420 (cannabis culture)

420, 4:20 or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) is cannabis culture slang for cannabis consumption, especially smoking around the time 4:20 p.m. (16:20). It also refers to cannabis-oriented celebrations that take place annually on April 20 (4/20 in U.S. date form).<ref name=UCSC>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="McCoy 2014">Template:Cite news</ref>

Origins

Five high school students in San Rafael, California,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=NYT2009>Template:Cite news</ref> coined the term as part of their 1971 search for an abandoned cannabis crop, based on a treasure map made by the grower.<ref name=HuffPost2010>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Calling themselves the Waldos,<ref name="Times2012">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="WSJ2012">Template:Cite web</ref> because their typical hang-out spot "was a wall outside the school",<ref name=HuffPost2009>Template:Cite web</ref> the five students—Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich<ref name="time_What">Template:Cite magazine</ref>—designated the Louis Pasteur statue<ref>Statue by Beniamino Bufano, Template:Cite web</ref> on the grounds of San Rafael High School as their meeting place, and 4:20 p.m. as their meeting time.<ref name=HuffPost2009 /> The Waldos referred to this plan with the phrase "4:20 Louis". After several failed attempts to find the crop, the group eventually shortened their phrase to "4:20", which ultimately evolved into a code-word the teens used to refer to consuming cannabis.<ref name=HuffPost2010/>

Steven Hager of High Times popularized the story of the Waldos.<ref name="Edison2009">Template:Cite book</ref> The first High Times mention of 4:20 smoking and a 4/20 holiday appeared in May 1991<ref>"Wake 'n' Bake!"</ref> and erroneously attributed the origin of the term to a police code; this and other spurious origin stories became common.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The connection to the Waldos appeared in December 1998. Hager attributed the early spread of the phrase to Grateful Dead followers<ref name="dead"/>—after "Waldo" Reddix became a roadie for the Grateful Dead bassist, Phil Lesh<ref name="time_What" />—and called for 4:20 p.m. to be the socially accepted time of the day to consume cannabis.<ref name="dead">Template:Cite web</ref>

Another San Rafael group claims to have originated the term before the Waldos.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

International observance of April 20

File:Vancouver Canada 2012 April 20 crowd.jpg

Vancouver, April 20, 2012

April 20 has become an international counterculture holiday based on the celebration and consumption of cannabis.<ref name=UCSC /><ref name="hightimes.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Events typically advocate for cannabis liberalization and legalization. Vivian McPeak, a founder of Seattle's Hempfest, states that 4/20 is "half celebration and half call to action".<ref name="nyp1">Template:Cite news</ref> Paul Birch calls it a global movement and suggests that one cannot stop events like these.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Many marijuana users protest in civil disobedience by gathering in public to smoke at 4:20 p.m.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As marijuana continues to be decriminalized and legalized around the world, cannabis activist Steve DeAngelo notes that "even if our activist work were complete, 420 morphs from a statement of conscience to a celebration of acceptance, a celebration of victory, a celebration of our amazing connection with this plant" which "will always be worthy of celebration".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Clear left

Americas

North American observances have been held at many locations, including:

• New York City: Washington Square Park in Manhattan<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Boston: Boston Common<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• San Francisco: "Hippie Hill" in Golden Gate Park near the Haight-Ashbury<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Santa Cruz: Porter College meadows at the University of California, Santa Cruz<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Washington, D.C.: National Mall, United States Capitol<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Vancouver: The Vancouver Art Gallery<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Sunset Beach between 2016 and 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Montréal: Le Mont Royal George-Étienne Cartier Monument<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Denver: Civic Center Park<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ottawa: Parliament Hill and Major's Hill Park<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Edmonton: The Alberta Legislature Building<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Boulder: campus of the University of Colorado Boulder<ref name="NYT2009" /><ref name="autogenerated1">CU's 4/20 pot smoke-out draws crowd of 10,000 : CU News.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Toronto: Nathan Phillips Square<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Yonge-Dundas Square<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Berkeley: campus of the University of California, Berkeley on the Memorial Glade north of the Doe Memorial Library.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Mexico City: Mexican Senate under the slogan Planton 420.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ann Arbor: Hash Bash
• St. Louis, Missouri: Loop 420 Fest at Delmar Loop (University City)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Europe

