The Dopest Day of the Year is 420. Here’s What it Means and How You Can Celebrate.
Pass the bong. Weed Day is just around the corner.
The number “420” is synonymous with smoking cannabis and can refer to a number of things surrounding the culture, including countercultural movements and activism associated with the legalization of marijuana. Even for people who don’t partake, the term is so universal that it may as well be in the dictionary at this point.
Every year on April 20, stoners everywhere celebrate by burning j’s with their buddies to honor the marijuana plant. If you plan to be cheefin’ all day for 420, how cool would it be to hit your homies with the origin story of 420 on the holiest day in cannabis culture?
Prepare yourself to be recognized as the ganja griot of your crew by passing along the knowledge and folklore behind the numerical nickname of marijuana. It’s time to toke and learn about the history of 420. Plus, we’ll give you a few tips on how to puff-puff-party like the best for the upcoming hazy holiday
Reefer Rumours about 420 Have Circulated for Years
The concept of 420 has been around for decades. There have been a ton of stories and misconceptions that have circulated over the years about where it came from. All but one story can easily be debunked because the real story can be proven. But let’s start with the tall tales. One of the most common myths is that, supposedly, law enforcement uses the number 420 as a police code. This is definitely not true. In fact, it’s not a police code for anything except in Las Vegas, the police code for homicide. Definitely not weed…eek! It’s also rumored that the penal code for cannabis in California is 420, but the claim is also false.
Another myth is that 420 is the number of chemical compounds in the cannabis plant. Maybe that would have been believable 30 years before growers evolved into scientists and identified over five hundred chemical compounds, including hundreds of terpenes and cannabinoids used for elaborate CBD and THC extracts.
Some smokers think 420 is the anniversary of Bob Marley’s death. However, he died a few weeks after, on May 11, 1981. Others even believe it’s because Adolf Hitler’s birthday was April 20 (Seriously?) The stories are varied from tea time in Holland to the clocks set to “420” in the movie Pulp Fiction. Still, it just goes to show that potheads have a niche for conspiring different theories when they’re high. Though these speculations are entertaining, where did 420 begin, and why? And How did it become a worldwide stoner phenomenon?
The True Tale of 420: How it All Began
Picture it: Fall 1971, San Francisco Bay Area, four young men attending San Rafael High School dressed head to toe in the attire of the day: wisecracking buddies in bandanas, blue jeans, and band tees sporting overgrown haircuts and handlebar mustaches. The teenagers referred to themselves as The Waldos. They were coming of age during the height of the Vietnam War and the west coast’s canonizing countercultural movement. And everyone was smoking weed.
The Waldos were handed a treasure map at the beginning of the school year. It came from a friend who had a brother in the coast guard. The brother was growing cannabis but was too paranoid about yielding his stash. The map would supposedly lead them to a secret marijuana mecca- an entire crop of the plentiful pot to fill pipes for as long as you can keep smoking.
It was too good to be true, but the prospects were also too good not to try to find the spot. So, The Waldos agreed they would all go looking for it together, and they’d met after school at 4:20 pm under the statue of Louie Pasteur. The meeting time became a code, and when the guys saw each other, they yelled “420 Louie!” to confirm the meetup. Eventually, the phrase was shortened to just the “420” part.
People Celebrate 420 All Around The World
After many missions, or “Safaris,” as The Waldos referred to them, to find the epic stash, they never did. But they did continue to explore the peninsula where the map led them to get high and goof off together. Eventually, every April 20 became a special day for them to meet and reconnect, and the lingo had circulated among the younger generations, too.
As the counterculture movements and pro-cannabis activism developed and became mainstream over the years, the Bay Area boys of San Raphael High School inadvertently started a trend that has made its way into cannabis culture worldwide.
Five Ways to Celebrate 420 Day
April 20 is supposed to be an extra special day for smoking cannabis, especially if you’re not an everyday consumer. Even if you are, though, there are ways that you can make 420 Day a unique and memorable celebration. Here are a few ways to make the most out of the biggest holiday of the year.
- Have your friends over for a marijuana movie marathon! Check out our list of favorite stoner flicks that will keep you couch-locked (in a good way).
- Get baked and bake a batch of cannabis-infused edibles! Many free recipes are available online, and you can find some excellent cookbooks out there dedicated to infused treats.
- Visit your favorite smoke shop and treat yourself to a new vaporizer, glass pipe, or bong.
- Smoke some green and get outside! Spring is here, and there’s nothing better than getting high in the sunshine.
- Find a local event to attend if you’re in a legal state. Many dispensaries, smoke shops, and other venues host popups for 420 with live music, food, and other entertainment.
Happy 420 from World of Smoke & Vape
Did you know that you don’t have to wait for 420 to celebrate? We’re celebrating 420 all month long at World of Smoke & Vape! Pop into your local spot at one of our smoke shops in Oklahoma, Florida, or Texas for special deals and the best smoking accessories, vaporizers, and more.
