4/20, or April 20th, has become an internationally recognized day for cannabis culture. Across the globe, from music festivals filled with hazy smoke to pot shops offering enticing discounts, enthusiasts and activists alike gather to celebrate and reflect on the journey of marijuana legalization. But why this date? And how did “420” become synonymous with cannabis? The origins of this now-iconic number are more intriguing than you might think, moving from hushed high school hallways to global recognition.
The Waldos and the 4:20 PM Meet-Up
For years, the true story behind 420 remained clouded in mystery and urban legends. Some of the more imaginative theories suggested it was a police code for marijuana possession, or a cryptic nod to Bob Dylan’s song “Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35,” multiplying 12 by 35 to reach 420. However, the most credible and widely accepted narrative traces back to a group of teenagers in San Rafael, California, who called themselves “the Waldos.”
In the autumn of 1971, these bell-bottomed buddies, students at San Rafael High School, embarked on a treasure hunt of sorts. As the story goes, a friend’s brother had a patch of cannabis growing in the Point Reyes woods and, fearing discovery, gave the Waldos a map and permission to harvest it. Excited by the prospect, the group decided to meet after school, at 4:20 p.m. – right after classes and football practice – at the statue of chemist Louis Pasteur on their school grounds.
This designated time, 4:20 p.m., became their secret rendezvous to smoke marijuana and then set off on their quest to find the hidden cannabis patch. They never actually found the elusive crop, but their chosen meeting time, initially termed “420 Louie” and later shortened to simply “420,” evolved into their private code for cannabis. The Waldos diligently preserved postmarked letters and other artifacts from the 1970s that referenced “420,” which they later stored in a bank vault. This dedication to documenting their history proved crucial when the Oxford English Dictionary officially added “420” to its lexicon in 2017, citing these very documents as the earliest recorded uses of the term.
From Local Slang to Global Phenomenon
The spread of “420” from a small group of friends to a global symbol is a fascinating journey in itself. A pivotal link in this propagation was the Grateful Dead. As confirmed by bassist Phil Lesh in an interview, the brother of one of the Waldos was a close acquaintance of his. The Waldos began to mingle within the Grateful Dead’s circle, and through this connection, their slang started to permeate outwards.
The early 1990s marked a turning point. Steve Bloom, then a reporter for High Times magazine, a prominent publication in cannabis culture, attended a Grateful Dead concert. There, he received a flyer inviting people to “meet at 4:20 on 4/20 for 420-ing in Marin County at the Bolinas Ridge sunset spot on Mt. Tamalpais.” High Times, recognizing the cultural significance, published the flyer, inadvertently amplifying the term to a much wider audience.
Reflecting on the enduring nature of “420,” Waldo Steve Capper once remarked, “It’s a phenomenon. Most things die within a couple years, but this just goes on and on. It’s not like someday somebody’s going to say, ‘OK, Cannabis New Year’s is on June 23rd now.'” Interestingly, Capper later transitioned to a career as a chief executive at a payroll financing company, a stark contrast to the counter-culture origins of the term he helped coin.
Steve Bloom, who later became editor in chief of Freedom Leaf Magazine, pointed out in a 2017 interview that while the Waldos originated the term, the individuals who created that pivotal flyer – the ones who effectively transformed 4/20 into a holiday – remain unidentified, adding another layer of mystique to the 420 legend.
How 420 is Celebrated Today
Today, 4/20 is celebrated with unmistakable enthusiasm and in a variety of ways, all centered around cannabis. The scale of celebrations ranges from intimate gatherings to massive public events. Hippie Hill in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, for example, typically becomes a magnet for thousands of people on 4/20, creating a vibrant, smoky spectacle. In cities across the US and beyond, you’ll find themed events, from movie theaters hosting “dank double features” like Cheech and Chong’s “Up In Smoke” alongside the cult classic “Reefer Madness,” to pottery parties offering attendees the chance to craft their own pipes.
Retailers also participate in the festivities, with pot shops rolling out special 4/20 discounts and deals, making it a prime time for consumers to stock up. Music festivals timed around 4/20 are also common, further blending cannabis culture with entertainment. The Smokey River Entertainment District in Missouri, which recently legalized recreational cannabis sales, is one such venue hosting 4/20 related events.
Even the brewing industry has joined in, with some breweries creating 4/20 themed beers. SweetWater Brewing in Atlanta, whose founders have connections to the University of Colorado at Boulder – a campus once known for its large 4/20 gatherings before officials started restricting access – is one example. Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma, California, releases its “Waldos’ Special Ale” annually on 4/20, a direct homage to the term’s originators.
The Political Undercurrent of 4/20
Beyond the celebrations, 4/20 also carries a significant political dimension, acting as a moment to reflect on the progress and ongoing challenges of cannabis legalization. Since Washington and Colorado pioneered recreational cannabis legalization in 2012, a wave of change has swept across the United States. Currently, 21 states and the nation’s capital have legalized recreational cannabis, with sales recently commencing in Missouri and expected to begin soon in Maryland. New Mexico’s program, in its first year alone, generated $300 million in sales, highlighting the economic impact of legalization.
Medicinal cannabis is even more widely accepted, with 38 states, including Kentucky which recently joined, having approved its use. Despite this state-level progress, federal policy has lagged considerably. Political gridlock in Congress has hindered even modest reforms, such as allowing state-licensed cannabis businesses to deduct business expenses on taxes or easing banking restrictions that force many to operate as cash-only businesses, making them vulnerable to crime.
In a notable move, President Joe Biden last October issued full pardons for prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession and urged governors to follow suit at the state level. The Justice Department is currently undertaking a review of federal cannabis policy. Attorney General Merrick Garland indicated that the new federal policy would likely align with the “Cole Memorandum” of 2013, which signaled federal non-interference with state-regulated marijuana programs as long as certain law enforcement priorities were met. However, the Trump administration had previously rescinded this memo, creating uncertainty in the legal landscape.
Activists continue to use 4/20 as a platform to advocate for more comprehensive federal reforms, urging the Biden administration to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and address the lasting harms of the war on drugs, particularly within communities of color. This includes calls to end the denial of federal benefits and prevent deportation based on state marijuana convictions.
In conclusion, 4/20 is far more than just a date for cannabis consumption. It’s a unique blend of counter-culture history, grassroots activism, and evolving legal and social norms. From its humble beginnings as a secret code among high school friends, “420” has blossomed into a global phenomenon, representing both the celebration of cannabis culture and the ongoing push for its wider acceptance and legalization.
