Over the years, those instantly recognizable BIC disposable lighters have become part of a Cannabis smoker’s essentials. But have you ever loaned somebody your lighter only to have them recoil in fear and horror? Just like athletes and gamblers, stoners are a superstitious group, and there’s a longstanding belief that using a white BIC lighter will bring bad luck. Even those who say they don’t believe in the curse will also admit they don’t buy any white lighters when they pick up a new one. This month in Herb ‘n’ Legends, we look at this particular stoner belief, examine how this tale got started and ask whether there’s any truth to it.
There are two main reasons why white lighters have gotten such a bad reputation with weed smokers. The first is a reference to the infamous 27 Club — an illustrious lineup including Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain — who were all immensely talented stars who died at the young age of 27. Rumors claim they were in possession of a white BIC lighter when they passed.
However, the French company has stated it didn’t produce disposable lighters until 1973, a full three years after Hendrix died. Morrison passed while naked in the bath, and photos released by the Seattle Police Department show that while there were two BIC lighters present at the scene of the Cobain tragedy, neither was white.
The second reason these items are said to be cursed is their ability to reveal the owner’s habits. According to the story, back in the ’70s, there were only two colors available: black or white. When you went to use your lighter to tamp down a bowl or knock out some ash, the white lighters would be left with telltale marks that police would use to bust people. The problem with this story is that the product first launched with five color options. Early marketing even shows a hand holding one in green. As for resin marks on a white lighter being the giveaway for police, regardless of what color, the bottoms are always white. Tamping your bowl with any of them, white, yellow or with a unicorn sticker, will leave behind residue.
So is there a curse on this particular kind of BIC or on white lighters in general? There’s always going to be power in superstition, and the brain just loves to play with that power. But if we’re basing it on traditional evidence, then we have to say no. While there might be other tales out there — like Bigfoot only stealing white lighters or a white lighter meaning your next harvest will have mold — we’re going to consider this case closed.
