Tens of thousands of Americans will celebrate this Wednesday, in joy and smoke, a day dedicated to cannabis, a substance which remains illegal at the federal level and in the majority of states of the country but whose recreational use is authorized in about twenty others.
On his social networks, the American rapper Snoop Dogg has published many videos and photos to celebrate this day. Learn about the various hypotheses about the origins of this holiday and how “salad” lovers celebrate it.
What is the 420 party?
It’s a day that celebrates everything that has to do with marijuana. In US states where weed is legal, large gatherings are held in parks and other public places.
Although cannabis use is generally not permitted in such places, attendees celebrate the occasion by smoking their favorite strain. Apart from large gatherings, many also meet with friends or family to share a firecracker.
Tradition keepers say these small gatherings are more in keeping with the spirit of “420,” a celebration rooted in the counterculture surrounding cannabis and the activism to get it legalized.
Many pioneers of marijuana in the United States regret that the movement is now the subject of festivals and other “fairs” organized by professionals, with advertising inserts, sponsors and even the possibility of buying “VIP tickets”.
Why April 20?
In the United States, dates are written by placing the month first. April 20 is written as 4/20, but the number “420” is associated with cannabis, for reasons that are still debated among insiders.
A valid theory is that 420 corresponds to the number of chemical compounds in marijuana, but this assertion is skeptical. According to Vox magazine, the true figure is more like 500, while the reference site, High Times, indicates that scientists have isolated 113 active ingredients.
April 20 is also not the date of death of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin, even if they share the sad distinction of having died at the age of 27.
One of the most consensual hypotheses is that “420” refers to the hour -4:20- at which young weed lovers used to meet in the afternoon after high school to indulge together in their favorite pastime.
A group of friends from San Rafael High School, near San Francisco, claimed the code in 1971.
Whatever its origin, the expression is firmly entrenched in American vocabulary to the point that “420” is now synonymous with “cannabis” in colloquial language.
