What is 4/20? Weed is Legal in New York, and the Weed Holiday is Here

Leia IdlibyApr 20th, 2021, 11:20 am
 

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Today is April 20th, a.k.a 4/20 — the marijuana holiday — so if you smell something funky on your walk home from work, or people start reminding you of Slater from Dazed and Confused … here’s why.

Although there is some confusion regarding why the holiday lands on April 20th, those who celebrate have a pretty solid understanding of what the day entails: Toking up with loved ones.

4/20 is celebrated by weed smokers all around the world, and in addition to being an excuse to light up a joint, the holiday comes with major rallies and crowded (or virtual) events, particularly in states where marijuana is legal.

There are several guesses as to what the number 420 means to pot smokers, and why the holiday falls on April 20th, but there is little consensus on the matter.

One common theory claims that 420 was the California police code for marijuana, yet there is no evidence to support the belief. Another common guess is that the number symbolizes the 420 active chemicals in marijuana, yet there are actually closer to 500 chemicals. 

In 2009, Steven Hager, former editor of weed-focused media outlet the High Times, told the New York Times that the holiday is named after a tradition started by a group of California teenagers in the 1970s. The high schoolers allegedly smoked weed every day after school at 4:20 pm, and as the ritual began to get more popular, “420” became a symbol for smoking marijuana.

This theory may be the most solid, as documents proving the account were later published by a group of Californians, yet it is unclear how legitimate the documents are.

The number could also come from a 1939 short story by H.P. Lovecraft and Kenneth Sterling titled In the Walls of Eryx, during which the narrator finds “curious mirage-plants” that appear to get him high at 4:20 pm.

“Although everything was spinning perilously, I tried to start in the right direction and hack my way ahead. My route must have been far from straight, for it seemed hours before I was free of the mirage-plant’s pervasive influence,” reads the story. “Gradually the dancing lights began to disappear, and the shimmering spectral scenery began to assume the aspect of solidity. When I did get wholly clear I looked at my watch and was astonished to find that the time was only 4:20. Though eternities had seemed to pass, the whole experience could have consumed little more than a half-hour.”

No matter the origin, this year’s 4/20 is going to look a bit different for residents of states that have recently legalized marijuana, including New York. 

On March 31, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) signed a bill legalizing marijuana for recreational use by adults in his state — a piece of legislation that would also expunge past convictions tied to the drug.

The bill — titled the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act — took immediate effect, permitting possession of up to three ounces of marijuana, and would allow New Yorkers to grow as many as six plants at home.

Details regarding regulations and distribution will, however, take a bit longer to nail down, meaning residents could be waiting until 2022 before retail sales begin.

Attitudes surrounding the holiday have changed in New York following legalization, even from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) who, according to the HuffPost’s Igor Bobic, gave 4/20 a shout out on the Senate floor.

The senator also declared that “The War on Drugs has too often been a war on people, particularly people of color,” adding that he hopes a bill ending federal prohibition for marijuana would be enacted “in the near future.”

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