Why is weed called 420

Log In. Contact us Sign up for newsletters. Log In Register now My account. What is ? By Ruchira Sharma. April 20, pm Updated pm. The freshest exclusives and sharpest analysis, curated for your inbox Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! First, let's get the myths and rumors out of the way:. The legend of the California penal code. Read More. Some claim the number is drawn from the California criminal codes used to punish the use or distribution of marijuana.

But the state's code actually applies to obstructing entry on public land. So, not quite. But the rumor sounds a lot like The legend of the police radio code. San Francisco Police have one, but it's for a "juvenile disturbance. So never mind that theory. And that tells us a lot about how cannabis is changing in America as marijuana is legalized. Sign up to receive our newsletter each Friday. Why April 20? Steven Hager, a former editor of the marijuana-focused news outlet High Times , told the New York Times that the holiday came out of a ritual started by a group of high school students in the s.

As Hager explained, a group of Californian teenagers ritualistically smoked marijuana every day at pm. The ritual spread, and soon became code for smoking marijuana. Another theory is that there are active chemicals in marijuana, hence an obvious connection between the drug and the number.

Lovecraft and Kenneth Sterling. Some people just want to get high and have fun. Others see the day as a moment to push for legalization, or celebrate legalization now that more states have adopted it and it has popular opinion behind it.

In recent years, marijuana legalization activists have tried to bring a more formal aspect to the celebration, framing it as a moment to push their political agenda. Businesses are also trying to take advantage of the holiday. And our company is going to let everyone know about it. The event has steadily grown over the years, featuring big concerts from notable musicians like Snoop Dogg, Soja, and 2 Chainz, as well as a wide collection of marijuana businesses as sponsors.

The Cannabis Cup is only one of many events, which also include comedy shows like Cheech and Chong , marijuana-friendly speed dating, and trade shows for glass pipes and bongs, offering businesses and celebrities various opportunities to push their products and brands. To many legalizers, this is a sign of their success.