gnk... gnk... :cough: ...ere

April 20, 2005 11:51 AM

Happy 420 day! Although many have (wrongly) believed that 420 had something to do with police code relating to marijuana offenses or 4/20 being the dates that Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrisson, and John Belushi died; this infamous number really was simply the time that several San Rafael high school students would meet after school to get baked.
posted by tsarfan (105 comments total)

happy 420 day to you

why the schwarzeneggar tag?
posted by infini at 11:52 AM on April 20, 2005

there's a related discussion here, fyi.
posted by andrew cooke at 11:57 AM on April 20, 2005

because he truly understands 420
posted by tsarfan at 11:57 AM on April 20, 2005

"We also have to ritualize the use of cannabis and turn it into a rite of passage. That way, when our teenagers reach the proper age, they can be inducted into adulthood by being awarded with the keys to the cannabis code. "

Uh-huh. Sheesh. I'd like to see someone get all mystical and shit about a six-pack of Miller Genuine Draft. The only problem with pot is pot smokers.

/ pot smoker himself
posted by The Dryyyyy Cracker at 12:01 PM on April 20, 2005

*puffs twice, gives

I almost called in "sick" to work, contrived pothead holiday or not...I'll just have to celebrate later...
posted by schyler523 at 12:03 PM on April 20, 2005

I've got lunch with my mom today, then dinner with my sister, but i'm carrying my pipe today because.. well.. It's April 20th.

I'll never forget working at a coffee shop about four years ago and the manager letting us climb up to the roof and puff a quick one before getting back to shift... That even beat the only time I came in drunk, after Canada won the gold medal in Salt Lake.

A big happy "Merry Four Twenty" to all.

**puff**puff**pass**
posted by futureproof at 12:09 PM on April 20, 2005

*puff*

*puff*

*licks finger, applies spit to canoe-ing joint*

*passes*
posted by By The Grace of God at 12:12 PM on April 20, 2005

futureproof that is awesome
posted by alexwoods at 12:16 PM on April 20, 2005

.
posted by dfowler at 12:23 PM on April 20, 2005

Uh-huh. Sheesh. I'd like to see someone get all mystical and shit about a six-pack of Miller Genuine Draft. The only problem with pot is pot smokers.

[this is true]
posted by dhoyt at 12:23 PM on April 20, 2005

Less true considering that the mystical shit is rather built in to pot, for those who are so inclined, while I've never heard of anyone having a mystical experience from a bottle of Miller. But hey -- I don't party in those circles.
posted by digaman at 12:27 PM on April 20, 2005

Looks like I'll have to fire up the Volcano for a few extra rounds tonight. Pass the bag!
posted by prostyle at 12:28 PM on April 20, 2005

clean and sober 94 days! w00t!
posted by quonsar at 12:31 PM on April 20, 2005 [1 favorite]

Today is also the birthday of the greatest man who ever lived.
posted by Mayor Curley at 12:31 PM on April 20, 2005

88 to you too, Mr. Mayor.
posted by warbaby at 12:34 PM on April 20, 2005

is that sly godwinning, mayor curley?
posted by mdn at 12:34 PM on April 20, 2005

The California law that authorizes and regulates medical uses of marijuana was Senate Bill 420 (Chapter 875/2003, Vasconcellos).
posted by thomcatspike at 12:35 PM on April 20, 2005

Jesus was born today?
posted by billysumday at 12:36 PM on April 20, 2005

Mayor:
Ryan O'Neal has his good points, but I'm going to have to go with Hitler, sorry.
posted by Divine_Wino at 12:37 PM on April 20, 2005

No, it's my father's birthday today. Seriously. I guess "greatest man who ever lived" seems like hyperbole to everyone else, though.
posted by Mayor Curley at 12:38 PM on April 20, 2005

4:21 ... better late than never.

