4:20, 420 or 4/20 (which reads “four twenty”) is a reference code alluding to the consumption of the cannabis sativa or marijuana plant; In addition, it is a term that identifies the practitioners of cannabis culture.
Originally, the term 4:20 was coined by a group of young people, called the Waldos, students at San Rafael High School, in California, United States.
The Waldos tended to meet after extracurricular activities to smoke pot next to the statue of Louis Pasteur at 4:20 pm.
The term 4:20 was popularized because the Waldos always used it when they were behind the scenes with the American band called Grateful Dead. It is believed that thanks to this band and its tours, the use of the term was extended.
In the popularization of the use of this code, the High Times magazine also participated, a reference publication for cannabis culture.
Other versions, according to which the expression 420 was due to the number of chemical compounds active in cannabis, or to a code used by the police to identify individuals who used or consumed marijuana, have been denied.
4/20: Marijuana Day
April 20, that is 4/20 (according to the US date format), is International Marijuana Day. It is celebrated around the world thanks to editor Steven Hager of High Times magazine, who creates the first Marijuana Day in his office to honor the term. Today it is celebrated worldwide.
This celebration is characterized by the gathering of thousands of people smoking marijuana in public places. In countries where the use of marijuana is not legal, that day is used to demonstrate before the authorities and demand its legalization.
