It's 4/20, and you know what that means! While you're celebrating, here are some interesting facts about the date and about cannabis for you to have stoned conversations about, or to just know.
420 Did Not Come From A Police Code
420 is not a police code for smoking weed, nor is it a penal code. 420 is a police code for a homicide in Las Vegas, so there’s that.
One Of Bob Marley’s Sons Was Born On 420
No, not Ziggy, as I’m sure you’re all thinking. It was Stephen Marley who was born on April 20,1972. He is the last son that Bob and Rita had together.
Indonesia Has The Harshest Cannabis Laws
Indonesia is a beautiful place to visit, but you should never, ever get caught with cannabis there. The penalty is 5-15 years in prison!
Mexico Grows The Most Cannabis
I bet you probably thought that it Holland or maybe Colorado, but nope. Mexico still grows the most grass.
There Are More Than 300 Chemicals In The Cannabis Plant
Some people think that 420 comes from the number of chemicals in the cannabis plant, but this is incorrect. There are only a little more than three hundred chemicals in a cannabis plant. The actual number varies depending on the strain.
Cannabis And Hops Are In The Same Family
Cannabis and hops (which are in beer) come from the same plant family. Both plants look similar, and have pungent aromas. Both plants also contain many of the same terpenes, hence the signature smell.
Cannabis Is Legal in North Korea
But don’t go celebrating 420 there just yet! Cannabis isn’t even considered a drug, or anything like that in North Korea. I wouldn’t go there just to toke up though. One wrong move and you’ll find yourself in a labor camp.
Speaking of 420...
There are almost that many different names for cannabis. How many can you think of off the top of your head?
There Really Is A Highway 420
It’s in Canada. Apparently cannabis used to grow wild along the side of the highway and they renamed it Highway 420.
Speaking Of Highways
Mile marker 420 in the state of Idaho has been stolen so often they stopped replacing the sign. I can vouch for this. One of my friends had one of the stolen signs in his living room for years. Idaho Transportation Department just decided to start marking mile 419 instead.
Image Source: Flickr
4/20 Is Not Just For Cannabusinesses
Other businesses also benefit from 420, as you probably noticed from all the different promotions you’ve no doubt been seeing around. Is the Unicorn Latte at Starbucks related to 4/20? I don’t know for sure, but have you seen the thing?
4/20 Is A Lot of Peoples’ Birthdays
4/20 is Hitler’s birthday, there’s just no escaping that fact. 4/20 also the birthday of celebrities such as George Takei, Tim Curry and Jessica Lange. Not to mention all the regular people who have birthdays on 4/20.
America Has A Highway 420 Too
There is a highway 420 in America too. It’s in Louisiana, and it’s a popular place for Instagramming.
There Is A 420 Car
Well, it has 420 in the name anyway. It’s a Jaguar 420g. It was a very popular car in the 1960’s.
4/20 Has Other Meanings Too
4/20 is Phi. HI day, which is a day for fraternities and sororities to advocate for philanthropy and ecologically friendly life styles. Seems fitting.
The Biggest Pro Cannabis Rally In America Falls On 4/20
It happens every 4/20 at the University of Colorado campus. Thousands of people show up to smoke out the campus.
4/20 Technically Doesn’t Exist in Europe
The ubiquitous date doesn’t technically exist in Europe because Europeans write out the date different from the the United States. They write it as 20/4.
California’s Medical Cannabis Bill is S.B. 420
Was this intentional?
The First Acid Dose Was Taken On 4/20
Yep, back in the forties by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann.
The Majority Of American Adults Claim That They Have Tried, Or Are Currently Using Cannabis
51% of adults in the US claim to be enjoying the ganja. It used to be that people wouldn’t even admit to trying it. We have come a long way.
Happy 4/20!
Image Source: Flickr
Got any other fun 420 facts? Share in the comments!