11 Things

STUDENT LIFE The origin story of the unoffi cial holiday 420 began in 1971 and still has a signifi cant impact for young adults all around the world. While one thing is for sure, 4/20 is all about marijuana there are some disputes about how ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES 9. “PULP FICTION” The next time that you watch the 1994 Quentin Tarantino fi lm look at the clocks in the movie. The majority of them are set at 4:20. A wristwatch is set at 9 o’clock and some are set to other times, but most are 4:20. 8. MILE MARKER Several highways and roadways all around the country have stopped celebrating pot on April 20. It isn’t. the holiday came to using 420 as a mile marker because In fact, outside of the United States be. Here are 11 facts they are frequently stolen. In and Canada, it is not as widely about the unoffi cial 2014, the Colorado Department of celebrated as it is here. That is holiday and its use Transportation replaced the mile mainly because countries within around the world. marker 420 on Interstate 70, east of Europe and other parts of the world Denver with a 419.99 mile marker put the date fi rst then month so for 11. 420 LICENSE PLATE to deter all the would-be thieves. them it would be 20/4.

While 420 is not widely available It soon became common practice to be placed on a license plate, Adam for those signs to be stolen as well. Eidinger was granted one in 2014 Bonus fact: several hotels also ditch by Mayor Muriel Bowser after room 420 to avoid smoking in he helped successfully campaign rooms. Washington, D.C.’s Initiative 71. This initiative led to the legalization of 7. CHEMICALS IN recreational cannabis use in D.C. MARIJUANA during the 2014 election. Another theory is 420 is the number of chemicals in the 10. CODE 420 plant. There are actually 483

Over the years, 420 has been known chemicals in cannabis commonly associated with that includes approximately 65 marijuana and has been referenced that are cannabinoids. The main as the legal code used for the drug. psychoactive cannabinoid ingredient However, there is no use of 420 for in marijuana is THC (delta-9a penal or police dispatch code to tetrahydrocannabinol). mean illegal marijuana use. That being said, 420 is a penal code in 6. UNOFFICIAL U.S. California, but it’s for obstructing HOLIDAY entry on public land. It’s not used as Most teens and young adults a police radio code in any context. will say 4/20 is an offi cial holiday

5. BEN & JERRY’S

Ben & Jerry’s has used its platform to advocate for several political standings since its inception. The decriminalization of marijuana is no different. Last year the brand worked with ACLU to bring awareness and formally endorsed congressional legislation to deschedule cannabis and push restorative justice. On April 18, 2020, they tweeted a photo that said “Legalization without justice is HALF BAKED” referencing their widely popular Half Baked ice cream fl avor.

4. FIRST LEGAL AZ 4/20

In November 2020, Arizona legalized recreational use and sale of marijuana. To date, 37 states have medical marijuana available while 15 states and Washington, D.C., allow for recreational and medical consumption and sale of marijuana. This year is the fi rst in which 4/20 will be legally celebrated in Arizona.

3. AVERAGE COST

The average amount each U.S. consumer spends on cannabis products ranges between $500 to $2,500 annually. Americans spent $18.3 billion on marijuana products in 2020. In comparison, $10.7 billion worth of products were sold in 2019. One of the main contributing factors for the immense increase in sales was the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar to how people stocked up on toilet paper, Lysol and hand sanitizer, people who were/are legally able to purchase the product stocked up on it as well especially with the new online ordering and curbside pickup.

2. DEADHEADS FLYER

On December 28, 1990, a group of Deadheads in Oakland handed out fl iers that invited people to smoke “420” on April 20 at 4:20 p.m. One of the fl iers was received by Steve Bloom, a reporter for High Times magazine. The publication printed the fl ier in 1991, marking the fi rst widely published use of 420 in relation to marijuana.

1. HIGH SCHOOL BEGINNINGS/THE WALDOS

The original story of how 420 came to be goes like this: In 1971, fi ve students at San Rafael High School met at 4:20 p.m. by the campus’ statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to search for an abandoned cannabis crop based on a treasure map made by the grower referring to the plan as “4:20 Louis.” They chose that time because extracurricular activities at school ended by then. Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffery Noel, Larry Schwartz and Mark Gravich became known as the Waldos because they met at a wall outside the school. Eventually the group shortened the phrase to “4:20” using it as a code word to refer to smoking cannabis. CT