420 is a sacred term used by those who are considered an integral part of a pro Cannabis community. It is used worldwide to express everything about this plant. If you are turning a spinel, cooking cookies to marijuana, supporting legalization reform, or planting a seed in your garden, then be part of the 420, that is, belonging to the Cannabis culture.
A lot of stoners around the world, to be celebrated on this almost sacred day, April 20, or 4/20. Day when the gathering and celebration of mourning, mingling and celebrating all that great and good is represented by Cannabis, within its community, living in joy, peace and love.
But why 420? Where does this term come from? Well, there are many myths that circulate around it, so before going to the true story of its origins, let's take a look at the countless legends circulating around this issue.
420 is the celebration of Bob Marley's death
No, Bob Marley died on 11 May 1981. Nor is his birthday celebrated on April 4th. The 420 does not cite in any way an event or date that can be linked to the existence of any musician involved in the Cannabis subculture.
April 20 is the best time to plant the grass
No. The right time varies from region to region and depends entirely on the area of the world you are in.
There are 420 chemical compounds in Cannabis
Wrong, again. It is thought to be over 500.
420 refers to a police code or a court code that refers to Cannabis
Even in the terminology adopted by the police this number is not related to Cannabis. 420 is the code referred to in the case of murder. However, in 2003, the California State Senate approved Bill of Law 420, setting guidelines for the use of marijuana for therapeutic purposes. But this was when the term 420 had been coined for some time, and it was related to culture 420.
420 ORIGINS :
The true origin of the 420 dates back to the 1970s, when this number began to be used in reference to the appointment that a group of students at San Rafael used to meet and to consume grass in company. The group of horns in question called themselves "The Waldos", referring, to their own accord, to their habit of being near a wall outside the school. The true story of the 420 began when Waldos' ears heard the rumor that an Coast Guard officer had cultivated a marijuana field in a wild and abandoned land near the Coast Guard Station. After getting a map, the group decided to go looking for this place in the hope of finding a treasure made of a free grass mountain. This was how the friends met at the end of classes at 4:20 pm, under the statue of the famous 19th-century scientist Louise Pasteur, where they immediately hit a spinello and planned their hunt for the "secret garden."
For weeks the group sought everywhere, always meeting at 4:20 below the Pasteur statue, but without any results. Eventually, these almost mystic smokers gave up their hunt for the Garden of Eden, but one thing had become part of the group in an indissoluble manner: at 4:20 am from Louis's statue. That was how this number became a code for the group, by which the boys referred to everything about marijuana. During school classes, when they crossed the corridors, they exchanged accompanying glances murmuring "420 Louis". One of the Waldos stated in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2000: "It was just a joke, but in the end it assumed many meanings, like 'do you have something?' Or 'do you look melted?'". In the end, everything was reduced to just "420", used in front of teachers and parents to talk about marijuana without being spoiled.
The growth of 420: from high school to global phenomenon
So, how did the 420 spread? Well, at this point we have to step back to introduce the Grateful Dead. This, now famous, rock band began to move the first steps to San Rafael, while the Waldos were still in high school. Mark Gravitch's father, one of the Waldos, owned the band's property, and Dave Reddix's older brother, another member of the Waldos, was part of a Grateful Dead support band, in addition to being a great friend of bassist Phil Lesh .
Dave talked about how the Grateful Dead had "this test room at Front Street, San Rafael, California, and used it to practice. So we used to go find them and listen to them playing and smoking while they were preparing for the concerts. But I think it's possible that the term has spread it to my brother through Phil Lesh. Or could I have done it myself since I went around with Lesh and her band (as a sound engineer) during their summer tour organized and run by my brother. When someone passed a spinel or something else, we said 'Hey, 420'. And that is how the term began to spread within the community. "
The term quickly became commonplace, spreading itself in the backstage of concerts and in the community of "stoners", and it did not take much time before being "cleared." Steve Hager, a publisher at those times of the High Times, heard the word and began to use it on every occasion, so to come and organize major events centered on it, such as the Cannabis Cup. Within a few years, this terminology spread all over The United States and, soon, all over the world, becoming a living legend that has come to our day.
The Proof
The Waldos have the evidence to prove that they have been the one to finish the term, before the Grateful Dead spread it. Hidden in the caveau of a bank there are some articles and newspaper clippings and other memorabilia belonging to the Waldos. It was they who allowed some people in the Huffington Post to see this secret place, showing some of the scraps. One of these articles is of particular interest: comes from the newspaper of the San Rafael High School and reports the statement of a student who wanted to get his degree companions a single "4-20" message.
This is the beautiful story of how a group of teen stoners was able to shape a thriving international expansion subculture. The Waldos, by themselves, are not particularly famous and, today, they lead a normal life. Every now and then they made their appearance in a documentary or were interviewed by some magazines interested in the history of the 420, but ultimately never tried to profit from their school history.
Although admirable, a question remains pending. Why 420? Okay, they met at 4:20, but it's still an hour so specific as it's anomalous. It is thought that all of them are part of the after-school athletics team and that the workouts have ended just around that hour. But no one is certain that things were just like that. However it has gone, 420 is now a term of historical relevance and is very important to the Cannabis Pro community: the 420 brings us together and brings us all together.
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