420 (cannabis culture)

In North American culture, the number 420 (pronounced four-twenty) relates to the consumption of cannabis and elements of its associated culture. The exact origin of the term is unknown. Marijuana users gather on April 20 ("4/20" in U.S. dating shorthand) every year to celebrate and consume marijuana.

Origin

The origin of the term "420" is the subject of some dispute and much speculation, and so no theory can be said conclusively to be correct, but the term seems to have first come into popular usage in the early 1970s.

Commonly accepted origin

Snopes.com, High Times magazine, The Marijuana-Logues, and The Straight Dope claim that in the early 1970s, a group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California, used to meet every day after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke marijuana at the Louis Pasteur statue. One piece of evidence supporting an origin of the term from the time 4:20 is the fact that the number is always said "four twenty". This theory is also the most cited, and the most widely accepted.

Other possible suggested origins

The Bob Dylan song "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35". The song contains the lyrics "everybody must get stoned" prominently throughout the song. Since twelve multiplied by thirty-five equals 420, it has been suggested that this song is the original source of the term 420 in cannabis culture.
At some American junior or senior high schools, "after-school detention" ends at 4:20. Thus 4:20 signifies the time when the detainees are finally free to smoke after the school day.
The term could have possibly come from H. P. Lovecraft's "Within The Walls of Eryx" which contains the line, "My route must have been far from straight, for it seemed hours before I was free of the mirage-plant's pervasive influence... When I did get wholly clear I looked at my watch and was astonished to find that the time was only 4:20." This theory for the origin of 4:20 was first postulated on the official website for the band Tool.
The second line of the first stanza in the children's nursery rhyme 'Sing a Song of Sixpence' reads: "Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie". This theory probably arose because "Baked" is also a common euphemism for being under the influence of cannabis. Urban legend holds that the nursery rhyme was actually originally a pirates' recruiting song. Blackbeard's crew were said to have sung the song to recruit new members in bars and other seedy locations. The line "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie" instead supposedly referred to the crew (of 24) hiding in their seemingly damaged ship, waiting for a vessel to assist them. The rest of the song supposedly talks about ambushing the other ship and offering the earnings to Blackbeard.

Refuted urban legends

420 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which marijuana burns, the primary method of use. In reality, marijuana burns at or around 283 degrees.
420 is a police code for a drug bust or for "marijuana smoking in progress," or that 4:20 is or was the shift change for the police. In San Francisco, 420 is the police radio code for suspicious juveniles^{[citation needed]}, but it is not specific to what they are doing that is suspicious. It is unknown if any other cities/districts use this code, or what it is for.
There are 420 chemicals in marijuana. There are actually 315.
April 21 is the last day on which one is supposed to plant cannabis seeds. With the variety of planting regions and cannabis genetics, no such date can logically apply to all growing operations.
April 20 is approximately the last frost in the American climate, making it time to move pot plants outdoors. In actual fact the date varies from year to year, and from region to region.
420 Day is celebrated as April 20th was the date of Bob Marley's death. Marley actually died on May 11, 1981.
Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, and smoking marijuana serves to undermine Hitler's memory. As one smoker explains: "Hitler represents in sharp opposite contrast all that the marijuana-smoking community stands for." [1]
Marijuana grew wild on or near Highway 420 in Ontario in the 1960s. However, Highway 420 only gained its current name in 1972. Whether or not this is true, Highway 420 is the location for an annual legalization protest every April 20th.

April 20th events and traditions

Many North American cities and colleges hold pro-marijuana rallies, or at least celebratory marijuana gatherings, on April 20. Many famous landmarks are also targeted for public marijuana use, such as Parliament Hill in Canada. The authorities' reaction to these gatherings varies from place to place, as shown by two prominent examples.

