Americans are commemorating 420 — an unofficial holiday dedicated to celebrating and smoking marijuana — by taking to social media or hanging out with their best “buds” in public settings on Wednesday.
But what exactly is 420 Day, and where did it come from?
Every year on April 20, 420 Day, cannabis producers, consumers, and advocates celebrate and smoke marijuana, according to the National Day Calendar.
The business added, “Once an unusual day, the day has become the rallying cry of those who desire to legalize for medicinal and recreational purposes.”
While cannabis remains illegal under federal law in the United States, numerous states have legalized it for medicinal or recreational use — or both. In these states, it’s even possible to buy cannabis seeds and grow cannabis at home.
Where did the number 420 come from?
People have been celebrating the unofficial holiday since the 1970s. But why is it commemorated on April 20th, and where did it begin?
It’s not entirely clear, to be sure.
Many myths have surfaced on social media and around the world about how 4/20 came to be, with the majority of tales being untrue.
However, the majority of people believe that 420 Day began in California.
In the 1970s, a group of adolescents from Marian County’s San Rafael High School would smoke marijuana every day at 4:20 p.m. The number 420 was adopted as their marijuana code.
The five students dubbed themselves the “Waldos,” after the school wall where they used to sit. Letters, military records, and high school newspaper clippings have all been used to corroborate the Waldos’ ancestors.
As a result, the word 420 became synonymous with the drug, and bands like The Grateful Dead marketed it.