The origins of 420

Though there are many stories about where the association of cannabis with the number 420 comes from, it in fact all started with a group of teenage boys who used to hang out together after school in San Rafael, California during the 1970s. The group, who called themselves the Waldos, found out about an abandoned cannabis crop nearby and developed a plan to meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to search for it. Soon, the Waldos started meeting up regularly to smoke and drive around looking for the deserted crop. The code for their secret missions was 420.

Although the Waldos never found the cannabis plants, 420 became slang for smoking marijuana among youth in the area, and in particular with fans of the Grateful Dead — a band that embraced cannabis culture and whose members had ties to San Rafael. Soon, the term spread to cannabis users around the world.

Today, 420 is an unofficial holiday devoted to celebrating cannabis culture that occurs annually on April 20 (the date was selected due to its numerical representation, 4/20). Each year, people across the globe stage demonstrations to support the legalization of marijuana and host festivals and events featuring cannabis in its many forms.