You've probably heard people use the term "420" before, but what does it really mean? April 20 (4/20 in English dating) has become something of an unofficial holiday for cannabis enthusiasts around the world, but where did this mysterious number come from? Some say it originated with a group of California high school students in the 1970s, while others believe it has something to do with a rock band called the Grateful Dead or even with the date of Hitler's death. While we may never know for sure, one thing's for sure: 4/20 is definitely a day to celebrate cannabis culture! Whether you're smoking with friends or just enjoying the atmosphere of a good event ruled by peace, there's no better way to spend 4/20 than partying around something called gandja. Let's delve deeper into the meaning of 420.
Why 420?
Invented by the Waldos?
The term "420" originated in the 1970s. A group of high school friends in San Rafael, California, used to meet at 4:20pm to smoke pot together. This was the time after school when parents hadn't yet returned from work. Everyone has experienced the feeling of freedom during this time, as if our actions had no consequences without a teacher or parent on our backs. The group called themselves "the Waldos", and they often left class early to meet in front of a statue of Louis Pasteur and have a smoke. They would then set off in search of a hidden cannabis plantation. Although they never found one, they continued to meet at 4:20 p.m. to smoke weed together.
The term "420" eventually spread beyond the Waldo circle of friends and became part of popular culture. In 1990, the magazine High Times magazine published an article on the history of the 420, which further increased its popularity. Today, the term "420" is heard the world over, not only in reference to the grass, but also to the time (4:20 p.m.) and date (April 20).
Invented by Bob Dylan?
This theory suggests that the 420 code actually comes from Bob Dylan's 1966 song "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35". In the song's chorus, Dylan sings "Everybody must get stoned!", which would be a reference to cannabis. Some people think that the numbers 12 and 35 multiplied together make 420, which would have given the number for weed. It's also common knowledge that Bob Dylan was a marijuana lover, having introduced the Beatles to cannabis himself. However, there is no concrete evidence to support the theory that he was indeed behind the creation of the expression 420.
Invented by the police?
Although this theory isn't as popular as the others, some people believe that 420 is actually a police code for ongoing marijuana smoking. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, and it seems unlikely that law enforcement would want to use such a well-known code.
Hippies & marijuana culture
This origin story begins in the United States, during the Vietnam War. During this period of atrocities and horrors committed against civilian populations who had asked for nothing more than to exist, a pacifist movement called "Flower Power" developed in protest. Stemming from hippie culture, the unifying idea was to declare one's love for the planet while consuming cannabis. The expression "Make love not war" emerged from this sad era when the United States wanted to impose its vision on the whole world. At that time, the number 420, carried by popular culture and the power of its representation in reality, took on its full meaning, becoming the spearhead of a pacifist vision of the world in which people wanted to live together and not wage war against each other.
While the hippies may not have been the first group of people to smoke marijuana, they were one of the groups who most publicly expressed their love for the plant. Indeed, many people credit the hippies with helping to change public perception of marijuana use in general. Thanks to their efforts, what was once considered a dangerous drug is now widely accepted as a harmless recreational activity.
Of course, not all hippies smoked marijuana. But for those who did, it was often seen as a way of connecting with nature and promoting peace and love. In many cases, smoking marijuana was also seen as an act of rebellion against an establishment perceived as "straight" and "square".
Nowadays, the hippie movement has run out of steam, and the idealistic vision of "make love not war" and "420" - sublimated by the great Bob Marley via a musical genre that was little-known at the time and derived from ska and rocksteady - has gradually been passed on to the new generation of reggae exponents, to become an important and essential part of reggae today.
What does the number 420 mean today?
For a start, April 20 (4/20) has become "Weed Day" in some circles - a day when people get together to smoke weed and celebrate cannabis cultivation. In addition, many people use the term "420 friendly" to indicate that they're willing to smoke weed or hang out with people who smoke weed.
4/20 has now become an international holiday, with celebrations in countries all over the world. In some places, like the U.S., 4/20 is celebrated with big parties and rallies; in others, it's a more low-key affair. In France, and other countries where marijuana is illegal, Weed Day is a day of peaceful protest in which processions surrounded by a halo of smoke make their way through cities to show the government the popular masses' desire for full legalization. This in itself doesn't have much effect, but it does free up the voice of consumers at least once a year, who are stigmatized all the rest of the time.
For many people, 420 is an important part of their identity. It's a time to relax and unwind with friends, and it's also a day to celebrate cannabis culture. However you choose to celebrate 420, do it with joy and good humor, without violence. We wouldn't want to prove right the old saying that renamed weed: the devil's drug!
Today, many cannabis consumers have turned to CBD for a variety of reasons. Not least of all, they want to be able to enjoy the benefits of this breathtaking plant full of virtues, or to keep that weed taste they love so much. Here's why, 420 Green Road was created: to democratize legal hemp and enable everyone to enjoy the therapeutic properties of all the cannabinoids and terpenes present in cannabis, with THC levels of less than 0.3% in compliance with French law.
In recent years, efforts have been made to de-stigmatize marijuana and make it more popular, especially in the United States. Numerous films such as Delire Express starring James Franco and Seth Rogen, both known for their love of the plant, and the series Weeds have helped the general public understand that cannabis is not a hard drug, incompatible with the notion of society. As proof of this, a large number of states around the world, led by the United States, are legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes, and this trend is only growing. Whether you're a long-time cannabis user or simply curious about its history, it's essential to understand the significance of 420.