Happy 420: What is 420? The meaning behind the marijuana celebration day

HAPPY 420!!!!!!!!!!!
Where did 420 actually come from? (Picture: Getty)

Rejoice, smokers of weed (or just continue to comfortably sit and marathon-watch Netflix with a bucketload of snacks). Today is 4/20, AKA the only worldwide holiday in celebration of the joy of marijuana.

But whatis4/20? Why do we celebrate it? And what do these specific numbers have to do with weed?

Happy 420: History of cannabis and how the plant spread across the world

First off, the easy bit. 4/20 refers to April 20, written the American way with the month first and the day second. Its widely considered to be an annual day of marijuana joy, marked by weed-themed festivals, brands doing food offers with a weed-themed twist, and plenty of smoking.

Now, on to the history of 4/20. Buckle your seatbelts.

People think 4/20 refers to a secret police code(Picture: Getty)

Ill be real. This is EXACTLY what I always thought 4/20 referred to, and it seems to be what most cannabis fans believe when it comes to the day.

People claim that 420 is the radio code used by police to describe catching anyone smoking weed. And so, weed-smokers took over the code for their own reference and made 4/20 their special weed-smoking day.

But actually, the 420 code is actually used for homicide. Dark.

People also think 420 is the number of chemical compounds in cannabis(Picture: Getty)

This is not true.

There are also theories that 420 comes from a Bob Dylan song(Picture: Getty)

Yep, some geniuses have noted that 12 x 35 equals 420. And 12 and 35 happen to be the numbers referenced in Bob Dylans song Rainy Day Women #12 & 35. Whaaaa.

Bob Dylan also chants everybody must get stoned! in the song, which adds to this theorys power.

But heres the truth (as far as we know): 4/20 is all down to a group of students(Picture: Getty)

This, according to the internet, is the most credible story out there on the origins of 4/20 as told in its entirety to the Huffington Post.

Back in 1971, five students at San Rafael High School in California would meet at 4.20pm right after doing their after-school sports by the schools statue of Louis Pasteur to toke up.

It became a tradition, and the group, who called themselves The Waldos, began using 420 as a shorthand for smoking weed.

This spread, 4.20pm became known as the perfect time for smoking weed, and the number 420 became synonymous with marijuana. Whoa.

How do you celebrate 4/20?(Picture: Getty)

Simple. Smoke some weed on April 20 at 4.20pm. You can also just smoke weed (as long as youre living somewhere where its legal, obviously) at 4.20pm on any other day.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

Or at any other time, according to the popular stoner bro phrase: Its 4.20 somewhere.

Theres also a pro-cannabis legalisation rally in Hyde Park on April 20, if you fancy attending.

MORE: This pizza box turns into a weed pipe to fulfill all your stoner dreams

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/20/what-is-420-the-meaning-behind-the-marijuana-celebration-day-5828449/