Happy 4:20 day
Posted on 04/20/2002 9:17:05 AM PDT by Gladwin
You've seen it on T-shirts, you've heard it in songs, and you've probably seen it in movies. The number 420 is everywhere, but do you know what it represents? What does 420 mean to you?
On April 20th at 4:20, marijuana smokers around the world will be joining together to light up a joint or take a bong hit. They will share their solidarity by "toking up," knowing that someone, somewhere, is doing the same thing simultaneously. April 20th has been dubbed the "Hippie New Year" and is known to be the date many pro-marijuana organizations host their rallies and lectures. But what's so special about the number 420?
420 has become an iconic symbol in the marijuana culture. For many years, it was an underground term that eventually leaked out into the mainstream and has since become commercialized. You may have noticed people around school sporting 420 on clothing or other merchandise. Even though it is becoming more prominent in the teen culture, most adults and even some teens don't know about the meaning behind 420.
There are varying theories on the origin of the 420 marijuana culture trend. Some say that 420 originated from a police code that announces marijuana use is taking place. Others believe there are 420 chemical components in marijuana (there are, in fact, more than 400 chemical components—making marijuana smoke at least 4 times as harmful as cigarette smoke). Yet another story is that a group of guys in the 1970's made 4:20 their official meeting time to smoke marijuana after school. Whatever the real story is, 420 has been an important part of the marijuana culture since the 1970's. The significance of 420 has been kept underground and is mostly known only among marijuana smokers. Many adults aren't aware of the symbolism when they see a teenager wearing a T-shirt or baseball cap that says 420 across the front.
When the 420 icon is somehow discreetly worked into a mainstream product like a film, marijuana users take notice. The film Pulp Fiction is rumored to have had all clocks throughout the movie set to 4:20. Marijuana smokers familiar with the symbol picked up on it—most people, however, did not.
While some marijuana smokers are using 420 as a code that enables them to openly speak about marijuana in front of parents or teachers, adults are starting to catch on to the phenomenon. Adults are starting to realize the meaning of what has been, to some, a sacred symbol for nearly 30 years.
The next time you notice the 420 symbol, be aware of its meaning and what it represents. Remember that marijuana is an unsafe and unhealthy drug that has many risks and repercussions. Most teens are not using marijuana, despite what popular culture might imply. In fact, more than half of teens report never having tried marijuana. If you are interested in learning more about marijuana and in educating your peers about the risks of marijuana, talk to your school or community organizations about putting together an event on 4/20 to counter the pro-marijuana activities.
You got me, I don't.
Probably means the wearer either saw, or has a friend who saw, the musical Rent. I saw that show in Chicago with then-girlfriend in 1998, and in the lobby during intermission there were scarfs for sale with "525,600" knit into them in very large numbers. I asked my wife what that was for (she had listened to the soundtrack; I hadn't) and she suggested I'd figure it out in Act II.
Sure enough, the first song after intermission, "Seasons of Love", opened with the answer: "Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear. Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure--measure a year?"
420 means the 14 year old I just diagnosed as being four months pregnant.
It means that the 17 year old who is on her own will have to keep living with her crippled grandmom until she is old enough to leave school (her mom and her mom's latest in a string of men friends is toting all the time).
It means the funeral next week (oops, toting caused poor judgement-- that car wasn't there a few minutes ago)
And it means Sarah is out of her pain pills again (her tote smoking boyfriend sells them on the street for stronger drugs).
And of course, next week the local rehab center has a new group coming in. A few just with alcohol; most of the others with mixed substance abuse: when marijuana wasn't enough, it's easy enough to buy meth from the same drug dealer.
An excellent argument for the legalization and control of marijuana. Pot may have harmful effects, but they're less than those of alcohol, hard drugs, and even some prescription drugs.
There are millions of otherwise law-abiding adults who choose to toke. Why not let them go to the liquor store and buy it, instead of making them associate with the criminal element?
My opinion: Develop a roadside sobriety test for pot, and legalize it for the consumption of adults.
So do they sing "527,040 minutes" during a leap year? ;)
BF
here are a few that i know of:
fire
reef
reefer
chong
herb
herbs
greens
bud
buddah
weed
dmc (this one is an acronym for the korean name for marijuana)
dank
chronic
sticky icky
smoke
chief
meds
chill
leaves
To order Cleveland Indians tickets call 402-HITS, in the 216 area code.
Seriously.
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