It has long been speculated that Popeye is a stoner, I first read of this on the terrific animation blog Cartoon Brew. Today, Popeye’s the Arf Lovers Blog has now turned up conclusive evidence that what Popeye had in his pipe was indeed wacky tobacky, i.e. marijuana. Websites like Cannabisculture.com have pointed out that when Popeye was created the word “spinach” was a popular eupheism for marijuana celebrated as such in jazz songs. A vintage Popeye comic book cover shows Popeye smoking from a hooka labeled “Spinach”.

Now Arf Lovers has obtained three new compelling pieces of evidence. The first is a photo of a hippie-era protest staged by the National Cartoonist Society. Members of the NCS carried placards with labels like “Charles Schulz Works For Peanuts”. And, pertinent to Popeye’s marijuana use, Claire Crawford (wife of cartoonist Bill Crawford, I believe) carried a sign “Popeye Smokes Spinach!”

The second piece of evidence is actual drug paraphenalia used by the one eyed sailor. Look at the “Pipe Toss Game”. The “game” has a huge pipe ready to be jammed with “weed” and comes with 3 “green” rings: AS IN “DRUG RINGS”!

The third final damning piece of evidence is this drawing found in the first Arf book, Modern Arf, by Popeye’s creator Elzie Segar from the “Artists and Models” section of Modern Arf. It clearly pictures Popeye as an artist and we all know about those crazy artists and their drugged lifestyles.

So next time your watching a Popeye cartoon and Popeye gets a raucous “high” from puffing on his pipe and ends the cartooon with a “toot-toot” you’ll know why, in the end, he gives his audience a knowing wink. He’s Popeye the Pothead Man!

P.S. If all the above doesn’t convince you, dear Arf Lover, I just found a final and conclusive piece of evidence. When I spell-checked the above copy what did “spell-check” suggest instead of Popeye? “Poppy”. I rest my case.