Another possible origin of the term can be found in the works of H. P. Lovecraft. A short story of his, entitled "In the Walls of Eryx" and first published in Weird Tales [34, No. 4 (October 1939), pp50-68], contains this passage:
I had encountered at least one of those curious mirage-plants about which so many of our men told stories. Anderson had warned me of them, and described their appearance very closely—the shaggy stalk, the spiky leaves, and the mottled blossoms whose gaseous dream-breeding exhalations penetrate every existing make of mask...Although everything was spinning perilously, I tried to start in the right direction and hack my way ahead. My route must have been far from straight, for it seemed hours before I was free of the mirage-plant's pervasive influence. Gradually the dancing lights began to disappear, and the shimmering spectral scenery began to assume the aspect of solidity. When I did get wholly clear I looked at my watch and was astonished to find that the time was only 4:20. Though eternities had seemed to pass, the whole experience could have consumed little more than a half-hour.
Other theories include the following:
Urban legend claims, incorrectly, that 420 is or was a police code for a drug bust.
It was, at one time, believed that there were 420 chemicals in marijuana.
April 20th, or 4-20, is the last day on which one is supposed to plant cannabis seeds.
April 20th, or 4-20, is the birthday of Adolf Hitler.
The Beatles song "Come Together" is 4:20 in length.
“Pot Parades” are some of the more familiar events associated with Marijuana Day [is it an actual day? I thought it was every day…oops]. If you are planning on joining in on the demonstrations, have fun but be careful. I have strolled through a few of these back in the day. They used to have them in Washington Square Park. I remember hearing all these crazy stories like guys in helicopters were throwing dime bags in the crowds and shit. The only thing that happened to me at any of them was I bought some really horrible dirt weed from some dread, and later on the cops busted the whole thing up, bum rushing the spot and sending a bunch of high slackers in a state of panic. Not a good look. It could have been worse. Another myth is that the cops won’t bust you for smoking in the street during one of these things. You might get lucky and a cop decides not to bust you. You might bump into another cop later on who isn’t amused by you or your tye dye Ronald Reagan smoking a blunt tee shirt. Don’t do anything stupid, regardless how kind that bud next to you smells, and you should be fine.
Article comments
1 - alienboy
Party time this wednesday everybody!
2 - Freddy
4:19...do you know what time it is???
3 - mike
that was some good reading and i would like to read some more stuff about 420 if you can send me stuff
4 - mike
i cant wait to break out the bubbler
5 - Temple Stark
"Stuff."
6 - L. Cue
any plans for tomorrow guys?
7 - BLAZE
The fun has just begun...
8 - Temple Stark
Just a gut-check on the readers here, perhaps (or perhaps only on the ones finding this post) - but I have had more check-ins on my Web site on my one word comment above, then in quite a while.
(I have lots of photos up there, now BTW. One of pot shaped carrot (I think)
9 - Eric Olsen
what a great job on this Laron, thanks!
10 - L. Cue
thanks Eric! I have put in some considerable...uhh...research in the topic in the past so I thought I'd "drop a little s~c~i~e~n~c~e~"
Have fun but be smart guys!
11 - andy marsh
I was out of town until yesterday. I showed up at home and my 19 year old was walking out the door, she said, "Hi Dad! Happy 420!" I just laughed and she said, "you know what that means?"
Kids!
12 - FrankD
Highway 420 Cannabis Rally
April 22, 2006
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
See the site for more information:
Don't miss it. This is going to be big!
13 - SA Smoker
When I was a teenager, we thought 4:20 was the last time you could smoke a doobie before you folks got home from work!
LOL.
14 - Cathy
happy 4.20 ppls =D
15 - lindsay
hey happy 420 in 09