This Year Marks 50 years of 420

By Rebecca Victoria Olmos

This year marks 50 years of the cannabis culture phenomenon, 420. 420 is a term for all things weed. It is celebrated daily at 4:20 (am or pm) by consuming cannabis, but the largest celebrations come on every year April 20th, 4/20.

Some of the largest, renowned events, like Hippie Hill and the Cannabis Cup, are held in California, where the term 420 originated in 1971.

According to a Huff Post article, a group of high school students from San Rafael called The Waldos coined the term. They heard about an abandoned crop of cannabis plants ready for harvest and made it their mission to find it. Every day they met at 4:20 to smoke weed. Then they’d venture into the Point Reyes forest to find their green gold.

The Waldos searched and smoked for weeks. They never found the plants but the term stuck.

Over the years, 420 has developed from a secret stoner code into a major holiday. Cannabis enthusiasts gather in groups of thousands of people to share their admiration of “Mary Jane.”

Due to COVID-19, there have not been large festivals for two years running – however, people are still using cannabis. According to a Cova Report, in 2020, the foot traffic in dispensaries decreased as much as 50 percent on 4/20, but the average cost of consumer’s cannabis baskets increased.

So the legend of The Waldosand 420 lives on. You can celebrate this year with virtual events throughout California and the rest of the world.

Even better, you can celebrate this year by watching our 420 podcast that will drop on our media charnels (appropriately) on Tuesday, 4/20 at 4:20 pm – in conjunction with our Weekly Dose Newsletter we send out every Tuesday!