420 is a term that has gained worldwide notoriety for representing weed culture. It has become a staple of the cannabis world to the point where festivals and events are held in its honor. 

What many people do not know is where the term originated from, much less why it is celebrated.

According to Time Magazine, the origin of 420 can be traced all the way back to the early ‘70s. It all started when five Californian high school students regularly met to smoke by the statue at their school at 4:20 p.m., the time that extracurricular activities usually ended. 

The group, deemed the “Waldos,” used “420” as a code to signal their secret smoke sessions.

Their smoke sessions stimulated the growth of what would become an internationally renowned cannabis holiday.

But for the time being, the widespread popularity of 420 in the ‘70s was synonymous with the anti-war and corporate corruption protests that took place in the U.S., according to Vox. 

Today 420 is a sociable holiday that is celebrated by people all over the world to revel in the liveliness of cannabis and its culture. For some people, it is also a day to push for the legalization and de-stigmatization of cannabis.

The date is so widely known that it has even inspired the coinage of the popular saying, “It’s 420 somewhere.” 

Regardless of the reason each person chooses to celebrate it, 420 is a term that has made waves since it was first introduced to the world. 

It has become an all-encompassing term for the consumption of cannabis in all of its forms and the happiness it brings many people.