Do you celebrate? If you’re reading this in Massachusetts (and almost all of New England) you certainly can partake however you please!

But where did this holiday come from? Why do so many of us stop and pause to make their April 20th a bit more chill than the rest of the month?

Let’s dive right in!

Where did 420 come from? The meaning of 420.

I guess it’s no surprise to any of us, but connection april 20th with the of the international day to vibe had started, or at least was popularized by Deadheads.

But what about its true origins? A HuffPost article shined light on the stoners that gave the name its genesis. The term 420 was coined by a group of high schoolers in San Rafael, California is, when else, the 70’s. The group, who called themselves “The Waldos” because they hung out at the wall outside of school, always met at 4:20 to smoke. And thus it was born. From then on “420” became synonymous with going to go smoke.

The term didn’t really pick up steam, or should I say smoke, until 1991 when it was mentioned in an issue of High Times, who later mentioned the Waldos in 1998.

What 420 Means

After its humble beginnings, the ideas of 420 have expanded into an international day of celebration. Celebrations and festivals for 420 are mainly seen in North America and Australia, but can be found elsewhere in the world.

The phrase has also helped cultures and societies around the world overcome the stigmas placed on cannabis use. In the US, full legalization of cannabis (including recreational) can be seen in 18 states so far, and counting! Many more states have medical legalization, and are slowly but surely passing legislation for full tilt legalized cannabis.

Will you celebrate?