University of Colorado

The largest known celebration of this kind has been held annually for the past decade at the University of Colorado's Farrand Field in Boulder, Colorado, where protestors gather at 4:20 p.m. to smoke cannabis. In 2005, responding to negative press that year, University Police made their first attempt to disperse the gathering. They posted signs saying students were not allowed on the field that afternoon. After the field was overrun by an estimated 2000 or more students, police declined to issue any citations, as with past years. They did, however, turn the sprinklers on in an attempt to disperse the crowd. In another attempt to stop the celebration in 2006, the University put up signs telling students Farrand Field was closed for the afternoon, and even hired event staff to keep students from going onto the field. This, however, was a failed attempt, as thousands gathered around the field, only to storm it at around 4 o'Clock. In response, the university videotaped the gathering and are looking to prosecute students who attended it for trespassing. The university has posted pictures on the web in the hope that other students will identify other students in exchange for a $50 reward for each person caught. [2] Following publication of this notice on pro 420 websites such as College Humour many false 'I.D.'s' were submitted, undermining the effectiveness of the University's attempt to catch those involved.

University of Vermont

It was a tradition for many years at the University of Vermont for a very large number of people to gather on the campus green and smoke openly in protest of marijuana prohibition laws. The protest was traditionally tolerated by the police, who viewed it as an act of civil disobedience and would merely observe to ensure the safety of participants and bystanders. The annual protest was squashed on April 20, 2002, however, due to a decree by incoming University President Daniel Fogel, who ordered campus police to maintain a strict, heavily armed presence on the campus green. Students were not allowed to stay on the green (for any reason) and students who attempted to do so were ID'd, searched and detained. Fogel has stated multiple times before and since that he was trying to clean up the "reputation" of the University. Since then, police wearing bullet-proof vests and armed with shotguns have been a staple of 4/20 celebrations on the green; and while the protest has gone forward on a much smaller scale, police now arrest any smokers and the tone has changed markedly from that of a peaceful, albeit defiant, protest to one of conflict and division between students, police, and administrators.

References in pop culture

Occurrences in music

"Even in His Youth", a b-side by Nirvana (on the single "Smells Like Teen Spirit") - listed as 4:20 in duration on the single's cover, while the song's length is actually 3:06.
The death metal band Six Feet Under recorded a song called "420" for their 1997 album Warpath.
Rap artist Afroman released an album called "4RO20" and his website runs under the slogan "Where it's always 4RO20". Also, he changed the label on his "Colt 45" bottle to say "Cult 420", as seen on his website. Also, the clock shown on his website is stopped at 4:20.
The Album Royal Highness by the Kottonmouth Kings lists all song durations as 4:20; actual song times vary.
The song "Smokin'" by Boston lasts for 4:20.
The song "Rollin'" by Dungeon Family lasts for 4:20.
The song "Take Me to Your Leader" by Incubus contains the lyric, "What if my watch read four dot dot two oh every hour, every day, you could bet your dollar I'd be happy!"
The song "Trouble in 421" by Incubus has the subject of the song living in apartment "420 G," and contains the lyrics, "his pupil was wide open...it was indubitubly dose derived," and, "I beg my common sense to keep my neighbor out away from my front door until I find a way to hide myself from those in 4-2-1...one away from the good one." There are also themes of paranoia throughout the song.
The song "Stoned Part I" (from the album Stoned by Lewis Taylor) was also released in a "420 Mix" by HackTone Records, with a duration of 4:20.
The song "Drugs" on Lil' Kim's first cd, Hard Core, is 4:20 in length.

