There are no three characters in the cannabis industry that have as much infamy as “420,” from before marijuana legalization to today. Those three numbers have become a symbol for cannabis enthusiasts around the country, but there’s a lot of misinformation about them. This guide is built to teach you the real meaning of 420 (and dispel some myths long the way).

• What Does 420 Mean?
• Where Did The Term “420” Come From?
• How Did The Number 420 Become Famous?
• What Are The Myths Around 420?
• FAQs About 420
   

420—also written as 4:20 PM or 4/20—is a slang term that refers to consuming marijuana. This can refer to 4/20, or April 20, a day commonly associated with cannabis; it can be a collective time to smoke cannabis; it can mean that someone is open to enjoying marijuana; or it can simply be a sign that you support cannabis consumption. 

Ultimately, what started as a code became a movement across the marijuana industry that we still embrace today.
 

You might be wondering, how did one group of students make the number 420 famous? Actually, The Grateful Dead played an important role in the term making the leap from the Waldos to the rest of the world.

The Waldos had connections to the band and became good friends with some of the members. When band members and the audience heard the Waldos using the term 420, it caught on and took on its own life from there. The number has become so popular, in fact, that Colorado transportation officials had to remove the ‘420’ mile marker on Interstate 70 because it kept getting stolen. It was replaced with mile marker 419.99.

And there you have it. What began as five students with a treasure map has blossomed into an international celebration of and a rallying cry for the cannabis community.
 

There are so many myths surrounding the cannabis code 420 that it would be hard to collect them all here. There are a few that stand out, however, as some of the most popular (and wrong) reasons why 420 is the number for marijuana and marijuana enthusiasts. You can consider the following popular myths about 420 busted:
 

False. Research done on cannabis has taught us that there are a minimum of 400 chemicals in the plant, with over 60 being cannabinoids. It’s possible there are even more we haven’t discovered yet. That being said, there’s definitely no scientific connections between the cannabis plant and the number 420. 
 

False. This myth is also sometimes associated with the California penal code, while others say it’s the police code. Both are wrong. In Las Vegas, police use 420 as a code for homicide. Otherwise, 420 isn’t really used as a code at all. (And in California, the penal code for marijuana is Code 11357 HS. Penal code 420 refers to obstructing entry on public land.)
 

False. Research done on cannabis has taught us that there are a minimum of 400 chemicals in the plant, with over 60 being cannabinoids. It’s possible there are even more we haven’t discovered yet. That being said, there’s definitely no scientific connections between the cannabis plant and the number 420. 
 

False. Bob Marley died on May 11, 1981. 
 

False. Weather changes depending on where you are in the country. There’s no plant in the world that can be reliably planted on a single day, every year, year after year—cannabis included. While some cannabis cultivators do start their seeds in April, this is simply a coincidence and has nothing to do with 4/20. 
 

False. There is no specific tea time set in Amsterdam.
 

For its popularity among cannabis enthusiasts (and non-cannabis consumers), we get a lot of questions about 420. Here are just a few we’ve recently answered:

What does “420-friendly” mean?
The term “420-friendly” means that a person or establishment is open to cannabis consumption. Common places to see the label “420-friendly” are on a vacation rental listing or in a dating profile.
 

Who came up with 420?
A group of five high schoolers nicknamed the Waldos came up with the code 420 as a way to talk about their 4:20 PM meeting to smoke marijuana without letting parents or teachers know. From there, it was popularized by the Grateful Dead. 

Is 420 a police code?
While 420 is a police code used by departments in Las Vegas, it has nothing to do with cannabis. There, 420 is code for a homicide.

What does “420” stand for?
The original meaning of 420 was as a meeting time for cannabis-smoking high schoolers. Due to their family ties to the Grateful Dead, the number was popularized, and the rest is history.
 

One of the best things about the cannabis industry and the people who are part of this community is that we can all find something special about 420. While the real meaning of 420 may be tied to some kids in the 1970s, 420 today is what we all make of it. The best part about it is that you don’t have to wait long—like with National Dab Day—to celebrate 420. You can spark up at 4:20 every day after a visit to your local dispensary.