History of 420: Why Is It on April 20th?
Think back to when you were in high school. Did you ever think that anything you did would really catch on? Did you think it would have a major impact on an entire culture? You’re probably really glad that it didn’t. Most of us are glad that our teens are behind us, and that our earlier years are mostly safe from the internet.
That’s not the case for a group of high school weed smokers who started a little private smoking club after school. They had no idea that their afterschool joint break was going to reach millions of people around the world and that we’d be celebrating it decades later.
Cannabis culture’s only (somewhat) official holiday, 420, has a unique backstory. Here’s how we all became a part of a secret teenage gathering.
Common 420 Myths and Rumors
A long time ago, someone started a rumor that April 20th was Bob Marley’s birthday. Marley was an open cannabis user, so it seemed to make sense that his birthday would become a cannabis holiday. This idea kept floating around because it was much harder to Google things a few decades ago. Marley was born on February 6, 1945. He died on May 11, 1981. There is no link between Marley’s birth or death and the date of April 20th.
Alternatively, some attribute 420 to Bob Dylan’s song “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,” since 12 times 35 is, you guessed it, 420. Mind blown.
The date is also linked to California Penal 420, but there’s no real reason for that link. People believed that Penal Code 420 outlawed cannabis use. As it would turn out, penal code 420 bars “obstructing entry to public property”. There’s no mention of cannabis anywhere in the code.
Similarly, some people think that 420 is the radio code that police officers call when they catch people smoking weed. The closest thing to a 420 “code” is the error code your car puts out when it has a busted catalytic converter, which is code P0420.
Others believe 420 refers to Adolf Hitler’s birthday, while some people state that 420 refers to the 420 chemicals in weed. In reality, a cannabis plant contains well over 500 compounds. This theory underestimates the cannabis plant.
The actual origin of 420 stems from a group of high school students, and they have the receipts to back it up.
The Formation of the Unofficial 420 Club
The history of 420 begins several decades back, so hop in the Delorean — we’re going back to a California high school campus in 1970. A group of boys who called themselves the Waldos (after a Buddy Hackett term which essentially meant “weirdos”) attended San Rafael High School. They also really liked smoking pot with each other.
The term “420” wasn’t initially meant to reference a day. It was a reference to 4:20 PM. That’s when the Waldos would meet up at their designated spot — a statue of Louis Pasteur near the Point Reyes Forest — to share a joint or two before they went home from school. They also had endeavors to search the forest for a supposed abandoned cannabis plant plot planted by a Coast Guard member who even apparently left a treasure map.
The term “420” was a “wink wink, nudge nudge” type of thing. Their little codeword was used to confirm their meeting time without tipping off school staff or other students who might expect the group to share their weed. Subtly suggesting “4:20 Louis” to each other kept suspicion off of them and allowed them to make their plans openly without actually mentioning their pot.
Although this is often referred to as a “theory,” the Waldos are still good friends. They’ve also published some really credible evidence to back up their stoner story. They still have notes they sent each other referencing 420. They also have copies of their group’s official banner and school documents that seem to prove they made it while they still attended San Rafael.
They’ve gone to great lengths to prove that the buck started with them, and it all checks out.
So How Did 420 Make It Across the World?
Like many people who smoked a lot of pot in the 70’s, a few of the Waldos decided to follow The Grateful Dead across the country. They brought their codeword with them. The Dead have a history of being arrested for weed-related crimes, as did many of the people who chose to unofficially tour with them — known as roadies or “deadheads.”
The Waldos kept using the term 420 to avoid tipping off the cops while on tour. Other Dead fans liked the idea of using a special codeword to discuss their weed since the threat of arrest was always around. There were millions of Dead fans, and they likely shared the term with their friends. The term continued to spread until most of the underground cannabis culture became familiar with it.
Why Is 420 a Cannabis Culture Holiday?
Some people who really love cannabis culture celebrate 420 at 4:20 every day. They’re not waiting for the calendar to tell them that it’s time to relax. The reason 420 is celebrated at 4:20 is likely a combo of common sense and convenience. Cannabis culture wanted its day in the sun, and it just so happened that a codeword for weed also correlated with April 20th.
Although 420 began as a way to low key discuss cannabis use, the changing attitudes of cannabis users led the codeword to take on a different meaning. Now, it represents something more important.
As the culture shifted, cannabis users took on a new perspective. They didn’t want to hide their cannabis use. They wanted to push for legalization of cannabis. They wanted to discuss the benefits of weed for both medicinal and recreational purposes, and they couldn’t do that in whispers.
They needed a day to put the spotlight on cannabis and tell the world how they really felt, and 420 was the most appropriate day. This made 420 a perfect time for education and advocacy.
420, Civil Disobedience, and Activism
Throughout the decades, cannabis advocates have held large gatherings in major cities like Denver and San Francisco to smoke weed in public. This was an act of civil disobedience, but they aren’t holding these gatherings just for the sake of rebellion. The idea behind a large crowd using cannabis in public is to remove the stigma.
Taking large groups of people who individually smoke weed in private and putting them all together is illuminating. When the people in these cities see how many people have been puffing a joint in the shadows without hurting anyone, it’s likely to change their perspectives. These members of their community bag their groceries, teach their children, deliver their mail, and serve others at restaurants. They’re just like everyone else, but they enjoy a joint at the end of the day.
It’s Starting To Work
For almost 100 years, cannabis has been federally classified as a Schedule I drug. This classification is commonly considered random and misleading. It regards weed and heroin in the same manner without any evidence to support that cannabis is anywhere near as dangerous.
Counterculture persisted, and society’s attitude towards cannabis has largely shifted. The majority of Americans are in favor of legalizing cannabis for recreational use. Although cannabis is currently illegal on a federal level, many states have taken the matter into their own hands. As of now, recreational marijuana is legal in 19 states for adult use, including New York, Colorado, and even Washington DC.
More states are expected to soon join the ranks. Legal recreational cannabis, not just medical marijuana, will be appearing on many state ballots in 2022. With the majority of Americans supporting legal recreational weed, it’s likely that more than half of the country will be 420-friendly before this year is up.
420 as a Major Event
With 420 widely recognized as a holiday, cannabis-based businesses tend to offer sales or specials to reflect the holiday. It’s a good day to bulk up your stash if you’re running low on your favorite strains.
Many event venues also hold 420 festivals or cannabis-friendly events. In modern culture, 420 gatherings aren’t perceived as protests. They’re held as celebrations of cannabis. Large outdoor festivals often feature performances by national and award-winning artists who openly participate in cannabis culture.
The holiday has also become a major foodie event. Vendors plan for the munchies. Food trucks and small restaurants often debut limited edition mashup cuisines, weed pairings, or culinary experiments they wouldn’t otherwise put on the menu. Since edibles have seen a surge in popularity, some of these offerings are infused with cannabis.
How To Celebrate 420 This Year
420 is a holiday worth celebrating for anyone excited about cannabis. 420 shows that advocating for your causes can actually shape how the world works, even if it takes a long time.
You don’t need to be a cannabis user to understand how and why 420 is culturally important. You just need to understand the values of personal freedom and persistence.
If you are an active participant in cannabis culture, raise your tonic to peaceful activism. If you live in Massachusetts, you can propose a toast with a Good Feels Cannabis Seltzer.
Raise your glass to freedom and relaxation in honor of the demonstrators and activists who have helped to shape the world.
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