Occurrences in film & television

In the colorized version of the 1936 anti-marijuana/exploitation classic Reefer Madness, there is a brief subliminal flash showing 4:20 with a marijuana leaf in the background, 20 minutes and 24 seconds into the film. The colorized DVD was originally released on April 20, 2004, another reference to the slang term.
In the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction, many clocks can be seen to read 4:20.
In an episode of the show Futurama called The Farnsworth Parabox, an alternate universe where everyone is a hippie is numbered as Universe 420.
The number is also prominently featured in the 2005 made-for-television musical version of Reefer Madness, which is based on the Reefer Madness stage show, which itself is based on the aforementioned 1936 film.
In WWE professional wrestling, the team of Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio used a double leg drop termed "the 420", ostensibly because of the number of legs involved (4) and their combined shoe sizes (20). Throughout his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling, Rob Van Dam's various mottos generally incorporated the slang. An example would be, "It's 4:19. Got a minute?". Another familiar line was "RVD 4:20" (as if quoting a verse of the bible) which stood for "I just Smoked your Ass!"
In Good Eats, a clock in the kitchen is often set to 4:20.
The airline flight featured in the 1954 John Wayne film The High and the Mighty was Trans-Orient Pacific Airlines flight 420.
In Fat Albert, Doris (Kyla Pratt) is seen wearing a shirt reading, "PHILA 4:20"
In Lost in Translation, Lydia sends Bob a fax at 4:20 am.
It is rumored that in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, all of the clocks show the time as 4:20.
At the beginning of the music video for Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog's "I Keed" the alarm clock goes off at 4:20.
A contestant on The Price is Right named Evan repeatedly bet amounts relating to the number 420.[3]
In an episode of "The Simpsons", "Three Gays of the Condo", The family is putting together a puzzle, when Marge turns to a clock that says 4:20 and exclaims about how late it is.
In the 2006 film Failure to Launch, the character "Tripp" (played by Matthew McConaughey) lives in a house numbered 420.
In Flavor of Love, many of Flavor Flav's clocks read 4:20.
In the 2002 film Austin Powers in Goldmember, the clock worn as a pendant by Mini Me in the prison music video is set to 4:20.

Occurrences on the radio

Until recently, Baltimore radio station 93.1 WPOC would play the "4:20 Future File" every weekday at 4:20, where a newly released song would be played and then rated on a scale of 1-10 by listeners who called in. 'Michael J.', of the WPOC Fun & Games department, claims this is simply coincidence.
The now-defunct Los Angeles, California radio station Arrow 93.1 used to play an authentic vinyl record every day at 4:20. This segment was called the Vinyl Vault.
Many FM radio stations in the United States play a Bob Marley track daily at 4:20 p.m. (sometimes AM as well), usually named Mandatory Marley.
The radio show 4:20 Drug War News, a short talk segment which promotes legalization of certain drugs, is usually aired at 4:20.
At 4:20, the XM Radio station "The Boneyard" reminds everyone that it is 'bong time'
In Canada, the Edmonton radio station KROCK plays a "Roll Your Own" request segment every day at 4:20 p.m..
The Toronto, Canada, radio station 102.1 The Edge has interesting discussions during 'The 420 Thought'. Thoughts such as "Where is the best place to 420?"
In Ottawa, Ontario 101.1 XFM (now defunct), played different Bob Marley songs everyday at 4:20.
The Alexandria, Minnesota station KX 92 plays a "classic comedy" bit every weekday at 4:20 p.m..
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the FM radio station 105.9 WXDX (The X) plays a "420 Pause for the Cause" request segment at 4:20 p.m..
In Portsmouth, Ohio, from 2000 - 2002, the FM radio station 94.9 WZIO (now defunct) used to air a segment during "The Traffic Jam with Tony Phillips" entitled "Get the Led Out" at 4:20 p.m. weekdays, where 15-20 minutes of "non-standard" Led Zeppelin music was played (time enough to roll and smoke a joint with some friends). The segment was sponsored in part by Visine Eye Drops, "because they get the red out when we get the Led out..."
Radio station 100.5 The Zone, which is based out of Sacramento, California, features a daily brain teaser-like contest at 4:20 p.m., called the 420 Brain Drain.
Radio station 103.9 "Santa Cruz X" plays a new song every weekday at 4:20 p.m., encouraging listeners to "toke it" or "choke it," depending on whether they liked it and want it to become a regular tune on the station or not.
In Seattle, Washington, radio station 104.9 The Monkey encourages listeners to call in and do bong rips over the phone at 4:20.
In Nashville, Tennessee, radio station 105.9 The Rock airs a segment every weekday at 4:20 called the "4:20 Smokebreak." Host Joe Elvis tells listeners, "Smoke 'em if you got 'em." The segment often plays songs related to marijuana.
In Abilene, Texas, radio station 107.9 KEYJ "Rock 108" airs a short comedy segment every weekday at 4:20 called the "4:20 Funny".
Manassas VA / DC Area--DC101 Plays "Smoke 2 Joints" and asks callers to do bong hits, on air.
In Knoxville, Tennessee the radio station 94.3 "Extream Radio" featured the "4:20 club", during which people would call and check into the club every day at approximately 4:20.
In Waterloo, Iowa the radio station Rock 108 has a feature they call the "4:20 Buzz Cut" in which newly released music is played at 4:20 in the afternoon every weekday.
In Saskatoon, Canada talk radio host John Gormley of 650 CKOM announces every day at 4:20 p.m. that "The time is 4:20, time to get rolling".
Radio station KROQ-FM in Los Angeles, California airs the local time-of-day phone service announcing that it is 4:20 p.m.: "Good afternoon. At the tone, Pacific Standard (Daylight) Time will be...four twenty exactly."
NPR radio station KUOW-FM in Seattle, Washington always announces "The local time is 4:20.".
97.9 WGRD[4] in Grand Rapids, Michigan plays a set of music everyday at 4:20 p.m.. They call it the "420 Overdose"
On the Tom Leykis Show at 4:20 p.m. on April 20, Leykis has several callers take bong hits simultaneously on the air.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the radio station KZRR 94 Rock plays a Pink Floyd song every day at 4:20; they refer to it as the "4:20 Floyd Fix".
In Sherman, Texas, the radio station KMAD 102.5 plays the track "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at 4:20 p.m. Monday-Friday.
In Corpus Christi, Texas, on Classic Rock 104.5 KPUS[5] listeners have the ability to "roll their own everyday at 4:20." One listener each day gets to pick three songs to play at 4:20 p.m.. Bong bubbles are heard in the back ground in between the songs.
Before changing format in September of 2003, Radio 104.1 WMRQ, out of Hartford, CT, would host the "4:20 Brownie" every weekday, during which they played a cannabis related tune, or popular stoner anthem.
On South Jersey's Rock Station, 100.7 WZXL, the radio station does "getting stoned on the ride home" weekdays at 4:20pm and plays a set of Rolling Stones tracks at this time

