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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →“420” is cannabis-culture slang, and “4/20” is April 20, a date associated with cannabis. The prevailing origin story traces the number to five friends at a California high school in 1971—but the original reference was to a time of day, not a holiday.
What does 420 mean?
In cannabis culture, “420” refers to cannabis use and related culture. “4/20” commonly means April 20, observed as a cannabis-oriented day. The two expressions are connected, but they describe different things: the origin account centers on a daily meeting time, while the annual observance came later.
How did 420 originate?
The prevailing account credits five friends known as the Waldos, who attended San Rafael High School in Marin County, California. According to the group’s account, they arranged to meet at 4:20 p.m. by a statue of scientist Louis Pasteur during fall 1971. They used “420 Louie” as a reference to their meeting and eventually dropped “Louie,” leaving “420.” The Waldos’ account describes the school, statue and meeting time.
The friends were reportedly trying to find a cannabis patch near Point Reyes. The Associated Press says a friend’s brother had given them a map and permission to harvest it; the group searched but did not find the patch. AP reports that the Waldos retained postmarked letters and other artifacts from the 1970s, materials the Oxford English Dictionary cited when it added the term in 2017. Read the Associated Press account.
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What is the earliest evidence for the term?
The evidence includes both recollections and written records, which should not be confused. The Waldos’ account and preserved artifacts support their use of the term in 1971. Wordorigins identifies the “Question Man” column in San Rafael High School’s Red & White, dated June 7, 1974, as the first known use in print—not necessarily the first time anyone used the term. See Wordorigins’ history of “four-twenty”.
Why is April 20 called 4/20?
The holiday developed after the Waldos’ 4:20 p.m. shorthand. AP reporting describes an early-1990s flyer inviting people to meet at 4:20 on April 20 in Marin County. That provides a reported link between the time-based expression and the annual date, but it does not establish every step in how the observance spread worldwide. The PBS NewsHour report from AP covers the flyer account; TIME’s history of 4/20 gives additional context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is 420 a police code?
The police-code explanation is a circulating origin rumor, not the prevailing account. AP also describes a theory connecting the number to Bob Dylan’s song “Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35,” based on adding 12 and 35. Its reporting instead presents the Waldos’ story as the widely accepted explanation. The evidence supports describing that account as prevailing, rather than claiming absolute proof that no other influence was involved.
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