4:20 or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) is a term used in North America as a discreet way to refer to the consumption of cannabis and, by extension, a way to identify oneself with cannabis culture. Phrases such as "420 friendly" sometimes appear in roommate advertisements, indicating that the current occupants are tolerant of cannabis users.[2]
Origins and observances
Although many diverse theories exist to explain the origin of the term, it is widely accepted that in 1971, a group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California used to meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke cannabis at the Louis Pasteur statue.[3][4] The term became part of their group's salute, "420 Louis!",[5] and became popularized in the late 1980s by fans of The Grateful Dead.[6] Many cannabis users continue to observe 4:20 as a time to smoke communally. By extension April 20 ("4/20" in U.S. dating shorthand) has evolved into a counterculture holiday, where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis.[7][8][9] In some cities, this celebration coincides with the celebrations of Earth Week. [10][11][12]. In Nazi Germany, April 20 was a public holiday, being Adolf Hitler's birthday.
420 campaign
Vorlage:See also The 420 Campaign urges individuals to become involved in the political process and the drug policy reform movement. Specifically, the Campaign calls for leveraging "April 20th as a focal point every year to concentrate pressure on United States Congress to legalize marijuana."[13] University chapters of NORML, SAFER, and SSDP have started to use 4/20 as a day to educate their campuses and advocate for marijuana policy reform.[14][15]
Cultural references
- 420 is the title of a comic book series featuring the alternative superhero Captain Cannabis.[16][17][18][19]
- Noting that "the national weed smoking day is 4/20," rapper Method Man named his (2006) album 4:21...The Day After [20]
- WWE wrestler Rob Van Dam, an avid marijuana smoker, has used the catchphrase "RVD 4:20 says I just smoked your ass," in a parody of a catchphrase originating with Stone Cold Steve Austin.[21]
References
- ↑ Vorlage:Citation
- ↑ Boulder Renters Seek Pot-Smoking Roommates: Boulder Still a Bastion of Hippies and Radicals, Apparently. In: New West (Living section) - The Voice of the Rocky Mountains. 8. Mai 2006, abgerufen am 30. März 2007.
- ↑ 420 (Language). In: Snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference Pages. 19. April 2005, abgerufen am 30. März 2007.
- ↑ 420 Timeline. In: High Times. 2005, abgerufen am 30. März 2007.
- ↑ Maria Alicia Gaura: Stoner Chic Traces Origin To San Rafael: Snickering high schoolers brought `420' into lexicon. In: San Francisco Chronicle. 20. April 2000, abgerufen am 20. April 2007.
- ↑ '420' enthusiasts honor cannabis on high holiday. In: cbs5.com. 2007, abgerufen am 20. April 2007.
- ↑ Steven Hager discusses 4/20 on ABC News as a "counterculture holiday"
- ↑ Students gathering on 4/20 at Colorado University in Boulder
- ↑ Thousands at UCSC burn one to mark cannabis holiday
- ↑ Earth Week in Guam
- ↑ Earth Week in San Diego
- ↑ Earth Week in Victora, BC
- ↑ 420 Campaign: The Strategy for Legalization
- ↑ Cannabis Nation Celebrates 4/20 -- Dozens of Campus Actions
- ↑ SAFER taking nation by storm on 4/20
- ↑ Captain Cannabis comic book
- ↑ High Times Magazine, February 2007, The Buzz section page 13, "Sensi Superman"
- ↑ Skunk Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 8, Cool Stuff section, "420 Verne Signature Series"
- ↑ QsHouse Radio/iPod Interview - Verne Andru: the George Lucas of the comic world
- ↑ New Method Man Album 4:21...The Day After, Sixshot. Abgerufen am 19. April 2007 (english).
- ↑ An Interview with Rob Van Dam
External links
- Vansterdam British Columbia 420 Celebration: Video Length-10min April 20 2007
- The Power of 420: Transforming the universal code into a collective consciousness for stoners. Karen Bettez Halnon, originally published in High Times, May 2003.
- 420 Timeline/When's Your 420? High Times
- High Holy Day for Potheads. Wired News, April 20, 2001.
- What does the number 420 signify, and why? Phish.net FAQ
- 420 Campaign: Strategy for Legalization archive of related articles
- World goes up in smoke each April 20. Greg Gotcher