The Legend of 420

“I take a toke and all my cares go up in smoke” 420 Blaze it man! April 20th is upon us, for some it's just like another day but it seems for most it's the universal day to have all your cares go up in smoke. Where did these 420 phenomena start?  

So dig this, man. April 20, you know what that means, right? It's like the worldwide holiday for all the herb lovers out there man. But have you ever wondered where this legendary date came from? It ain't about some secret police code or some ancient prophecy. Nah, it all started back in Marin County, California, in the early '70s. 

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 The Waldos 

Picture this, man: San Rafael High School, 1971. You got these five dudes, the Waldos, just chilling, trying to escape the mundane high school life. Steve, Dave, Jeffrey, Larry, and Mark, they're the OGs of this whole 4/20 thing. So, every day after school, at 4:20 p.m., they'd meet up by this statue of Louis Pasteur and blaze up. It was like their secret rendezvous, you know? And they'd be dropping the code word "420" like it's nobody's business. Dave Reddix, one of the Waldos, he said they were just sick of the whole jock scene, man. They'd rather be under the bleachers, sparking one up and questioning the whole system. 

Grateful Dead 

But here's where it gets even crazier. Dave's brother ends up working for the Grateful Dead, and that's like a one-way ticket to stoner fame, right? So, in '90, some Deadheads in Oakland start spreading flyers, calling everyone to smoke up at 4:20 on April 20. And that's when things went big time! High Times magazine catches wind of it, thanks to this dude Steve Bloom, and boom! 420 is on the map, baby! They even gave props to the Waldos as the OGs of 420 in '98. 

And now, every year, April 20 rolls around, and it's like a worldwide smoke fest, celebrating friendship, rebellion, and, of course, the good ol' green. So, next time you're toking up on 4/20, remember the Waldos, man. They're the reason we got this dope holiday to celebrate!