Spring question: what is 420?

In the beginning of May, the media traditionally flooded with a wave of news about preparations for the International Hemp march, which is held on the first Saturday of May. This is where the majority of citizens who were not involved in the subculture of marijuana use came up with questions: what is 420? What is this subculture? And here on April 20?

Strange figures

"4/20", "4:20", "420" is a term used in the North American narcotic subculture and has spread all over the world as a password for everyone who is somehow involved in the use of cannabis. It is read and pronounced "four-twenty". The figures themselves do not carry any semantic load. Interest is the context in which the term is used.

Mythology

Around him accumulated so many legends and fancies that Atlantis also envied. Fans of marijuana will respond differently to the question of what 420 is. Several versions:

• As many compounds in the composition of marijuana;
• It's a code of American cops for going to drug addicts;
• The number of songs by Bob Dylan and Bob Marley;
• April 20 at 4:20 died or Jim Morrison, or Jimmy Hendrix, or Janice Joplin, or ... you can continue.

But there are 315 chemical compounds in marijuana, and there is no such code for American cops. You can continue.

How it all began

Legend has it that the students of the school in the Californian town of San Rafael in 1971 very much wanted to destroy the wild hemp of the neighborhood by her skimming. For hidden searches to find the desired product, they met at 4:20 in the afternoon, the statue of Louis Pasteur (a well-known microbiologist and did not expect so dubious glory), raided or simply smoked at the doorpost. So there was a password and a collection signal for the initiates, who called themselves Waldos (English wall - wall) - 420.

Culture of marijuana use

Subculture developed, developing its own rituals and characteristics. Marijuana began not only to smoke, but also to fry with sugar, cook in milk, add to pastries and sweets. A philosophy developed that incorporated the features of Rastafarianism (although only superficial). Adolescents matured - from reggae they moved to rock, they grew dreadlocks or became hippies.

4:20 turns into the 20th of April

Adult teenagers, fans of the well-known music group Grateful Dead, accompanied musicians on the route of tours throughout America. And everywhere at 4:20 in the afternoon they gathered with new friends "for kosyachok" (habit, as they say, second nature). Very soon there were many admirers of such gatherings, the question arose about the mass organized action of marijuana worship. The choice of the date of disputes did not cause - in the American tradition, a month is written before the number. So 420 became April 20 - the day of unity of admirers of cannabis culture.

American Festival

Day April 20, 1991 was the beginning of the annual gathering festivals of representatives of the subculture of marijuana smokers. That year, the Washington Hemp Expo, held in Voluntir Park at Capitol Hill (Washington), did not gather participants and attracted much attention. No one knew what 420 was yet. But this was the beginning, and every subsequent year added turns to the movement for the legalization of marijuana.

Today, Seattle Hempfest festival participants in Seattle set a goal to convey to all the positive properties of cannabis. Its usefulness in medicine, agriculture and other spheres of people's activities. The festival gained the scale of a three-day event with performances by famous musicians and an incredibly colorful audience: Bob Marley's clones, hipsters, free hippies, rastamans, punks and exquisitely sad emo girls.

International Hemp march

It is traditionally held in May, and its participants do not advocate the unsystematic use of tetrahydrocannabinol. Their goal - to protect human freedoms, legalizing the use of marijuana for medical and personal purposes, to stop false propaganda against cannabis and derivatives. And most importantly - to reverse the persecution of cannabis users.

The history of the movement of supporters of the legalization of marijuana is 12 years, it is supported by about 40 countries. In large cities of Russia there are also his supporters and activists.

Marches in Toronto collect more than 25 thousand participants consistently and are always peaceful and fun.

Our European neighbor

In autumn, the Cannafest Festival (Cannafest), an international exhibition of cannabis and herbs, is held in Prague. It began as an unusual local holiday, and now it is one of the most popular festivals in the world with the participation of representatives of more than 20 countries. At the exhibition, you can participate in tasting muffins and drinks, buy hemp clothing, attend lectures on the rules of growing cannabis, buy cannabis seeds. Visitors to the Chillout Zone (Smoking Chillout Zone) and hemp buffet will be happy to explain to everyone what is "4 20" or "4/20".

The first festival was organized in 2010, when the Czech Republic passed a law allowing storage of up to 15 grams of cannabis and growing up to five plant bushes for its own needs. That's what "420" is with our European colleagues.

Summarizing. The sacred values for the marijuana smoker are four hours and twenty minutes, April 20 and 420. The culture of marijuana use made of these digits a symbol, a password and an identification sign that unmistakably carry identification of "one's own". According to these signals, a marijuana lover anywhere in the world will find like-minded people for friendly communication and connoisseurs of quality cannabis to meet their needs.