-- bumer sticker I saw around here.
posted by inksyndicate at 12:38 PM on April 20, 2005

My comment above was from, that’s interesting. “Not a 420 definition.” who asked for a band name today
posted by thomcatspike at 12:39 PM on April 20, 2005

I hope everyone who's reading this feels self-conscious and paranoid.
posted by geoff. at 12:39 PM on April 20, 2005

Mayor Curley, how do you know my dad?
posted by brand-gnu at 12:42 PM on April 20, 2005

on preview: do we have the same dad?
posted by brand-gnu at 12:43 PM on April 20, 2005

this infamous number really was simply the time that several San Rafael high school students would meet after school to get baked

Is there anything that backs this up as the origin of the phrase? Usually I completely believe it when 50 year-old stoners say "yeah we totally invented that," but I guess I'm on a veracity kick lately and so I'd wish to see something a little more convincing. And isn't 4:20 sort of late to be hanging out on school property, especially for smokers?
posted by fleacircus at 12:44 PM on April 20, 2005

Uh-huh. Sheesh. I'd like to see someone get all mystical and shit about a six-pack of Miller Genuine Draft.

Make it a 12-pack and I'll get reeeal mystical. or something.
posted by jonmc at 12:44 PM on April 20, 2005

Not to be a huge bummer, but weren't Hitler's birthday and the Columbine massacre also on 420?
posted by psmealey at 12:45 PM on April 20, 2005

fleacircus: high times and snopes isnt a one-two punch of credibility in your part of town?
posted by tsarfan at 12:49 PM on April 20, 2005

Belushi died 3/5/82, Morrisson 7/3/71 and Hendrix 9/18/70.
posted by nancoix at 12:52 PM on April 20, 2005

fleacircus: supposedly they have dated letters where they use the term.
posted by delmoi at 12:58 PM on April 20, 2005

Happy holiday! I'm at work, but when I get home... it'll be just like every other day.

I smoke too much the right amount.
posted by salad spork at 1:06 PM on April 20, 2005

Seriously. I guess "greatest man who ever lived" seems like hyperbole to everyone else, though.

dude - it's just that the most famous person born today was adolf hitler. If you reference a birthday and april 20, that's who will come to most minds. No offense to yr dad, of course, but, more people have heard of hitler than your dad.
posted by mdn at 1:07 PM on April 20, 2005

43 NYC rooms to rent on craigslist mention 420.
posted by StickyCarpet at 1:10 PM on April 20, 2005

In honor of 420, and the Blessed Saint Shel Silverstein, I give you:

The Great Smokeoff
posted by dejah420 at 1:10 PM on April 20, 2005

Not if his dad is hitler.

By many accounts, the Prophet Muhammad was also born on 4/20. Possibly more famous than Hitler.
posted by absalom at 1:15 PM on April 20, 2005

If Muhammad > Hitler and Beatles > Jesus, then...

Dude, I need another hit.
posted by psmealey at 1:16 PM on April 20, 2005

Here a summary of seeing 420 spread through Humboldt and on Grateful Dead Tour through the early 1990's as I told on rec.music.gdead back in 1997.


posted by Gankmore at 1:19 PM on April 20, 2005

What were we talking about again?
posted by Divine_Wino at 1:23 PM on April 20, 2005

What were we talking about again?

This entire thread is a derail. Which, in context, I think makes it perfectly on topic. Which means it's not a derail. Whoa.
posted by uncleozzy at 1:30 PM on April 20, 2005

dude - it's just that the most famous person born today was adolf hitler. If you reference a birthday and april 20, that's who will come to most minds.

No shit.
posted by Mayor Curley at 1:43 PM on April 20, 2005

"What kid doesn't want to be just like his dad?"
"Maybe little Skippy Hitler..."
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:51 PM on April 20, 2005

Maybe it's referring to Section 420 of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, referenced here (search down for 420), and the section it links to is here. It reads:

861. Employment or use of persons under 18 years of age in drug operations.

Why is it called Section 420 and then 861? What was it called in 1970? My legalese and googlefu are not up to snuff so to speak, but it seems a possible avenue of exploration.
posted by fleacircus at 1:52 PM on April 20, 2005

A very merry to everyone!

I'm at work, but when I get home... it'll be just like every other day.

