420 (cannabis culture)
4:20 or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) is a term used in North America as a discreet way to refer to the consumption of cannabis and, by extension, a way to identify oneself with the drug subculture around cannabis.
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Origins and observances
Although many diverse theories exist to explain the origin of the term, one central root of the phrase stems from a group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California in 1971; the teens would meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke cannabis at the Louis Pasteur statue.[1][2][3] The group was known as "The Waldos" because they would sit against a wall[3] and became popularized in the late 1980s by fans of The Grateful Dead.[4] Many North American cannabis users continue to observe 4:20 as a time to smoke communally. By extension April 20 ("4/20" in U.S. dating shorthand) has evolved into a counterculture holiday, where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis.[5][6][7] In some locations this celebration coincides with Earth Week.[8][9][10]
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References in popular culture
- Phrases such as "420 friendly" sometimes appear in roommate advertisements, indicating that the current occupants are tolerant of cannabis users.[12]
- College students frequently bid $420 while in Contestant's Row on The Price is Right.
- 420 is the title of a comic book series featuring the alternative superhero Captain Cannabis.[13][14][15][16]
- Noting that "the national weed smoking day is 4/20," rapper Method Man named his 2006 album 4:21...The Day After.[17]
- The television show "Code Monkeys" frequently makes use of the term, usually in the form of a score whenever Dave gets high. The first episode of Season two aired on April 20th, 2008 (4/20) and was dedicated to the main characters' pursuit of marijuana. Tommy Chong guest-starred.
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See also
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Sources
- ^ 420 (Language). Snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005-04-19). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
- ^ 420 Timeline. High Times (2005). Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
- ^ a b Attack of the Show: The Waldos: Truth Behind "420"
- ^ '420' enthusiasts honor cannabis on high holiday. cbs5.com (2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-20.<ref></ref>
- ^ Steven Hager discusses 4/20 on ABC News as a "counterculture holiday"
- ^ Students gathering on 4/20 at Colorado University in Boulder
- ^ Thousands at UCSC burn one to mark cannabis holiday
- ^ Earth Week in Guam
- ^ Earth Week in San Diego
- ^ Earth Week in Victora, BC
- ^ Lavigne, Andrea (April 25th, 2007), “Celebration up in smoke: Pot supporters celebrate 10th anniversary”, Victoria News, <http://www.mapinc.org/newstcl/v07/n525/a08.html>
- ^ Boulder Renters Seek Pot-Smoking Roommates: Boulder Still a Bastion of Hippies and Radicals, Apparently. New West (Living section) - The Voice of the Rocky Mountains (2006-05-08). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
- ^ Captain Cannabis comic book
- ^ High Times Magazine, February 2007, The Buzz section page 13, "Sensi Superman"
- ^ Skunk Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 8, Cool Stuff section, "420 Verne Signature Series"
- ^ QsHouse Radio/iPod Interview - Verne Andru: the George Lucas of the comic world
- ^ "New Method Man Album 4:21...The Day After", Sixshot. Retrieved on 2007-04-19. (English)
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External links
- The Power of 420: Transforming the universal code into a collective consciousness for stoners. Karen Bettez Halnon, originally published in High Times, May 2003.
- Capitalist buzz builds around stoner ‘holiday’. Mike Stuckey, MSNBC, 16 April 2008.
- History of 420: Timeline
- High Holy Day for Potheads. Wired News, April 20, 2001.
- 4:20 Revealed. Viper's Lair, March 22, 2004.
- What does the number 420 signify, and why? Phish.net FAQ
- 420 Campaign: Strategy for Legalization archive of related articles
- The Neighborhood King theories on the origin of the term
- Super High Me reveals the secrets of a rolling stoner
- Vansterdam British Columbia 4/20 Celebration April 2007 video
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