In the United Kingdom, events have been held in Hyde Park in London.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Events have also been held in Brighton, Bristol, Durham, Glasgow, Leeds, and Plymouth. The Teesside Cannabis Club also holds an annual event.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In Ljubljana, Slovenia, the University of Ljubljana's student organization has carried out several annual cannabis-themed protests that have contributed to the debate on cannabis status in Slovenia and the subsequent legislation proposals in 2018 by gathering responses from various political parties in Slovenia and ranking them accordingly.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In Northern Cyprus, known for strict drug laws and intolerance to cannabis consumption,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the first 420 event was held in the capital city Lefkoşa in 2015. On April 20, 2017, a small group of protesters carried out an event near the parliament building and made a public statement, demanding the legalization of cannabis sale, consumption, and production with state regulations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Oceania

Australian observances have been held at many locations, over many years, including:

• "Who Are We Hurting?" – Sydney City: Martin Place, NSW (2019)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 420 Picnic – Melbourne, VIC (2019)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• "Who Are We Hurting?" – Sydney, NSW (2018)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• "Who Are We Hurting?" – Sydney City: Kings Cross, NSW (2017)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Happy Birthday Weed Craze Collective – Sydney, NSW (2016)<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• 420 Protest at Sydney Town Hall by Jesse Willesee – 2015<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Events have been held in Dunedin, New Zealand, at the University of Otago.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Other effects

Traffic safety

Despite two studies reporting a supposed increase in the risk of fatal motor vehicle crashes on April 20,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> further investigation and analysis found the evidence did not support such claims.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Stolen signs

Template:Further In the US, signs bearing the number 420 have been frequently stolen. In Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation replaced the Mile Marker 420 sign on I-70 east of Denver with one reading 419.99 in an attempt to stop the thievery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Colorado DOT usually will not replace signs that are repeatedly taken, but began the practice of replacing further down the road after "69" mile marker signs were frequently stolen—these were replaced with "68.5 mile" ones.<ref name=MF/> The Idaho Department of Transportation (ITD) replaced the mile marker 420 sign on U.S. Highway 95, just south of Coeur d'Alene, with mile marker 419.9.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Washington State Department of Transportation implemented similar measures,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but only replaced one of the two 420 signs in the state, with the remaining one being subsequently stolen.<ref name=MF>Template:Cite web</ref> According to The Washington Post, there are eleven 420 mile markers in the US, after three replacements and one stolen and not replaced.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In Goodhue County, Minnesota, officials have changed "420 St" street signs to "42x St".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The mile marker 420 sign on U.S. Route 89, the only 420 marker in the state of Utah, is frequently stolen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Legislation and other government recognition

In 2003, California Senate Bill 420 was introduced to regulate medical marijuana use. An unsuccessful 2010 bill to legalize cannabis in Guam was called Bill 420.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A North Dakota bill to legalize cannabis was HB 1420, introduced in January 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act (which if enacted would decriminalize and deschedule cannabis in the United States) was announced by Senator and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) on April 20, 2018.<ref name="Guild 2018">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Gstalter 2018">Template:Cite web</ref> On January 9, 2019, H.R. 420 was introduced into the 116th Congress by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), named the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, which is designed to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and return regulation to the states.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The State of Colorado auctioned off several cannabis-themed personalized license plates in 2021, with the bidding to be closed on April 20 (4/20). The highest bid shortly before the auction closed was over $6,500 for "ISIT420".<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Following the success of Washington, D.C.'s Initiative 71 to legalize cannabis in 2014, Mayor Muriel Bowser granted license plate number 420 to the campaign's leader, Adam Eidinger.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Literature

Several books about cannabis have "420" in the title; examples include the cannabis cookbooks The 420 Cannabis Cookbook, published by Simon & Schuster,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and The 420 Gourmet published in 2016 by HarperCollins.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Commerce

Some American restaurants offer "420" themed promotions to coincide with April 20.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted in 2018 about taking his company private at $420 a share. Musk testified during a trial that any associations with cannabis were coincidental;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> however, in the SEC filing, he admitted that he had recently discovered the number's importance within the cannabis culture and thought his girlfriend would find it funny.<ref name="reuters2022">Template:Cite news</ref> Musk purchased Twitter in 2022 at $54.20 per share and the financing documents were signed on April 20, acknowledging the reference to marijuana culture both in the last three digits of the price and in the date.<ref name="reuters2022"/>

See also

• "420" (2009 Family Guy episode)
• Drug subculture
• Legality of cannabis by country
• List of multinational festivals and holidays

External links

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• Template:Cite journal