The White Lighter Curse: Is It Real?

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In smoker culture, white lighters are polarizing—some people think they’re cursed and refuse to use them or even be in the same room when they’re being used, while other people think it’s no big deal. But where does this superstition come from? We’re breaking down why white lighters are considered back luck and whether there’s anything to the legend.

What is the “white lighter” myth?

Why are white lighters considered bad luck?

Some people believe “27 Club” members were carrying white lighters when they died. The “27 Club” is a group of celebrities (mostly musicians) who died at the age of 27. There’s a popular belief that some of the most famous members of the 27 Club—Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain—all had white BIC lighters in their possession when they died. Coincidentally, all four of these members of the 27 Club were left-handed. According to the superstition, unfortunate events can happen to anyone who carries a white lighter—like a bong breaking or law enforcement showing up. As a result of these legends, some people refuse to carry or use a white lighter—or even to be in a room where one is being used.

Another theory is that the myth came from marijuana culture. Some marijuana smokers have a habit of packing down their pipe with the bottom of their lighter. This can leave scorch marks or burnt resin on the bottom of the lighter. According to legend, when BIC lighters first came out, they were only available in black and white—so the burn marks might have been more obvious on white lighters. These scorch marks may have made marijuana smokers more obvious to law enforcement, leading to a superstition that white lighters were bad luck.

Is the white lighter curse real?

The white lighter curse is just a superstition. There’s no evidence that any of the musicians named above died while in possession of a white lighter. On top of that, the legend specifically mentions disposable BIC lighters, which weren’t even invented until after the deaths of Hendrix, Joplin, and Morrison. Kurt Cobain is documented as having two lighters on or around him at the time of his death, but neither was white—one was multicolored and one was pink. The theory about the scorch marks on lighters doesn’t hold up well either, since all BIC lighters are white on the bottom. Also, BIC may have produced more than just two colors when they were first released, including yellow. All in all, this is just a bit of superstitious lore. It’s not really hurting anyone to believe it, but there’s nothing to be afraid of.