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How to Use a Bong: Step-by-Step Beginner Guide Why Is It Called 420? The History Behind the Number
April 20th, 4:20 PM, the number 420 — it’s the most recognizable code in cannabis culture. But where did it actually come from? The answer isn’t a police code or a Bob Dylan song. It traces back to five high schoolers in California in 1971, and the path it took from a meeting time to a global holiday is one of the best stories in cannabis history.
Key Details
The Real Origin: Five Kids in San Rafael
In the fall of 1971, five students at San Rafael High School in California — Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich — heard about a Coast Guard service member who had abandoned a cannabis plot near Point Reyes. They got their hands on a crude treasure map and decided to find it.
They agreed to meet after school by the campus statue of Louis Pasteur at 4:20 PM, then drive out to search for the patch. The shorthand they used between themselves was simply ‘4:20 Louis.’ Eventually it shortened to just ‘420.’
They never found the crop. But the term ‘420’ became their inside code for ‘let’s smoke,’ and it stayed with them.
How a Local Phrase Became Global
Dave Reddix’s older brother managed the Grateful Dead, and the Waldos hung around the band’s scene. They used ‘420’ freely. Deadheads picked it up, traveled with it, and spread it to other music communities.
By the early 1990s, ‘420’ was circulating as cannabis insider slang on tour. In 1991, a flyer at a Grateful Dead show invited people to gather to smoke at 4:20 PM on April 20th in Marin County. That flyer made its way to High Times magazine.
High Times printed the flyer, dug into the origin, and adopted the term editorially. From there it went mainstream — 4:20 became the time, 4/20 became the day, and 420 became the universal cannabis number.
What 420 Means Today
April 20th is now the unofficial cannabis holiday. Dispensaries run their biggest sales of the year. Public events happen in cities where consumption is legal. The number 420 appears on everything from car license plates to product names.
4:20 PM is the unofficial daily smoke break — meaningful to consumers worldwide as a cultural wink, even if no one actually waits for the clock anymore.
And 420-friendly is the universal phrase signaling cannabis acceptance, used in housing listings, dating profiles, and event promotion.
The Myths That Won’t Die
Despite the well-documented Waldos origin, several myths persist. None of them are true.
It is NOT a police code for cannabis possession. (No California or federal code uses 420 for marijuana.) It is NOT from a Bob Dylan song — ’12 x 35 = 420′ from ‘Rainy Day Women #12 & 35’ is coincidence. It is NOT the number of active compounds in cannabis. (Cannabis has hundreds of compounds, but no count of 420.) It is NOT Hitler’s birthday code or anything similarly dark — it just happens to share the date.
How Social Dispensary Celebrates 4/20
4/20 is the Super Bowl of cannabis retail. Social runs deep deals across all 10 stores — typically the year’s largest discounts on flower, concentrates, vapes, and edibles. Drop times, doorbusters, and limited-edition partnerships drop throughout the day.
If you’ve never seen a dispensary on 4/20, expect a line, expect early arrivals, and expect the Max Value Menu to be even better than usual. Sign up for Be.Social Membership to get early access to deals and avoid the morning rush.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 420 associated with weed?
It started as a meeting time — 4:20 PM — used by five San Rafael, California high school students in 1971 who called themselves the Waldos. The term spread through the Grateful Dead scene and was popularized by High Times magazine.
Is 420 a police code?
No. This is the most common myth, and it’s false. There is no police or penal code that uses 420 for cannabis possession. The number comes entirely from the Waldos.
What does 420-friendly mean?
It means cannabis-friendly — comfortable with cannabis use. It’s commonly used in housing listings, social profiles, and event descriptions to signal that cannabis is welcome.
Why is April 20th the cannabis holiday?
Because 4/20 (April 20th) takes the meeting-time number and applies it to a date. It became the unofficial cannabis holiday in the 1990s after High Times helped cement the date culturally.
What time is it 420 somewhere?
It’s a play on ‘it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.’ Anywhere on Earth, 4:20 PM is somewhere on the clock. It’s a cultural in-joke about the cannabis hour.
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Educational content for adults 21 and over. This article is informational and is not medical advice. Cannabis affects everyone differently. Statements about cannabis on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Cannabis is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, talk with a licensed healthcare provider before using cannabis. Do not drive or operate machinery after consuming. Keep cannabis products away from children and pets.
