What Does 4 20 Mean?

Everyone has heard the stories, the explanations, the reasons, the correlations and the 'who-started-what's' in relation to the three numbers: 4, 2, 0.
Something about the number of chemicals, or a police code, or some kids in Santa Barbara, or Hitler's Birthday...even when I feel like I've heard it all, someone comes up with a new explanation for the significance of the numbers 4, 2, 0, each and every one vague and totally unproven at best.
Despite the nonsense, there is a whole legion of people who celebrate 4.20, the date and time, as a high holiday(heh). With countless variations of festivities, there is one common thread among those who celebrate...Marijuana. It's kinda the whole point, actually.

What cracks me up, is the notion that this date and time has some sort of special meaning or importance more than any other day of the week or year. I mean, it's not like one would buy some really "bomb chronic" on 4.17 and save it for 4.20, like you would with say, steaks on Labor Day, or a ham on Christmas.

Nevertheless, its somewhat of a movement, and inspiring enough for people all over the world(?) to come together and smoke pot with one another.


This Sunday, April 20th, I was in what some might consider the epicenter of 4.20 festivities, Hippie Hill in San Francisco, California. Despite the several thousand people congregating in Sharon Meadows, commonly referred to as "Hippie Hill" with no real attraction or event, the most entertaining part of the day was overhearing conversations like this:

Soccer Mom(with 2.5 kids): "Wow, look at all those people, what's going on today?"
Dude hackey-sacking: "Oh, its 420"
Soccer Mom: "Whats that?"
Dude: "It's a celebration...of marijuana"
Soccer Mom: "Cover your eyes kids! It's time to go"