WHERE'S WALDO :The Slightly Mysterious Origin of 420

IC Collective Illinois 420 Poster Art

420 is the one of the most ubiquitous cornerstones of cannabis culture, representing a now-internationally observed annual stoner holiday, a time of day often reserved by avid consumers for getting high, and sort of “secret” code for cannabis use. Across the country, cannabis fans gather at music festivals, flock to dispensaries for deals, and unleash clouds of fragrant smoke to celebrate. But where did the number come from, and what are the actual origins of this high holiday? 

Over the years many theories have circulated about the origin and meaning of 420, from it being the number of cannabinoid compounds in marijuana, to it being police code for busting an illegal grow, to it originating from the Bob Dylan song, Rainy Day Women #12 & 35, with its refrain of “everybody must get stoned…” - 420 being the product of 12 x 35. Wherever it began, it became synonymous with stepping out to smoke, with cannabis culture, with places and people friendly to cannabis, with reserving 4:20pm (and am, when circumstances supported) for smoking sessions, and with the yearly weed extravaganza that was celebrated long before legalization. 

But the truth of its origin is more secretive, more surprising: the year was 1971, the setting was San Rafael, CA. A group of stoners who called themselves The Waldos had been given a loose sort of treasure map by the brother of a friend. This friend's brother had planted a secret crop of cannabis in the woods in Point Reyes. This brother was in the Coast Guard, and did not want the stash to be discovered by the authorities. He gave the Waldos carte blanche to go find and harvest it. 

And so they began exploring. They would gather at San Rafael High School’s statue of Louis Pasteur after football practice, at 4:20pm, smoke a joint, and head out into the woods to trailblaze, seek and discover the secret cultivation. When they wanted to set up a meeting, they’d say 4:20 Louis, in reference to the time they’d meet, and the statue of the famous scientist.  

Somehow the 4:20 stuck, and the “Louis” fell away. How it spread involves another brother, this time of one of the Waldos, who was close with the bassist for the Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh. As the Waldos became part of the band’s circle, the term spread, and it really hasn’t stopped since then… Now nearly all large cities in the US have 420 celebrations, as do various cities and towns in countries across the globe. The Waldos might never have imagined their covert code would be known and celebrated the world around, but something about it stuck for so many - maybe it’s just that time of day.

Here’s the funny thing - they never found the hidden weed.