As I sit here writing a series of guest posts on medical cannabis, I am reminded that it is April 17. In just three days, cannabis users around the country will be celebrating the unofficial pot holiday known as 420. It is no coincidence that 420 is celebrated on April 20.
Have you ever wondered why this particular date became the high holiday on the pot user’s calendar? I have heard lots of wild stories, including references to police radio calls, Bob Dylan, and even Adolf Hitler. But the real reason behind it is a lot less glamorous than all the legends would have us believe.
A Secret Code for Teens
Cannabis historians trace the April 20 holiday back to its origins in 1971. Apparently, there was a group of teens in Marin County, CA who were tired of the typical jock-infested high school parties of the day. They started getting together to smoke weed.
They called themselves the Waldos and agreed to meet at a specific location on their high school campus at 4:20 in the afternoon, after most extracurricular activities had finished and students had gone home. It was not long before ‘420’ became their codeword for smoking marijuana.
Help From the Grateful Dead
Later on, one of the teens (now an adult) managed to land a gig as a roadie for the Grateful Dead. He mentioned 420 and the rest is history. The band, known for its use of illicit drugs, helped to make the term famous. So much so that a group of Deadheads in Oakland launched the first unofficial practice of the holiday by distributing fliers encouraging people to smoke marijuana at 4:20 p.m. on April 20. That was in 1991.
Marijuana users have never looked back. Since that day more than 30 years ago, April 20 has been recognized as America’s pot holiday. Dispensaries all over the country run special sales to take advantage of what is the marijuana industry’s equivalent of Black Friday.
Conflicting Thoughts on 420
I admit to having conflicting thoughts about the 420 holiday. On the one hand, I am a big proponent of medical cannabis. I do not use it, but I know people who do. I have been writing on medical cannabis and companies like Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy for years. I know the industry well enough to also know that millions of people benefit from medical cannabis.
On the other hand, I am not in favor of recreational marijuana. I am not in favor of using any mind-altering substance recreationally. Unfortunately, that is what I think of when I hear discussions about 420. Rarely are 420 discussions centered around medical cannabis consumption.
I am probably in the minority when it comes to my views on using pot as a recreational drug. Still, I believe the party atmosphere surrounding the 420 holiday justifies my concerns. If we had a similar holiday focused on alcohol, would our culture support it? What about a holiday celebrating tobacco?
It Will Pass
I can take solace in the fact that 420 will pass just as it does every year. I also will not be impacted by it directly. I will go about my day as usual. I will hang out with the people I normally spend time with. I will do the things I normally do. Cannabis won’t be part of my day. Those who wish to celebrate 420 can go ahead and do so. I am going to ignore the unofficial holiday – just as I have done every year for the last three decades.