I smoke too much the right amount.
posted by salad spork at 3:06 PM CST on April 20

So true . .
posted by tr33hggr at 1:52 PM on April 20, 2005

No shit.

okay then, I have no idea what you were trying to say.
which I guess is perfectly consistent with the given circumstances of the thread, so, hey. Happy birthday Curley Sr.
posted by mdn at 1:52 PM on April 20, 2005

Whoops, lost the HTML. What?
posted by tr33hggr at 1:52 PM on April 20, 2005

Dude. You ever, like, look at your hands, man? I mean, really looked?
posted by graventy at 1:58 PM on April 20, 2005

Dude. You ever, like, look at your hands, man? I mean, really looked?

They call them fingers, but I've never seen them fing.
posted by uncleozzy at 2:01 PM on April 20, 2005

Can anyone else not get to the hightimes article?
posted by chaz at 2:04 PM on April 20, 2005

from snopes link: "420 (always pronounced 'four-twenty,' never 'four hundred and twenty')..."

Oh. I guess that's why they all laughed at me.
posted by koeselitz at 2:04 PM on April 20, 2005

The Dude abides. I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there - the Dude - takin' her easy for all us sinners.
posted by gompa at 2:07 PM on April 20, 2005

And isn't 4:20 sort of late to be hanging out on school property, especially for smokers?

detention.

and happy smokin' y'all, i'll be there soon enough.
posted by scottymacten at 2:14 PM on April 20, 2005

here is a cached page of the high times piece that gives the timeline of 420

oddly hightimes.com and 420.com appear quite busy today
posted by tsarfan at 2:21 PM on April 20, 2005

420 day is all well and good, but I can't wait until Cinco de Ocho.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 2:22 PM on April 20, 2005

"What kid doesn't want to be just like his dad?"
"Maybe little Skippy Hitler..."

What's that from, Oriole Adams? Tell me quick before I forget I asked.
posted by goatdog at 2:25 PM on April 20, 2005

Fuzzy Monster: What significance does Cinco de Ocho have? I only saw a fleeting mention of the date in the link?
posted by schyler523 at 2:33 PM on April 20, 2005

I don't smoke reefer anymore 'cause it doesn't make me feel good, But I used to be Cheech and Chong and I want to recall a time when my friend had a can of air-freshener in his room and he took a marker and wrote
mom-b-gone on it and we laughed and laughed and laughed.

So in the spirit of that, my friends, may I wish that all of you never run out of mom-b-gone, papers or ice cold milk and may you never spill the bong under the couch 'cause that smells like ass forever.

I'll be waiting at the bar for y'all to stumble back in giggling.
posted by Divine_Wino at 2:35 PM on April 20, 2005

okay then, I have no idea what you were trying to say.

Here it is:

1. It is my father's birthday. It is also Hitler's birthday.

2. A thread popped up about today's date.

3. Hitler is well-known and universally despised whereas my father is not well-known.

4. I purposely made an ambiguous post praising my father, knowing that most people would think I was praising Hitler.

5. Rational people don't actually praise Hitler, so it is funny when someone who has not previously made statements in support of Naziism suddenly does it.

6. I made a second post after a few minutes to let people know that my father shares a birthday with Hitler and I was referring to my Dad.

7. It is funny because you thought I was talking about Hitler (who is bad), but I was talking about my father (who is good, assuming that he is not a serial killer or something and has not been caught, but this seems unlikely because my mother is good at noticing strange smells and my parents live in an area relatively free of drifters and prostitutes that can be targets of a serial killer without causing suspicion.)
posted by Mayor Curley at 2:36 PM on April 20, 2005

I call bullshit on the San Rafael angle. It was a bunch of us kids in Vermont. Or was it a bunch of us kids in Miami? Or a bunch of us kids in Orange County? Twenty past four is about two hours later than any stoners I know would ever be at school. And besides, stoners and punctuality aren't well acquainted.

Does it matter? I'm on a vacation with my family and ain't got no weed. Maybe I'll have to scrape a lung and smoke that.
posted by fenriq at 2:37 PM on April 20, 2005

Oh, for please sake, tsarfan, it's just 4:20, not 4:20 day.
posted by clockzero at 2:47 PM on April 20, 2005

"...for... please... sake?" Whence this strange phrase?
posted by koeselitz at 2:52 PM on April 20, 2005

mr curley, that part made sense; what confused me was "I guess 'greatest man who ever lived' seems like hyperbole to everyone else, though." But when I said "sly godwinning" I actually vaguely assumed it was your birthday and you were trying to make a reference without making a reference, kinda thing. But then I was thrown off by the apparent sincerity of your follow up. But obviously I am overthinking this and not chilling enough, so. peace out, yo.
posted by mdn at 2:56 PM on April 20, 2005

Happy 420 everyone!

