420 Weed Day

420, 4:20, or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) is a code-term in cannabis culture that refers to the consumption of cannabis, especially smoking cannabis around the time 4:20 p.m./a.m. (or 16:20 in 24-hour notation) and smoking and celebrating cannabis on the date April 20 (which is 4/20 in U.S. form)

Song: 420 Four Twenty

Artists: Kameron DNOS & Grabba

Producer: Calico Mix Machine, LLC

Origins

In 1971, Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich five high school students,^[4] in San Rafael, California. Calling themselves the Waldos^[7][8] because “their chosen hang-out spot was a wall outside the school”.^[9] Used the term in connection with a fall 1971 plan to search for an abandoned cannabis crop that they had learned about,^[7][10] based on a treasure map made by the grower.^[11] The Waldos designated the Louis Pasteur statue on the grounds of San Rafael High School as their meeting place, and 4:20 p.m. as their meeting time.^[9] The Waldos referred to this plan with the phrase “4:20 Louis”. Several failed attempts to find the crop eventually shortened their phrase to simply “4:20”. Which ultimately evolved into a codeword that the teens used to mean marijuana-smoking in general.^[10]

Mike Edison says that Steven Hager of High Times was responsible for taking the story about the Waldos to “mind-boggling, cult-like extremes” and “suppressing” all other stories about the origin of the term.^[12] Hager wrote “Stoner Smart or Stoner Stupid?” in which he called for 4:20 p.m. to be the socially accepted hour of the day to consume cannabis.^[13] He attributes the early spread of the phrase to Grateful Dead followers, who were also linked to the city of San Rafael.^[13]

April 20 has become an international counterculture holiday.  Where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis.^[3][14][15] Many such events have a political nature to them, advocating the liberalization / legalization of cannabis. Vivian McPeak, a founder of Seattle’s Hempfest states that 4/20 is “half celebration and half call to action”.^[16] Paul Birch calls it a global movement and notes that one can’t stop events like these.^[17]

On that day many marijuana users protest in civil disobedience by gathering in public to light up at 4:20 p.m.^[18]