MMJ slang explained : What is 4/20
- Seniors MMJ Network
- Apr 19, 2015
- 2 min read
The term 4:20 (four-twenty) is synonymous with Marijuana and Marijuana smoking. Annual events are hosted around the world on April 20th, in celebration of this "stoner holiday". Pot smokers from every corner of this earth light their weed at 4:20pm on 4/20 in solidarity. But why?
There have been dozens of rumors over the years. Some claim it was the police code for - Marijuana smoking in progress. Others said that it was in reference to tea time in Holland, the epicenter of Marijuana cultivation for decades. The adult myth is that it was the proper time to consider consuming, meaning, they only smoked in the afternoon / evening when the days work had been done. In our circle, we were told that there are 420 active chemicals in Marijuana. Sounded believable, all of them do, so why not? Regardless of the origin, we all knew its connection.
The 4/20 phenomena has been catching mainstream media attention over the past decade. Rallies are held in dozens of cities including Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, Chicago, New York and more. Now that full legalization has come to states like Colorado and Washington, 4/20 events have reached into the tens of thousands of people, plus vendors. It is now a commercial event.
But what does it mean? Simply put, Marijuana. It was a way to communicate in public without being blatant about it. You could say "My clock says 4:20 or it's 4:19, got a minute?" - your friends knew that meant, let's go smoke pot.
It also served as a way to identify in a counter-culture. If you saw a 420 sticker on a car, a notebook, a t-shirt, you knew that person was pot friendly. In a time when recreational Marijuana was / is illegal, code and discreteness are important.
The secret is out and so, apparently are the true origins. Believe it if you will, it has credibility to it. The Huffington Post along with High Times Magazine pieced the puzzle together.
It started at a San Rafael High School in 1971. A group of guys got wind of a Marijuana grow that was near the Point Reyes Peninsula Coast Guard station. The person growing it had shipped out and with a treasure map in hand, the group went out in search of this crop. Since they were all athletes, they met after practice, everyday for weeks in the same spot at 4:20pm. How this spread to the world and how it was verified make an excellent read. (Hint : it includes the Grateful Dead)
Enjoy the full story from Huffington Post below. Have a happy and safe 4/20!
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