It's funny that the funniest feeling I remember was when I was visiting and staying at my friend's grandfather's house in KS (I was going to school in IA, grew up in BC) and we (no, not the grandfather) snuck out in the middle of the night to smoke a joint. For some reason, the illicit-ility of the situation brought upon gales and gales of uncontrollable giggling.

Then we went over to the playground and got dizzy on one of those whirling things.

/good times
posted by PurplePorpoise at 2:59 PM on April 20, 2005

uh, no thanks.

No seriously. I'm over it.

It's ok if you do. Go ahead. I just want to listen.

Oh, all right. I'll hand to her. No problem.

Sorry.

For those of us who lost teh cool when we gave it up.
posted by ?! at 3:06 PM on April 20, 2005

clockzero,

are all these people wrong too?
posted by tsarfan at 3:11 PM on April 20, 2005

More silly stoner humour [iFilm] from the Price is Right.
posted by Ricky_gr10 at 3:12 PM on April 20, 2005

As much as I'd love to rise to the occassion and blunt it up after work, homework calls. And I won't have it be said that I didn't turn in a paper because I was out getting blitzed with my friends (tempting as it sounds).

That probably won't stop me from taking a hit or two from my pipe before bed, though.
posted by kryptondog at 3:14 PM on April 20, 2005

Can we rename 420 Day to Day When You Can Expect Really Slow Service and Messed Up Stuff at the Drive Thru? Because that's pretty much what happens.
posted by fenriq at 3:15 PM on April 20, 2005

i guess every one got their own story for 420....for me 4:20 am in all night parties is usually when people get weirded out and the only way to calm the madness is to blaze.

If you are pulling an all-nighter usually by 4:20 you gotta decide if you are going to bed or ravin' on........oooooops i used the cliche.....but being a ravin' lunatic since 89, i'm allowed
posted by koli at 3:18 PM on April 20, 2005

Get some sour cream and onion chips with some dip, man, some beef jerky, some peanut butter. Get some Haagen-Dasz ice cream bars, a whole lot, make sure chocolate, gotta have chocolate, man. Some popcorn, red popcorn, graham crackers, graham crackers with marshmallows, the little marshmallows and little chocolate bars and we can make s'mores, man. Also, celery, grape jelly, Cap'n Crunch with the little Crunch berries, pizzas. We need two big pizzas, man, everything on 'em, with water, whole lotta water, and Funyons.
posted by TungstenChef at 3:23 PM on April 20, 2005

You're not supposed to eat at drive thrus today...Your'e supposed to make Pot Food! Mmmm Gooballs...
posted by schyler523 at 3:28 PM on April 20, 2005

I had an annoying brother in law who used to say "It's beer 30" all the time. 4:20 is cool though. Then there is always 'shroom 70.
posted by vronsky at 3:29 PM on April 20, 2005

clean and sober 94 days! w00t!

No shit, quonsar, really? If you're not bullshitting, my hat's off to you.
posted by mediareport at 3:31 PM on April 20, 2005

I love tags!
posted by mileena at 3:32 PM on April 20, 2005

my hat's off to you.

you're going to catch a nasty head cold.
posted by quonsar at 3:36 PM on April 20, 2005

my hat's off to you.

you're going to catch a nasty head cold.

Unless of course it's a heady cold.
posted by schyler523 at 3:44 PM on April 20, 2005

What an interesting day this has developed into over the years. It really is the counter-culture holiday.

I remember, in high school, 4/20 was always "Senior Skip Day" which every class, regardless of Senior status, took part in. The school (of about 2000-3000 students) was completely dead on 4/20.

