Unfolding of the Phenomenon 

 Enthusiasts and opposers alike all acknowledge the celebratory date of cannabis known as 4/20, the plant's unofficial holiday, but few can recall how the infamous day came to be?

Rumor has it that 420 was the official police code for smoking in progress. Some believe the term was developed by Bob Dylan's Rainy Day Woman #12 and 35, emphasizing the convenient outcome when multiplying twelve and 35 gives you four hundred and twenty. Even some theorize cannabis contains four hundred twenty active chemicals in the plant, which is entirely false. Depending on who you ask however, there are varying answers to the tale. Myths of the alleged origination have continued compiling over the years while the accurate tale has faded along with those who shared its story.

With all the speculation and clouded memory one thing can be for sure, there seems to be a lot of gray areas in relation to the beginning of this green holiday.

It starts in California

Apparently it all began in the late 70’s when 5 students in the sunshine state started a tradition that would soon be considered, by cannabis culture, a major phenomenon. The boys would consistently meet after their school activities near campus at the renowned time of 4:20 to enjoy the many benefits of cannabis together. The referral of the meeting time, not long after, became the coded terminology they used to refer to the plant itself.

This tradition became central to the lives of the five boys. With time they adapted the name “Waldos”, dedicated to the specific wall of their memorable meeting space.

Then Came the Dead

One of the Waldo members' older brother, Patrick, managed a Grateful Dead sideband around the same time of the boy's famous afternoon gatherings. Through smoke sessions and practices he formed a good friendship with the band members. Introductions were inevitable, and the Waldos became typical roadies, frequenting the dead functions. With attendance in the numerous rehearsals, parties, and chill sessions it’s said that 420 was passed around in both physical and conversational forms. It was then that the coined number was likely passed forward. Speculation eludes that members of the band started using the terminology, and with time it became intertwined with their normal expressions. Phil Lesh, the bassist for the Grateful Dead, recalls occasional times with the boys. On record he explains he wouldn’t be surprised if it was the Waldos who had truly origionated the term 420.

Fans of the band grasped onto this new vocabulary and validated its power further. During an event, Deadheads distributed flyers encouraging others to join together to smoke “420” on April 20th at no other than, 4:40 in the afternoon. The flyer landed in the hands of a former reporter for High Times magazine and from there everything changed. The magazine printed and issued the content of the flyer, taking the term far beyond the Grateful Dead circles. Continuing to reference the number on several occasions, the High Times Magazine projected and legitimized the coined term, introducing it globally as the popular code for cannabis.

Aside from the more obvious choice of vibing with the legends who legitimized this holiday (grateful dead), our team curated a spotify playlist, perfect to celebrate 420!

Check it out HERE!

This is how we Roll

In the end, 420 was effortlessly generated from the creation of normal people who’s foundational intention was to simply spend quality time with their friends to enjoy the many benefits of cannabis. Today we hold that same energy, and for this we set similar objectives to acknowledge our favorite plant. From watching sunsets to laughing with buds, here’s some of Route 27’s friends and family’s favorite ways to spend the day:

“My perfect 420 would be at a sunny picnic with a group of friends. We would obviously light a joint and listen to some groovy music like Khruangbin. All my buddies would come over and we would end the night with some tacos and a movie classic like Pineapple Express.” - Ariana

“Laying by the grass and making pictures out of the clouds. Spending time in the sun hooping, dancing, playing guitar and kissing my dog! I would listen to my favorite bands Slightly Stoopid and The Grateful Dead. The day would end with a burrito and some live music.” - Alexis

“My favorite movie to watch hands down is Pineapple Express. That is by far the funniest and most classic 420 movie of them all. Rap is my favorite music to listen to and I also throw on reggae, jazz and techno. I make sure my buddies and I go out to eat a very nice Italian meal and have a piece of warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream at the end of the day.” - Ethan

“My favorite way to spend 420 is without a doubt outdoors. I like to make sure I have a nice joint and good company. I love to listen to sound frequencies and just let the high consume me. My favorite munchie is some fruit with tajin spice” - Emilie

Happy 420!