What does 420 mean? April 20 is the International Cannabis Day!

Cannabis enthusiasts have their own holiday, which they celebrate on April 20. Why 420? On this day, at 4:20 PM, thousands and even millions of people around the world will reach for their beloved plants. How did April 20 become World Cannabis Day, and how did the number 420 become an incredibly recognizable symbol, used by artists around the world?

What will you learn from this article?

👉 When do we celebrate the 420 holiday?

👉 How did the slang “420” originate?

👉 Myths and facts about the marijuana holiday

Table of contents:

What is 420 about?

Let’s start with how the 420 symbol became so popular. To understand its phenomenon, one must explain the rules for writing dates and times in the USA – because that’s where the iconic 420 comes from. Find out what 420 means, where it comes from, and how the 420 holiday is celebrated today. 

420 – Where did it come from? 📆

When do we celebrate 420? Well, American dates are written as follows: 4/20 is April 20, because the month is written first.

When it comes to hours, they are written in the format 4:20 AM or 4:20 PM, where AM means hours before noon (from midnight to 12:00), and PM means afternoon hours (from noon to midnight). So 4:20 PM is – according to Polish notation – 16:20. 

The history of the mysterious 420 (4/20) notation dates back to 1971, when a group of five friends received a special treasure map from their acquaintance. The story took place in San Rafael, one of the sunniest corners of California. 

Where did the map (420) lead? 🗺️

According to the words of its author, it was supposed to lead to a cannabis field, hidden in a forest thicket. As the author of the map claimed, namely an acquaintance who passed it to the teenagers, he himself could not go there. The cannabis plantation became their goal! 

However, he was generous enough to pass the map to others saying that what they collect will belong to them. It’s easy to guess that the group of teenagers quickly headed to the cannabis paradise that awaited them in the middle of the forest. 

The forest expedition was supposed to start under the monument of Louis Pasteur exactly at… 4:20 PM. Unfortunately, the treasure could not be found, however – as the legend goes – the teenagers spent a very pleasant afternoon… 😉 And this is how in the 70s the extraordinary symbol 420 appeared, which is used to this day.

How was the slang “420” formed? 🤷

The expedition pleased them so much that they began to organize them regularly, and the sign to set off on the next journey was the motto “420 Louie”. Using the abbreviation 420 became increasingly popular and everyone wanted to find out what 420 means. To this day, many people wonder about 420 – what it is and what it means. 

Over time, this motto was shortened to just “420” and became incredibly popular. It was adopted by other teenagers, hippies, herb enthusiasts and… Steve Hager, editor-in-chief of the well-known High Times magazine. For many people around the world, April 20 is world marijuana day, and in cannabis-related culture this symbol is extremely important. 

Steve, through his High Times magazine, made 420 popular throughout the United States, and later in every other corner of the world. 420 quickly became popular, and today it is an important element of slang for all cannabis fans. 

April 20 around the world – 420 date is a marijuana holiday!  🥦

Although the path of the “420” slogan was very long – from a mysterious treasure map to Steve Hager’s magazine, April 20 is celebrated very grandly around the world today. As you can see, the symbol quickly managed to spread – and that’s great! Today it is a well-known holiday, especially in cannabis culture. 

It is an almost magical number for all cannabis fans, who on this day at 4:20 PM reach for their supplies.

The 420 cannabis holiday is celebrated grandly around the world, spontaneously! 

A virtually iconic event is Hush Bush – it takes place in Michigan and starts in early April. The event features numerous lectures, speeches, parades and concerts. The first Hush Bush took place back in 1972. 

Another interesting event is 420 Hippie Hill Festival, which takes place in San Francisco. Thousands of people gather there, and at 4:20 PM they light a symbolic joint. Some prefer to celebrate using a Vaporizer 🤠

420 Hippie Hill Festival

The popularity of this holiday continues to grow. Importantly, it is very spontaneous – no one organizes it. Each year, fans of cannabis simply appear there who want to feel a sense of community for one day. 

Meetings also take place in London’s Hyde Park, where thousands of activists gather, protesting against overly strict regulations. Fortunately, today marijuana decriminalization is becoming increasingly popular – thanks to this, residents of many countries can use cannabis indica, and not just sativa. In the 70s, no one expected everything to look like this! 

Every April 20th, 420 celebrations become more intense, and many people celebrate it in the comfort of their own home or in their favorite outdoor spot. Many cannabis fans start arranging to meet at specific places to celebrate an extremely important holiday. 

However, it is worth being aware that – even if on April 20th at 4:20 in the afternoon we celebrate alone – at that very moment millions of people around the world are doing the same. 

The 420 holiday is a great opportunity to celebrate together and share our passion for vaporization. It’s a time to exchange experiences and enjoy great moments spent with friends. Let’s have fun responsibly and enjoy this day!

Lucas Cysewski – President and founder of VapeFully

Myths about 420!

Over the past few decades, many myths have appeared around the meaning of 420. Which of this information is not true?

• For example, the fact that this number comes from cannabis containing 420 active substances. Of course, given the popularity of 420, it would be very interesting, but… unfortunately, it is not true. 
• Some also believe that 420 was a special code used by New York police to denote crimes related to cannabis. Well, it would certainly testify to a good sense of humor among police officers, but… this is also a myth. 
• Many people also believe that Bob Marley died on April 20th and that is exactly why fans from all over the world pay tribute to him on that day.

In fact, one of the most famous Rastafarians passed away on May 11, 1981. Of course, nothing prevents paying him a small tribute on that day – in the way you see fit. 

420 – Trivia and Inspiration 💨

The symbol 420, denoting marijuana day, has become an inspiration for artists around the world. It is particularly popular among music bands whose members do not shy away from herbalism.

Just type any keyword related to 420 into Google to see countless musical pieces or playlists. Probably every rock band knows the 420 symbol! 

Fans of movie trivia love to repeat that in the already cult film Pulp Fiction all clocks show the time… 4:20! Coincidence?

Not necessarily. It is enough to watch the film carefully to notice that while clocks do indeed often show 4:20, in some scenes they are set to 20:18 or 14:25…

One can only hope that according to the original concept, all clocks were indeed supposed to show 4:20 in the afternoon, but – at some point during post-production – someone appeared who did not appreciate Quentin Tarantino’s idea. 

Why don’t hotels have a room number 420? 🤔

Another interesting fact is that… in some hotels there is no room number 420. After room 419, room 421 appears immediately.

Labeling error? ❌

Not necessarily. Many hotel owners, especially in the USA, are well aware that enthusiasts have their holiday on this day. Wanting to protect themselves from party guests, owners give up room 420. 

Celebrate 420 with us! 💜

Vaporization is a fascinating alternative to traditional smoking methods, offering both subtle aroma and effective delivery of active substances. For those who want to explore the world of vaporization or are looking for new, innovative solutions in this field, VapeFully offers a wide range of vaporizers and necessary vaporization accessories. 🤩

While reading about where 420 came from, also check out the history of medical marijuana!