Happy 420 to all of you!
posted by nickerbocker at 3:45 PM on April 20, 2005

hmmm... in light of other events that have happened on this day. My original post saying "The school ... was completely dead on 4/20" may not have been appropriate. But you all know what I mean.
posted by nickerbocker at 3:47 PM on April 20, 2005

tsarfan-

um, most of those people just call it 4:20, or 4/20, or 4-20, not 420 day. Seriously. Nobody except NARCs and people who haven't been young in a century calls it that. Really, no offense. It's cool if you're not down with the 4/20 scene. But nobody calls it that.

koeselitz-

I think it's a funny phrase
posted by clockzero at 4:31 PM on April 20, 2005

agreed clockzero when you're talking about 4:20 as a time to smoke out.

but on 4/20, if you tell a stoner, hey its four twenty, theyre going to look at their watch and say really?

thus 4/20 Day.
posted by tsarfan at 4:45 PM on April 20, 2005

I agree with tsarfan...but only today. In general it's just four-twenty, but today it's four-twenty all day.
posted by schyler523 at 4:47 PM on April 20, 2005

Whoa, check out the lack of comments posted between 4:00 and 4:30. I wonder where everyone was...
posted by AloneOssifer at 4:55 PM on April 20, 2005

You never need to tell a stoner when it's April 20th, tsarfan. Come on, now.
posted by clockzero at 5:55 PM on April 20, 2005

whoa, it's the cops, everyone just be cool for a second...
so she said, "what do you mean it's a te-rel-les..."

...okay, cool.
man, that was close.
posted by hellbient at 6:32 PM on April 20, 2005

BTW, I find it interesting the changes in measuring terms used with the ol' 420. Before my time it was measured in "lids" (the amount of 1 lid I have no idea), then became ounces. "A quarter-bag", quarter of an ounce, etc.

Now because the stuff is much more potent and purchase amounts are smaller, it's finally hit the metric system and is traded in grams.

Anyway, enjoy, everyone. I live overseas in a country with draconian drug laws, so alas, I cannot partake. Take a toke (two) for me.

/sobs quietely
posted by zardoz at 6:50 PM on April 20, 2005

Goatdog: Roseanne
posted by Oriole Adams at 6:55 PM on April 20, 2005

.
(said in that strangled speech-without-oxygen)
posted by unrepentanthippie at 6:59 PM on April 20, 2005

They call them fingers, but I've never seen them fing.

whoa, there they go.
posted by freudianslipper at 7:02 PM on April 20, 2005

A lid is an ounce. That's what my mom called them. That may seem like a lot, but pot really sucked back then. Some stoner botanists started cross breeding the plants and uping the potency to get today's one-hit wonder stuff my stoner roommate seems to smoke so much of.

Ah... to be 23-year-old senior in college again, hit the bong and the playstation 2. smoke up kids. I pretty much quit, interferes with my heavy drinking.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 7:34 PM on April 20, 2005

here is a cached page of the high times piece that gives the timeline of 420

Heheh, he said "cached".
posted by premiumpolar at 8:01 PM on April 20, 2005

*licks bottom of can, corners of baggie, bottom of bowl*



sigh. couldn't meet my regular buds...all puns intended and doleful
posted by infini at 8:12 PM on April 20, 2005

You never need to tell a stoner when it's April 20th, tsarfan.

I didn't think about it until I saw a posting in CraigsList. I've been celebrating everyday for the last month, after suffering a long dry spell. During the spell, there's no way I woulda forgot. Now I'm blissfully unaware.

--

compulsively decimate whatever stash you have immediately

Why was the High Times piece so condescending? Yeah, there are people who act the cheech, but do you really know that many people who go about "decimating" stashes uninvited? Who is this reefer madness zombie they are railing against? It's kind of a bummer.

--

Ricky_gr10 that's some stupid stoner funny shit.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 8:23 PM on April 20, 2005

I've been too high to comment all day long.
posted by puke & cry at 10:11 PM on April 20, 2005

So, uh... yeah... my point was... they're EVERYWHERE.
posted by squirrel at 10:18 PM on April 20, 2005

Here's a pet peeve of mine: sitting in a smoker circle and the jay is coming around; you hit it, and you go to pass it on, and the guy next to you gives you the "no, thanks" gesture. Who are these guys? I could give a damn if you smoke or not, but we have conflagration here: pass it along! Don't these guys know what a freaking' circle is? Just pass it along, fool!

