420 - what is this holiday and when is it celebrated?

Regular cannabis smokers have probably come into contact with the number 420. Many supporters of the cannabis plant, consider it or the date, which is the 20th of April, to be extraordinary. For many cannabis purchasers, it is a great opportunity to relax or enjoy some sort of cannabis event. Some celebrate the plant in this way. Those who are new to cannabis may not be aware of the significance of this number. What exactly does 420 mean? The story is quite intriguing. Find out more about it below.

Where did 420 come from?

It is worth learning how dates and times are written in the United States in order to understand the origin of the 420 symbol, because in this country, the month comes first, followed by the day of the month. So 4/20 is nothing more than 20 April. On the other hand, when it comes to hours, there are those in the morning and those in the afternoon. That is why it will be 4:20 p.m. in their country and 4:20 p.m. in Poland. So what is the mysterious number 420? This is because the slang symbol denotes the hour at which the cannabis plant, such as marijuana, is simply smoked. It can also be associated with the consumption of food that has THC in it. The 420 holiday has become a day on which a demonstration is held, which has to do with, among other things, views on the legalisation of cannabis.

History of the 420 holiday

Why exactly did 4:20 become the hour when cannabis smoking takes place? The story is linked to an event in 1971, from the lives of schoolchildren, which took place in San Rafael, California. Some believe the story to be an urban legend of sorts. After all, the teenagers were big fans of smoking the hemp plant, so it is unlikely to surprise anyone that they were seen smoking hemp dried after school. The students were given a treasure map by a friend, who in turn was given a treasure map by a member of the US Coast Guard who, not far from the lighthouse, was growing cannabis.

The man was worried that his commanding officer might find out about the cultivation, which would result in him being dismissed from duty. On the other hand, the students, intrigued by the stories, decided to find the lost field with the hemp plant. They were supposed to start their journey at the monument to Louis Pasteur at 4.20 a.m. And although they did not manage to find any treasure, they liked this trip so much that they agreed to plan such excursions from time to time. Each of their trips began with the smoking of cannabis.

Facts and myths about 420

It has to be said that a great many myths have been created in connection with the number 420. A few of these are in fact completely untrue, but there are also some that boil down to authentic events, although they do not come from the original 420 story that could be corroborated by any witnesses. Among the popular myths is certainly the theory that there are 420 active substances in the composition of cannabis. According to scientists, this is obviously a lie, as there are even more than 500.

The next myth, which is also quite popular, refers to a theory that is linked to a police code for offences related to the possession or trafficking of cannabis. It is just as wrong as the first one. There are also fanatics of the theory that 4:20 in the Netherlands is otherwise known as tea time. Still others, on the other hand, link the number 420 to the anniversary of Bob Marley's death, although the reggae music singer himself died on 11 May 1981. Therefore, such a theory has nothing to do with the truth.