This Friday marks a day of celebration, protest and calls to action in regard to a controversial plant genus Cannabis.
Known as 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty), the day is celebrated by individuals who identify themselves with the marijuana culture, during which many gather to consume Cannabis together.
There are many rumors, myths and legends on how 4/20 originated. There are ideas that the term originated as police code in California for marijuana use (the code actually means obstructing entry on public land), the number of chemical compounds found in the drug (in actuality there are 315, according to High Times magazine), Holland’s teatime or many others.
According to High Times, the first use of 4/20 originated from a group of high school students in San Rafael, Calif. in 1971. Calling themselves “the Waldos” for their favorite hang out spot, the group decided to search for an abandoned crop of marijuana they heard about and agreed to meet at the statue of Louis Pasteur at San Rafael High School at 4:20 p.m. The group would remind each other of the planned outings with the phrase “4:20 Louis,” which was eventually shortened to “4:20.”
The Waldos never found the crop despite numerous excursions into the Point Reyes peninsula but found themselves with a new lexicon when referencing getting high.
From there, according to Huffington Post, it is believed the term spread due to the Waldos’ involvement with the band Grateful Dead. During the band’s tours throughout the ’70s and ’80s, the term spread among the fans. High Times magazine found out about the term from fans and helped incorporate the term into many of its events. Somewhere along the line, April 20 became a holiday dedicated to celebrating the term and marijuana in general.
Although the idea of the holiday may lead many people to believe this is a mostly indoor event, there are actually several large outdoor events throughout the country to celebrate the day. In recent years, nearly 10,000 people gather at the University of Colorado in Boulder to celebrate. Likewise, thousands gather at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco to participate in open consumption of marijuana. This year, Austin, Texas will unveil a statue of Willie Nelson, a known proponent of legalizing marijuana and a co-chair in the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, who will appear at the event.
Marijuana has had an interesting history and has made greater news over the past few years with certain states legalizing it for medical purposes. In states such as California and Colorado, which allow medical marijuana dispensaries, there seems to be an inconsistency between state laws which allow them and federal law, which does not allow possession due to marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I drug.
Mississippi has decriminalized marijuana for non-medical purposes to a degree, with the first offense for possession of less than 30 grams punishable with a fine of up to $350. Possession of more than 30 grams is considered a felony with a minimum sentence of three years imprisonment.
Mississippi also hosts the only federally-approved marijuana grow field at the University of Mississippi. The field is used for scientific research and is heavily regulated, with those wishing to research the use of the drug having to get the approval of the Public Health Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration, according to The New York Times.