The Dank History of 4/20 Sales Online
It doesn’t take the mind of a genius (or even an adult) to understand that any story, no matter how small or untrue, can get grossly out of hand when filtered through the right channels. One such tale is the history of 420 (that’s four-twenty, not four hundred and twenty, ya big square) and how an otherwise innocuous integer came to represent the use of recreational cannabis the world over.
How 420 Sales Become an Internet Name
Whether it’s 4:20 PM, the universally accepted time to light up a spliff, or April the 20th, the now ubiquitous combination of three digits is a hotly debated story. We’re here to dispel all the myths and rumors about this magical day, presenting the dank history of 420.
What is the Origin of 420?
There are many myths about the origins of 420 as a concept, and we’ll endeavor to touch on these as they crop up throughout our history lesson. But please know that we have researched this topic through original sources (not Wikipedia) multiple times (as far-fetched as what you’re about to read, maybe). So trust us, bro.
So you ask why 420 is the best time of day to burn one down? This theory has also been researched extensively, with anecdotal and first-hand evidence taken into account over a lengthy control time (to ensure, you know, accuracy and stuff). We’ll start by clarifying the first common misconception, no, 420 is not the police radio code for weed. We bring this up first as it’s a frankly stupid theory for one obvious reason; Police radio codes differ internationally and from state to state. In fact, 420 is a police radio code in Las Vegas, Nevada, but it’s not for smoking the ‘erb; it’s for homicide. And in case we need to point it out, there’s a stark difference between an unofficial holiday essentially devoted to doing nothing and straight-up murder.
The Truth Behind the History of 420
The year was 1971. The place? San Rafael, California (because it happened in ruddy California). Five friends, all San Rafael High School students, had a very specific ritual: one which would later change the world’s referral to, and, perhaps, attitude towards, the devil’s lettuce. Fast-forward light-years, and we now have 420 sales on the internet and in brick-and-mortar stores!
The young men, Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich, would meet on the school grounds each day by a statue of Louis Pasteur, the marvelous French scientist and polymath, at exactly 4:20 PM. A seemingly arbitrary time to get baked? Sure. But this was before WhatsApp groups, so people needed to organize themselves well in advance, especially if there were going to be multiple attendees at any gathering. 420 was an understood, concrete, regimented ritual for the boys and one which we can only assume saw a lot of bud getting passed between them.
Like all good gangs of youths, they had a name for themselves. Going by the name ‘The Waldos’ (allegedly because their chosen hang-out spot was a wall outside the school. Personally, we think that they should have been ‘The Pasteurs’, but then, high school gang-naming was never our thing. But this quintet of pubescent stoners began to use the term “420 Louis”, though with different meanings depending on the context.
“It was just a joke, but it came to mean all kinds of things, like, ‘Do you have any?’ or ‘Do I look stoned?’… Parents and teachers wouldn’t know what we were talking about”, said Capper in a 2000 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle.
However, the best part of this rather innocent tale concerns a treasure map of spurious origin. The five youngsters had come into possession of a mysterious map, which purportedly showed the way to a huge crop of cannabis that was there for the taking if it could be located.
Originally planted by local coastguard Gary Newman, who happened to be the brother-in-law of one of the brothers who gave The Waldos their sacred map in the first place, the “X-marks-the-spot” example of criminal cartography was created to cover his tracks from his snoopy colleagues, and he never recovered his stash out of fear of being caught.
The story goes that Newman’s crop of whacky tobaccy is still out there, perhaps waiting for you to find it. Our research certainly doesn’t rule this out.
The Grateful Dead Influence History of 420 Sales
So, how did a secret code between five teenagers who just wanted a safe way to get blazed after school balloon into an international phenomenon? Well, if it could be properly explained, it would not, by definition, be a phenomenon. The Waldos have a provable link to the stoner band The Grateful Dead. Dave Reddix’s brother managed bassist Phil Lesh’s side projects. Mark Gravich’s father also helped the band find a rehearsal space (where they also performed), and as a result, The Waldos were always automatically on the guest list.
“For a young man around 18 or 19 around these guys, it was pretty overwhelmingly fun… we’d shoot some hoops and get high and listen to the Dead playing and practicing inside this warehouse,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported Reddix as remembering. They are attributed to wonderfully successful guerilla marketing campaigns. However, the leaders of 420 sales around the world are not mentioned.
It wasn’t long before the members of The Grateful Dead and their associated acts were using the term 420 to refer to their favored psychotropic inhalable. This eventually found its way to the (stoner) fans, who quickly cottoned onto the phrase. The rest, as they say in the classics, is history.
Why is 420 a Dank Number?
There are literally 420 reasons why the phrase continues to be passed around today. We’ve covered the history of 420 above, but there are many other reasons why it’s such a dank number. Perhaps it was the need for a secret code during a time fraught with anti-drug propaganda (1971, the year 420 was coined, was also the year Richard Nixon began his now-infamous “War on Drugs”). Perhaps it’s a human desire to feel accepted by whispering “420” to a fellow concertgoer and receiving a dutchie on the left-hand side. Whatever the exact reason for the term’s universal popularity, it’s here to stay. Cue the crowds celebrating 420, stores promoting 420 sales and discounts, and even restaurants themed like the Cheeba Hut!
The number quite obviously lends itself to the time of day when its etymological origins can be found, but it’s also representative of the 20th of April. Yes, Adolf Hitler was indeed born on this date, but this is a mere coincidence, and any conspiracy theorists who try to draw a line between Hitler and the calming, tranquil effects of marijuana have both never smoked the stuff or Googled Adolf Hitler.
With medicinal marijuana and the legalization of recreational reefer hot-button topics worldwide, politicians are now sensibly weighing in on what seems to be an inevitability for Western nations. The 20th of April (not the day Bob Marley died) has become a day of (peaceful) protest for many.
General 420 FAQ:
What does 420 mean?
Whether you’re a smoker or not, those in the know will recognize April 20th, or 420 as the international date for cannabis smoking.
What does 420 friendly mean?
The meaning of 420-friendly usually refers to housing and dating apps and accommodations that are accepting of weed smokers.
What is a stoner?
A stoner is a person who regularly participates in the smoking of marijuana. It can also refer to someone who weighs a couple of ‘stone’ in Britain. The equivalent to about 6.35kg.
How many grams are in an ounce?
There are 28.3495 grams in an ounce.
How many grams in a quarter?
There are 7.0874 grams in a quarter (of an ounce).
