SEATTLE (AP) — Thursday marks marijuana culture's high holiday, 4/20, when cannabis fans gather in clouds of smoke at music festivals, parks, and landmarks around the world. But why is April 20th so significant to the weed community?
Let's be blunt: 4/20 is a day to light up. Here is why marijuana enthusiasts mark the holiday.
Where did the concept of 420 originate, and why is April 20 the day chosen for the national celebration? The origin of the term is shrouded in myth and legend, but the most widely accepted story goes back to the early 1970s in California. A group of high school students in San Rafael, known as the "Waldos," used to meet up after school at 4:20 pm to smoke weed. They would say "420" to each other as a code word for their after-school smoke sessions. The term eventually caught on and became a popular slang term for weed.
Let's go behind the 420 meaning, and no, it has nothing to do with police codes or anyone's birthday. Dannielle Beardsley, a cannabis historian, explains that the term "420" has become a symbol of cannabis culture and a way for people to connect with one another. It's a way to show solidarity and support for the legalization of marijuana.
Whether it's 4:20 pm or April 20, the ubiquitous combination of three digits is hotly debated. We're here to explain the meaning of 420. Some believe it's a reference to the police code for marijuana possession, while others think it has something to do with Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" (which has the lyrics "everybody must get stoned").
It's 420 today! We look back at the true story behind the number that's inspired the cannabis community. The Waldos' 420 connection to weed spread beyond their high school and eventually became a cultural phenomenon. In the 1990s, a group of Deadheads (fans of the Grateful Dead) picked up on the term and began using it to refer to the time they would smoke together before the band's concerts. From there, 420 became a symbol of the marijuana counterculture and a way for people to identify themselves as part of the weed community.
We explain why marijuana smokers honor their favorite herb on April 20th. For many, 420 is a day to celebrate the benefits of marijuana and advocate for its legalization. It's a day to come together and enjoy the plant that has brought so much joy and relief to so many people.
420 is now 365. The April 20th weed-smoking holiday assigned a calendar date to celebrate what some consumers already did every other day of the year. The legalization of marijuana in many states has made it easier for people to enjoy weed without fear of legal repercussions. While 420 is still celebrated as a special day in the weed community, many people now see every day as a chance to enjoy the benefits of marijuana.
The Bay Area created 420, the international cannabis holiday, but controversy swirls around who exactly invented the phrase. While the Waldos are credited with popularizing the term, some claim that it was already in use in the cannabis community before they picked it up. Regardless of its origin, 420 has become a symbol of the marijuana counterculture and a way for people to connect with one another over their love of weed.