Okay, that was my stoner rant for today. Happy 420, y'all! To the end to the prohibition, and the emancipation of those unjustly jailed!
posted by squirrel at 10:28 PM on April 20, 2005

squirrel, why are they sitting in the smoking circle to begin with? Anyway, learn to lean. Yoga 'n' shit. The person on the other side of them may be your soul mate, all you have to do is lean a little further.
posted by telstar at 1:21 AM on April 21, 2005

So at 4:20 today, being the twentieth day of April, I was standing near the fountain at Georgia and Howe in downtown Vancouver. It was a gorgeous day. Sunny, warm.. nice day to spend with some friends.

We chat for a little, mostly small talk. Then someone lit a joint.

And five thousand people did the exact same thing, at the exact same time.

The Revolution(tm) is over. Did you blink?

Check those flickr pages. It was insanely cool. Guys in suits saying "I left the office for a quick toke, because it's April 20th, and back when I was a kid I used to smoke pot, and then I looked down the street at the Art Gallery and knew.. just knew.. that all those people were there just to toke up.. and I couldn't not join"

For me, it's the one day of the year I allow myself to feel no shame for occasionally taking a toke. Sometimes it's almost as good as a nice single malt. Regardless, I choose my few vices carefully.

On my walk home I picked up tomorrows paper and the coverage is good, but not great. You can learn more going to the links in this thread.

Such a rad day.
posted by futureproof at 4:54 AM on April 21, 2005

Vancouver 420 (flickr)
posted by futureproof at 5:29 AM on April 21, 2005

Futureproof, thanks so much for that. I imagine San Francisco represented in full color, but sadly the climate in most of America is not as sunny as in Canada. Light up en masse in Texas? Dead.
posted by squirrel at 6:17 AM on April 21, 2005

Now because the stuff is much more potent and purchase amounts are smaller, it's finally hit the metric system and is traded in grams.

It's still eighths and quarters in my neck of the woods.
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:41 AM on April 21, 2005

I'm a day late and an eighth short for this thread... but the best quote I saw during 420 was "Hippy New Year!"

Made me laugh, it did.

Didja all know there's a chance pot is actually legal in Canada at this time? There was a court case that struck down the anti-marijuana part of the laws, and our feds haven't yet come up with a new Act to replace it. That means it's in judicial limbo, which means it likely falls on the side of being illegal -- 'cause that which is not explicitly illegal is legal.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:13 AM on April 21, 2005

Fuzzy Monster: What significance does Cinco de Ocho have? I only saw a fleeting mention of the date in the link?
posted by schyler523 at 5:33 PM EST on April 20

4/20= The Twentieth of April

Cinco de Ocho= The Fifth of August

I was making a connection between taking a time of day (4:20) and deciding to turn it into an actual day (4/20) and taking a Simpsons gag (Cinco de Ocho) and deciding to turn it into an actual day (August 5th). A tad obscure, I'll grant you.

So this Cinco de Ocho, I'm gonna party like it's 4/20!
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 12:13 PM on April 21, 2005

"Hippy New Year" is pretty cool. I liked "politicians against legalization support organized crime". A little more concise.

Also, i'm not sure how you guys down south got tricked into thinking you're free(tm).

I didn't see a single cop. I'm sure they were there in spirit though. Five thousand people took the afternoon off and smoked pot in the afternoon sun. It was beautiful. Enjoying yourself in the good company of others and not hating on anybody.. that's freedom.

Don't like it? Well in the wise words of Ben Harper "If you don't like my fire, then don't come around. I'm going to burn one down."
posted by futureproof at 2:52 PM on April 21, 2005

I'd like to see someone get all mystical and shit about a six-pack of Miller Genuine Draft.

Miller, no. Hahn Premium, say, absolutely. Although, as jonmc mentioned, it'd take a lot more than 6 to get truly mystical.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:29 PM on April 21, 2005

Mayor Curley, how do you know my dad?
posted by brand-gnu at 12:42 PM PST on April 20 [!]


on preview: do we have the same dad?
posted by brand-gnu at 12:43 PM PST on April 20 [!]


I do not claim either of you.//quoth beelzbubba, who completed his 51st trip around the sun on 4/20, began his 52nd sharing microbrews with his progeny.
posted by beelzbubba at 10:16 PM on April 21, 2005