Dr Sona A Pungavkar
The term 420 in India has a connotation of being associated with mischief and in Hindi(called as Charsobees), a person labeled as420, is considered to be a con-man or woman.
However, Cannabis users and non-users who follow the Cannabis culture around the world, know that the number 420 has a reference to smoking of pot. It has a history of being used as a code to indicate agreement to smoking of marijuana, usually within a group. Though, the termand it’s association with marijuana are known since long, most peoplehave no idea, how or why 420 became associated with marijuana.
The origin of the term is entangled within a lot of myths and stories.One of the misconceptions is that “420” is a police radio code for possession. A California Senate Bill 420 which refers to the use of medical marijuana, is thought to be the source of the term. But, the bill was named after the code and was not the origin of the code.
Also, it was thought that there are 420 active chemicals in Cannabis.There are many ingredients in Cannabis, with approximately 100 cannabinoids, which are unique to the plant, as mentioned by the Dutch Association for Legal Cannabis and Its Constituents as Medicine. Hence, this theory is also incorrect.
Although, there is an attempt to associate the number 420 to the death anniversaries of the musicians, Bob Marley or Jimi Hendrix, neither of the two havedied on April 20.
The real origin of the story has a surprise element due to it’s simplicity. A bunch of high school students in San Rafael, California, in 1971, got into the habit of meeting at 4:20 to smoke, after school. So when they would meet in the day, in between the classes, they would use the term “420 Louis,” which meant confirmation of their meeting “at the Louis Pasteur statue at 4:20 to smoke.” These kids came to be known as”Waldos” as they would meet, as a ritual,besides a wall, and included— Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich”. Later, Reddix got to work with the band, Grateful Dead and the term “420” got popular through the band. In 1990, a group of people from the band circulated the flyers that invited people to smoke “420” on April 20 at 4:20 p.m. Steve Bloom, a reporter for High Times magazine, came to know of this activity. He was knowledgeable of the cannabis culture and got the contents of the flyer to be printed in 1990. Hence, due to the print, the term420 got validated and it’s use continued and spread gradually as a code for Cannabis as a meeting to smoke pot. A silly secret code amongst kids, now, is an internationally recognized term and event for Cannabis believers.A website owned and maintained by the publication High Times is called as 420.com.
It is unclear whether the term is expressed as time (4:20), a date (4/20) or a figure, 420 (verbalized as four-twenty and not as four hundred and twenty).4/20 means different things for different people. Some people just want to get high and have fun. Others see the day to highlight the need for legalization. Some people want to propagate the use of medicinal Cannabis. Presently, dating websites also carry a suggestion to indicate openness to association with Cannabis. An indication of friendliness could mean using it or even only accepting use by the partner. It is a way to avoid surprises after having met for a date.
In some places, April 20 is celebrated as “Marijuana Appreciation Day” or “Weed Day.” It is considered as an unofficial holiday for all Cannabis believers. It is now, a day, when people all over the world would like to get together annually,to either smoke Cannabis or participate in a rally for legalization or protest for issues revolving around legalisation.
There are several festivals held which are held over North America, on April 20th, where Cannabis is legal in most states and the culture is accepted. The largest festival is held in Colorado, where about 50000 people had gathered to endorse Cannabis use and legalization in April 2019.
More importantly, the term 420 is associated with movement towards legalization ofCannabis. Theuse of medicinal Cannabis is legal in 33 U.S. states and in several countries such Canada, Australia, Norway, UK etc. Recreational Cannabis use is legal in Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, Spain, and 11 U.S. states and decriminalized in another 15 states.
However, in countries like Canada, there are several woes following legalisation which still cause sustained concerns among 4-20 event organizers and hence the feeling of protest continues. Concerns over issues regardingtaxation related to medicinal marijuana, pardon of people convicted prior to legalisationfor simple possession and laws concerned with retail sales and land for growing Cannabis.
We, at Cannabis Health and Sciences, look forward to celebrating 420, with other Indian Cannabis believers, as India now opens up to the idea of allowing legalization of medicinal and industrial Cannabis.
The author is a Cannabis researcher, a senior radiologist and Vice President, Cannabis Health and Sciences