Each year on April 20th, cannabis fans come together to celebrate an entire day dedicated to marijuana. Interestingly, how 4/20 came to be so important to the cannabis movement is a topic that still receives some debate. Although there are several different takes on the history of 4/20, the bottom line is that the date gave us a chance to appreciate cannabis’s impact on modern culture. At Evergreen, we are passionate about all things cannabis, so we decided to search for 4/20’s origin story.
The Origin of 420 and Its History
The most widely accepted and shared story about the origin of 420 begins in California during the 1970s. A group of San Rafael high school students (the story goes) named themselves the “Waldos” and would use 420 as a code to meet up at 4:20 after school to smoke marijuana.
Another version of the story has it that the students would meet up at 4:20 to search for an abandoned cannabis crop left behind by someone they knew. The students never actually found the crop but continued to use the term to refer to their private tradition.
Another popular theory regarding how the 420 phrase entered cannabis culture has to do with its connection to the Grateful Dead. One of the roadies for the band, “Waldo,” pronounced that 4:20 in the afternoon was the acceptable time of day to start smoking marijuana.
There is also a version of the story in which the brother of one of the “Waldos” was friends with members of the Grateful Dead, which ties the two different legends together neatly.
The Rising Influence of 4/20 on Cannabis Culture
Although the phrase may have started as an inside joke, it transformed into much more than just a time of day to smoke weed. Most specifically, the date 4/20 began to represent a movement for cannabis advocacy. The goal of cannabis advocacy efforts is for widespread legalization and acceptance. Cannabis activists over the years have used the 4/20 date as a way to organize rallies, celebrations, and educational forums to protest marijuana prohibition.
As early as the 1990s, 4/20 celebrations became widely recognized as the norm to promote cannabis enjoyment. You can find events and festivals throughout the country on or around the 4/20 holiday.
4/20: Marijuana’s Black Friday
Another way 4/20 has impacted the industry is by boosting sales. Dispensaries and other cannabis product retailers use 4/20 as the date to promote deals. You’re bound to find some of the best prices of the year when you shop on April 20th. It’s also a popular date for new cannabis product launches. Companies like to use the date to showcase their latest and greatest weed strains, pre-rolls, bongs, cannabis storage solutions, and more.
Evergreen’s Nod to 420
At our company, we genuinely believe in the spirit of 420. We have tirelessly worked to create an affordable, environmentally friendly way to preserve the freshness and quality of cannabis flower, our Evergreen Pods. The same passion has led us to create a storage solution that offers an airtight, lightproof, attractive and safe way to store your buds. With Evergreen Pods, the flower stays at the perfect 55% to 65% humidity to prevent too much moisture or the flower from drying out. The pod is reusable and rechargeable, so use it again and again.
Happy 4/20 from Evergreen!
