As the law on the legalization of medical cannabis in Ukraine was passed, interest in everything related to this plant has grown. As Ukrainians love holidays, they are also interested in an unofficial holiday - International Marijuana Day or 420 Day. You can find out what is the meaning of this holiday and how it came about in this article.
History of the holiday
Some people think that April 20 is marijuana's birthday. In fact, this is not true, as hemp is a fairly ancient crop, it was grown 8-10 thousand years ago. Therefore, it is not known for certain when exactly it began to be cultivated and what its origin is. Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to establish the exact origin of the holiday and who exactly proposed to celebrate it. However, there are several quite plausible versions of where the number 420 came from. This number is interesting because Cannabis Day is celebrated on the 20th day of the 4th month, and it is at 4:20 a.m. that marijuana users celebrate this holiday of smoking cannabis.So, let's return to the versions of the origin of the number 420. There are 5 most common stories:
1. 420 is the number of active ingredients in the plant. Scientific research proves that this version is a myth, since marijuana has about 5 hundred active components, of which about 70 are cannabinoids.
2. 420 is the code that American police officers say if they suspect a person of illegal drug use.
3. 420 is the number that can be obtained by multiplying all Bob Marley songs. This version is offered by fans of the singer, who was known for his penchant for marijuana use. However, with all due respect to his work, 420 can be the result of multiplying anybody's songs, there are many options.
4. 420 is time, 4:20. It was at this hour that the protagonist of the story "Within the Walls of Erik's" by H.P. Lovecraft and C.J. Sterling began to be narcotically affected by "strange plants that cause mirages". According to the description of the principle of action, these plants are very similar to marijuana.
5. 420 is not just a number, but a time, i.e., 16:20. Allegedly, it is at this time that the Dutch, who are known for their loyalty to the use of recreational cannabis, sit down to drink traditional tea.
All of these versions are unlikely. The only true version of the origin of the number 420 takes us back to 1971. It was then that students of a California school began to gather after school at 4:20 and go to the nearest forest in search of a hidden treasure. This “treasure” was a lost cannabis field. They never managed to find it. But the brother of one of the participants in this search told a story about the "secret treasure of 420" of a member of the music band Gratefull Dead. The musicians liked this term so much that they quickly began to call cannabis use and the plant itself by this code.
Modern traditions
Nowadays, International Cannabis Day is celebrated not only in the United States, where it originated, but also in Canada, Holland, New Zealand, and even the United Kingdom. Every year, on April 20, bright parties, carnivals, hippie séances, and just massive city celebrations are organized in different cities around the world. The scale of the celebration depends on whether cannabis use is allowed in certain countries. For example, in the United States, it is legal in only 9 states, and the use of medical marijuana is allowed in 29 states.
The most popular Cannabis Day celebration took place in 2018 in London's Hyde Park, where several thousand citizens and visitors gathered on April 20. They smoked weed together, discussed plans to legalize recreational cannabis, and listened to music. A Facebook page was created for the event, which attracted more than 3,000 Internet users. Of course, the police demanded that the planned celebration be canceled, but their demands were ignored. It is worth noting that the largest celebration of 420 Day took place without any clashes with law enforcement officials, in complete harmony and harmony.
There is one unchanging tradition of this holiday that is strictly followed by almost all recreational cannabis users. On April 20, at 4:20 a.m., they smoke a festive joint. We are in no way advocating the use, cultivation, or possession of marijuana, as it is prohibited by Ukrainian law, but are providing this material for informational purposes only.
