🔥 What does 420 mean? – The origins behind the cannabis cult's most famous number
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Have you ever wondered why 420 has become the symbol of cannabis culture? Why do thousands of people around the world celebrate April 20th (4/20 in the US date format) with smoke, community and green leaves? Here we delve into the history behind 420 – and how it became a global phenomenon.
🌱 Where does 420 come from?
The story begins in California in 1971. A group of high school students from San Rafael High School – known as "The Waldos" – had a habit of meeting every day at 4:20 in the afternoon at a statue on the school grounds. Here they smoked marijuana and used "420" as the code word for their secret meetings.
“420 Louis” was their original code, but it was quickly shortened to just “420”.
🔊 How did 420 become world famous?
It wasn’t just the local teenagers’ internal jargon. One of the Waldos boys had connections to the Grateful Dead – the iconic rock band – who spread the slang term through their fanbase. Through concerts, flyers and communities, “420” became an internal code among Deadheads and quickly spread through the American underground .
🌍 420 today: A global cannabis day
Today, 420 is used around the world as a symbol of legalization, activism, and community around cannabis . April 20th (4/20) in particular has become an international day of celebration for users and supporters – from Copenhagen to Colorado.
In Denmark, 420 is particularly associated with youth culture, Christiania, and the debate about legalization.
