Cannabis culture acknowledges a ‘high’ holiday, referred to as 4/20, coinciding this time with Easter Sunday and the last day of Passover. Cannabis enthusiasts find unique ways to indulge, with events like ‘Easter nug hunt’ in Los Angeles, kosher-focused THC candies in New York, and a ‘blaze and praise’ drag brunch held in Portland. The term ‘420’ and the date’s association with marijuana remains a source of debate, with convoluted theories floating around.
Several theories abound about the origins of 4/20. Some assert it ties back to a police code relating to marijuana possession, while others believe it’s rooted in Bob Dylan’s ‘Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35’, where the prolific refrain ‘Everybody must get stoned’ suggests 420 as a product of 12 and 35. Notably, the most accepted explanation seems to have emerged in the 1970s, tracing back to a pack of friends, who called themselves ‘the Waldos’ in San Rafael High School, situated north of San Francisco in California’s Marin County.
The tale further unfolds with the Waldo’s friend growing a cannabis field in the nearby Point Reyes woods but fearful of getting caught. Consequently, he sketches a map and permits the teenagers to reap his unlawful crop. During the fall of 1971, the group congregates post classes and football practices at 4:20 p.m. by the school’s chemist Louis Pasteur statue, sparking up before embarking on a quest to uncover the clandestine marijuana growth. The elusive plot never makes its appearance, but their coded speech, ‘420 Louie’ eventually shortened to just ‘420’, takes a life of its own.
Donating an insider’s view to the peculiar subculture, the Waldos have kept letters and various artifacts from the 70s bearing the term ‘420’, safeguarded in a bank vault. The Oxford English Dictionary, upon incorporating the term in 2017, referenced these documents as the earliest known uses. Grateful Dead’s bassist Phil Lesh’s closeness to one Waldo’s sister amplifies the intrigue of the tale. As the Waldos infiltrate the band’s social circle, the vernacular progressively expands.
The narrative of 4/20 jumps from the 70s to the early 90s when a flyer distributed at a Grateful Dead concert propels the term into a stoner holiday. The flyer mysteriously encourages people to gather at the Bolinas Ridge sunset spot on Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County for ‘420-ing’ at ‘4:20 on 4/20’. The obscurity surrounding the origin of this flyer instigates an enduring phenomenon, strengthening the myth of ‘420’ and etching it deeper into the cannabis culture.
While the Waldos coined the term ‘420’, the identity of the individuals responsible for transforming it into a celebratory day at the Dead show continues to mystify. The celebration manifests through consuming marijuana products naturally. In New York, the Tokin’ Jew cannabis brand capitalizes on the occasion with a kosher-style THC gummy series, ‘Tokin’ Chews’, aiming to meet Passover’s dietary requirements, boasting a $500 cash award.
Cannabis consumption on-site is strictly prohibited but participants can still win door-prize gift baskets provided by local dispensaries. Melinda Archuleta, a local bar owner, views the brunch as a prelude to the upcoming Pride month’s events in June. Although indifferent to marijuana consumption herself, as a Mexican American, she expresses a keen interest in seeing the amalgamation of different cultures in a ‘cheeky’ manner.
Archuleta anxiously anticipates observing how the celebrations unfold, with complete freedom given to the participants, provided they’re 21 and above. According to her, irreverent or borderline offensive actions are of little concern, further stoking curiosity about the proceedings. Staying true to the spirit of 4/20, several larger celebrations like the Mile High 420 Festival in Denver and an event hosted by SweetWater Brewing in Atlanta contribute to festivities.
But not all areas were open to the event. Hippie Hill, traditionally a landmark for celebrating 4/20 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, was unable to host the event due to a second straight year of event cancellation. Organizers cited a lack of monetary sponsorship and city budget cuts as reasons. Just slightly north in Petaluma, California, Lagunitas Brewing commemorated the day by annually releasing ‘Waldos’ Special Ale’, partnering with the very people who coined ‘420’.
Industry players also view the date as an opportunity to network and sample each other’s offerings. As of now, there are 24 states that allow the recreational use of marijuana and 14 others that permit it for medicinal reasons. However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the pro-cannabis movement, as demonstrated by recent voting results in Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota where legalization measures were declined.
A crack down on intoxicating products derived from hemp, previously sold widely in prohibition states through a loophole in the federal Farm Bill has created additional frustration. Alarmingly, despite all the advancements on a state level, the fact remains — cannabis use is a federal offense. The commitments made by then-candidate, President Donald Trump, fell through, his administration neglected to prioritise cannabis policy.
Even worse, a fact sheet released by the White House pointed to marijuana decriminalization in Washington, D.C. as an example of ‘failed policies’ instigating ‘disorder’. This dispiriting development paints a far cry from Trump’s earlier support for reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a change that Biden administration blunderingly continues.
Seemingly oblivious to the general public’s shifting opinion on cannabis, the Biden administration fails to offer any substantial plan to tackle the issue, leading to bureaucratic stagnancy. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of senators offers a glimmer of hope by reintroducing legislation that enables states to adopt their own cannabis policies and remove industry financial challenges, such as tax deductions for business expenses.
As advocates for the pro-cannabis movement continue to be marginalized and sidelined, their resolve remains unshaken. They are encouraged to continue to speak out and fight for their cause, hopeful that measures like improving banking access for marijuana businesses might pass as part of larger legislative initiatives. ‘You continue speaking up, even if the political momentum isn’t there,’ could well be their rallying call in the face of resilient challenges.
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