Other pop culture occurrences

The discoverer of LSD, Dr. Albert Hofmann, writes in his book "LSD: My Problem Child" that his first self-experiment with the drug occurred at 4:20 in the afternoon on April 16, 1943.
The California law that authorizes and regulates medical uses of marijuana was Senate Bill 420 (Chapter 875/2003, John Vasconcellos). [6]
The Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment, which would have prevented the U.S. Federal Government from using federal funds to interfere with state medical marijuana laws, was voted on in Roll call 420. It did not pass.
A cannabis coffeeshop located at Oude Brugsteeg 27 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands is named the "420 Cafe".
The number 420 is common in classified ads describing housing or individuals which permit or encourage marijuana use ("420 OK"). This practice is common in socially progressive communities such as Craigslist. One such "Housing to share" listing, from the Santa Cruz Sentinel in 1994, read:

Rm avail Veggie household. 420. No pets M pref

The Sweetwater Brewing Company makes a beer called Sweetwater 420, and gives their tours at 4:20.
The Shaftebury Brewing Company of Greater Vancouver, BC has a beer called Four Twenty Brilliant Lager, but makes no direct reference to marijuana, though the description used on the label and website [7] clearly markets to marijuana users.
The Stone Coast Brewing company has a beer called the "420 IPA", and on the case it says, "It's always 4:20 somewhere!"
The Flash animation "Strawberry Pancakes" features a town with a population of 420.[8]
In the game Kingdom of Loathing, eating 420 herb brownies earns you the "Bouquet of Hippies" trophy.
The clock tower across from the Huntington Beach, CA pier rings each day at 4:20
A chain of head shops in Japan are all named 4:20

Slang Terms

It's 4:19. got a minute?
4:21- Took me a minute to find my bong.
8:40 - What You Hit When You Miss 4:20
Marilize Legajuana
IV:XX
4:21- Better Late Than Never(Cho 707)