Do you know 420’s meaning? This article will provide you with the information you need on the term 420, including its origin, usage, and more!

While some may think “420” (/fôrˈtwen(t)ē/) is the police code for an individual caught smoking marijuana, others think it originated in the Bob Dylan song “Rainy Day Women #12 and #35” simply due to 420 being the solution of 12 multiplied by 35.

You may have even heard a reference to the number of chemical compounds that are in the cannabis plant. However, while there are indeed over 400 in the plant, no one has ever stated that the exact number is 420.

To be blunt, these are all common perceptions of the history behind the origins of 420, but they are incorrect. To find the correct meaning and origin of the word, we need to travel back to 1971 when a group of “Waldos” in high school coined the term.

If you’re unsure or perhaps not familiar with the term 420 as it is used in the marijuana culture, worry not—here is a look at its meaning and origin.

What Is The Definition and Origin of 420?

The origin of the term 420 can be traced back to San Rafael, California, when a group of five teens—Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich—would frequently hang out near a wall on the outside of their San Rafael high school. This would become the iconic meeting spot that would inspire their nickname of “the Waldos.”

In the fall of 1971, the group of high school athletes heard wind of a rumor that somewhere in the nearby Point Reyes Forest, there was an abandoned cannabis plant. This plant was said to have been planted by a Coast Guard member that could no longer tend to his beloved crops.

With a treasure map in hand, the teens met once a week near the Louis Pasteur statue outside their school to conduct their search. By happenstance, they would always meet at 4:20 pm after practice—the teens were athletes, after all.

As the teens roamed the halls of their school, they would remind one another that they were supposed to meet up at 4:20. Originally, the term was 4:20-Louis, but they would eventually drop the Louis for the simpler phrase “4:20.”

While the teens may have never scored the free bud, they did stumble upon something that would last a bit longer than the average smoking session: the term 420. The teens now had a way to discuss smoking pot without their teachers and parents knowing what they were talking about.

How Did 420 Become Mainstream?

How does a group of treasure-hunting Waldos from a high school in California spread a secret term about weed from one side of the globe to the other? For that, we need to bring our attention to the legendary band The Grateful Dead.

As fate would have it, a few Waldos had connections to the band. The manager of the Grateful Dead’s real estate just so happened to be the father of Mark Gravich, and the older brother of Dave Reddix was close friends with Dead bassist Phil Lesh.

The Waldos would often run around backstage at early Dead shows using the term 420. With that, it started to spread throughout the Dead community.

The Grateful Dead would tour across the globe in the ’70s and ’80s, playing innumerable shows a year. The term continually spread through the Dead underground community and subculture.

Eventually, High Times editor Steve Hager got wind of 420. Hager would go on to incorporate it into every article he was writing. As he would attend bigger and bigger events—from the World Hemp Extravaganza to the Cannabis Cup—he incorporated 420 into everything.

The publicity from High Times eventually gave the term international fame. Before the magazine came into the picture, 420 as a phrase was confined to the subculture of the Grateful Dead.

Interesting 420 Facts

April 20th or “4/20” is the unofficial official holiday for cannabis enthusiasts worldwide.

When the California Legislature codified their medical marijuana law back in 2003—which the voters quickly passed—the bill was rightfully named SB 420. While no one has since taken credit for the serendipitous numerical fun of the bill, it was likely a staffer in the California State Assembly Member Mark Leno’s Office.

While many cult classic movies have referenced 420 in the past, Pulp Fiction stands out. Many of the clocks in the pawnshop scene are indeed set to 420. Even Nickelodeon was a little cheeky in the ’90s and featured a clock reading 4:20 in their cartoon classic, “Rocko’s Modern Life.”

Examples of 420 in a Sentence

“I was looking for an apartment to rent online, and I noticed many listings stating they were 420-friendly.”
“In celebration of 420 next month, let’s read high times magazine, roll a roadie, and get more stoned than Cheech and Chong!”
“Thanks to many protests, Colorado is a 420 approved state and is now home to many pot smokers.”
“You could smell the group of enthusiasts celebrating 420 out in the park this afternoon.”
“The Dead concert was definitely 420-friendly!”
“Thanks to the legalization of weed, cannabis culture and the term 420 has really taken off!”
“Happy 420! Let’s smoke pot.”

Conclusion

Many 420 aficionados may not know the true origin of the term, even if some can remember the passed-down tales of its humble beginnings. You now hold the truth behind the ragtag bunch of teenagers the Waldos, and thus the true origin of 420.

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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.