The favorite day of stoners around the world is upon us. April 20th, also known as Weed Day, is this Saturday.
Saturday, which coincidentally falls on the same weekend as National Cold Brew Day and National Record Store Day, is becoming a paradise day for marijuana, coffee and music fans alike.
But how did an ordinary day in April become a mecca for marijuana fun? Many theories have swirled over the years. Some of the more exciting ones bring to mind police raids and hidden messages in classic songs, while the more widely accepted origins are a little more reminiscent of the classic high school experience.
Why did April 20th become an official and unofficial cannabis holiday? Here's what we know:
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What does 420 mean?
420 refers to 4/20, or April 20th. This day has become known as the official stoner holiday, where marijuana smokers celebrate their love of bud.
The number 420 itself has become associated with marijuana and smoking, and is often used colloquially to refer to the flower and the act of consuming it.
Smokers see April 20th not only as a day to relax and celebrate their love of marijuana, but also as a day to promote widespread federal legalization and decriminalization of marijuana in the United States and other countries. There is.
Where is cannabis legal? States that will allow recreational and medicinal cannabis in 2024
Why is 420 associated with weed?
You may have heard some of the most popular rumors that have surrounded the cultural zeitgeist over the years. 420 is a code used by police to describe smoking marijuana. 420 is the number of active chemicals in cannabis that cause you to get high. April 20th was Bob Marley's birthday (it wasn't). This is said to be a reference to Bob Dylan's song “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” (12 x 35 is 420).
In reality, it's much simpler and probably less exciting than either.
No one can say for sure, but one widely accepted origin goes back to a group of teenagers hanging out after school.
In the early 1970s, five students from San Rafael High School in Marin County, California, met outside the school after the day's extracurricular activities. The group eventually became known as “waldos,” simply because they gathered against a wall to accomplish a goal, with an official meeting time of 4:20 p.m., and eventually a smoking code. I started using 420 as .
One of Waldo's members, Dave Reddix, later got a job as a roadie for the Grateful Dead, and told Time that the band helped popularize the term. Specifically, a flyer distributed by the Oakland Deadheads group in December 1990 encouraging people to smoke on April 20th at 4:20 p.m. was effective.
A High Times reporter acquired the flyer and printed it in 1991, drawing the attention of cannabis enthusiasts across state lines. The magazine continued to use the term in future publications, cementing its status as common parlance.
High Times reporter Steve Bloom, who was the first to receive the flyer, later credited the Wald family with coining the term, writing in a 2013 blog post: “…They created the idea that people from all over the world would come together on one day every year and they would smoke weed at the same time, and that became April 20th.”
Stoner Movies: Celebrate April 20th with cannabis TV shows and movies
Where is cannabis legal?
Looking forward to attending 4/20? Check your local laws beforehand.
Marijuana legalization is a long state-by-state process, with jurisdictions across the United States allowing varying levels of use, from no use to medical to recreational use. At least 25 states have fully legalized recreational use, and more states are either in the process or recreational. We also plan to vote on future books.
Curious about the situation in your state? Check out the list of places where recreational and medicinal cannabis will be allowed in 2024.
