheer versatility. ## How to Use The basic formula is straightforward: 1. **Pick two images** that look vaguely similar or share some visual element, but are otherwise unrelated. One is the "before" (normal), the other is the "after" (distorted, weird, or just a completely different person/thing). 2. **Write a caption** following the pattern: "This is [name] after [number] marijuana(s). Still think it's harmless?" The phrase "one marijuana" (treating it like a countable object) is part of the joke. 3. **Optional:** Use a joke name for cannabis instead. "Jazz cabbage," "devil's lettuce," and "the electric spinach" are popular choices. 4. Take a recognizable cultural artifact (cartoon character, celebrity, movie poster). 5. Place it beside a distorted or cursed version of itself. 6. Caption it with the deliberately misspelled "Anntenshone: Don't think marajuano is a bad drug?" ## Cultural Impact The meme tapped into a broader cultural shift in how younger internet users viewed anti-drug messaging. By the mid-2010s, public attitudes toward marijuana had shifted significantly in the United States, with multiple states moving toward legalization. Mocking the dramatic tone of anti-drug PSAs became a way to poke fun at what many saw as outdated scare tactics[2]. The format's simplicity made it highly adaptable. Weed culture communities on Reddit (/r/trees, /r/dankmemes) and Facebook pages dedicated to ironic humor kept producing new versions for years. The meme also crossed over into general shitposting territory, where the cannabis angle became secondary to the fun of making absurd visual comparisons[2]. ## Fun Facts - The original Purdue University PSA that inspired the meme was a genuine campus health campaign, not intended as humor[2]. - CollegeHumor's parody series dropped on April 20, 2011, timing that was almost certainly intentional given 4/20's association with cannabis culture[1]. - The phrase "one marijuana" became a meme-within-a-meme, mocking the idea that marijuana is something you can count like pills[2]. - The misspelled "Anntenshone" variant went through at least three major platforms (Instagram, Reddit, Facebook) within 48 hours of its creation[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Where did "Still Think It's Harmless?" come from? The format traces back to a September 2010 anti-marijuana graphic posted by the Purdue University Student Wellness Office, which was then parodied by CollegeHumor in April 2011[1][2]. ### What does "Still Think It's Harmless?" mean? The meme satirizes the dramatic, exaggerated tone of real anti-drug campaigns. By pairing the serious tagline with obviously fake effects, the joke mocks the idea that cannabis causes extreme harm[2]. **How do you use "Still Think It's Harmless?"** Find two images that share a visual similarity but are otherwise unrelated, place them side by side, and caption them with "This is [X] after one marijuana. Still think it's harmless?"[2]. ### Is "Still Think It's Harmless?" still popular? The meme peaked in 2016-2017 on Reddit and Facebook but the format still appears in cannabis humor communities and general shitposting circles[2]. **What is "Anntenshone: Don't Think Marajuano Is a Bad Drug?"** It's a deliberately misspelled variant of the format that first appeared on Instagram in November 2016. The intentional bad spelling adds an extra layer of ironic humor to the anti-drug parody[2]. ### Why do people say "one marijuana" in these memes? The phrase treats marijuana as a countable noun (like "one pill"), which is grammatically wrong and part of the joke, mocking the perceived ignorance of anti-drug messaging[2]. **What are "jazz cabbage" and "devil's lettuce?"** These are humorous slang names for marijuana commonly used within this meme format and broader cannabis humor[2]. ### When did the meme go viral on Reddit? The format gained significant Reddit traction starting June 2016 when Redditor Ocean_turtle posted a version to /r/trees, followed by multiple popular /r/dankmemes posts later that year[2]. ## References 1. [Honest Anti-Marijuana PSAs]() 2. [Still Think It's Harmless? - Know Your Meme]() 3. [Rickrolling]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/still-think-its-harmless Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library