420 In Midland-Odessa, Texas

Midland-Odessa, Texas --  When the term "420" is tossed around, there are many people who simply do not get it or understand the context.  All while others may give you a smirk, a head nod, or an amused side eye.  So what is "420"?  The meaning of the term can mean several things, but in most situations, it usually refers to the "international smoke time" according to classic weed lore. The actual DAY of 4/20 (April 20th) is celebrated throughout the world, giving smokers an excuse to light up, much like the excuse alcoholics use for St. Patrick's Day.

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Origins:

The term "420" likely stems back to a bunch of high school teenagers back in the 1970s known as the "Waldos".  These teens would often hang out by a wall after school.  It's been said that the crew would meet at 4:20 pm to search for some of their favorite after-school activity.  It's been rumored they'd say "420 Louis." Louis was known to be the boy who would usually provide their recreational weed.  Eventually, they dropped the "Louis" portion of the phrase and just started saying "420".  The term stuck and began to spread throughout other friend groups.  While this cannot be 100% confirmed, many believe that this is very likely the true origin of how "420" came about.

How It Became Popular:

It has been said that the Grateful Dead had an indirect connection with the Waldos through a friend's dad, who acted as a broker for the band's real estate ventures.  It is unknown how exactly this connection came about, but the band jumped on the 420 craze, and it quickly spread to their fans.  Once High Time Magazine and other media outlets caught wind of it, it became officially canon.

420 in 2015:

Some cities, groups, and factions go all out for April 20th.  It had gone from 420 referring to the time of day as a time to light up, to celebrating the entire day as an international day for smokers everywhere to partake according to weed culture.  On this day, you can usually find good deals at most dispensaries, and also find social justice activism for those people who push for legislation for the legalization of marijuana as a whole.