Next, as we mentioned above, 420 has undoubtedly become an iconic number in cannabis culture. There are a handful of rumored possibilities on how this unofficial holiday initially began. Here are just a few of them:

Some say 420 was the California police code for marijuana, although there has never been further documented evidence to support this theory.

Additionally, it has been rumored that there are 420 active chemical entities present in cannabis, although it seems that this speculation has also been debunked.

Setting the Record Straight about 420:

One more speculation surrounding the history of 420 stems back from the 1970s when a group of of friends formed a lasting ritual. This clique of California’s earliest canna-advocates, who called themselves The Waldos, routinely puffed together every day, at 4:20 pm.

It didn’t take long for this activity to evolve into a daily routine. The term ‘420’ became the group’s secret codeword to go smoke.

Fortunately for cannabis enthusiasts, there’s a High Times exclusive on the legendary Waldos that finally sets the record straight regarding their legendary 4:20 hangouts:

Their secret code was initially “420 Louie” because they met at a statue of the French chemist, Louis Pasteur on campus. It was later shortened to 420 which became the Waldo’s private joke, effectively avoiding forces of drug suppression, and eventually becoming arguably the most important term in the lexicon of American weed culture.

As you can see, there has been a great deal of debate. But now we know the truth.

Over time, the term 420 was passed along to fellow marijuana users around California, eventually connecting to the calendar date of April 20th.