The History of 4/20

Before we spark up the 4/20 festivities, lets clear the smoke surrounding the origins of this “doobie-ous” holiday.  

Theories surrounding the origin of this celebration have been entertained for years. The true story behind 4/20 is one of community, curiosity, and friendship. 

The story traces back to Marin County, California. In 1971, five students at San Rafael High School would meet at 4:20 p.m. and consume cannabis together. This group of free-spirited friends became known as the “Waldos”, meeting every day at a wall outside of school. They would say “4:20” to each other as code for consuming cannabis.

Later, one of the “Waldos” worked with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh as a roadie. The band and it’s faithful fanbase of “Deadheads” are said to have helped popularize the term “4:20” as the socially acceptable time of day to consume cannabis.

On Dec. 28, 1990, a group of Deadheads in Oakland handed out flyers that invited people to smoke “4:20” on April 20 at 4:20 p.m.

One of these flyers ended up in the hands of a former reporter for High Times magazine, who had the flyer printed in a 1991 issue. Soon, 4:20 became known worldwide as code for cannabis consumption. In 1998, High Times acknowledged that the “Waldos” were the “inventors” of 4:20.

The Waldos had a desire to change the negative stigma surrounding cannabis users and cannabis culture. They were motivated, creative, involved, aware, fit, and educated.  They used cannabis to enhance their lives, not to numb their senses or escape from reality.  After all these years, The Waldos are still friends, and still have the occasional 420 inspired adventure, which they dubbed “Safaris”.  

4/20 in Canada today still pays homage to the roots of the holiday. This April 20^th will be the first legal occurrence of the holiday in Canada. We want to raise awareness for the national conversation around cannabis and what it can mean for our everyday lives. While celebrating the new legality of the plant, 4/20 is also deeply rooted in inclusion, sharing and community. This day has meant so much for the movement in the past, we want to show Canadians what it means for the future.

This 4/20, embrace the spirit of friendship and adventure. Pay homage to the 4/20 founders by picking up a few strains from San Rafael. Moderate THC strains like Great White Shark or the extra-tasty-purple-people-pleaser Tangerine Dream are great picks to suit a variety of cannabis-connoisseur’s tastes. Twist up a celebratory joint in some of their gold rolling papers (a special occasion must); then get out and make some awesome memories on a safari with your own Waldos!

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