Growing up, I remember learning about the 1970s – the disco balls, flared pants, and obsession with love and sex.
But outside of history class, I remember learning something else: 4/20. No, it’s not just April 20. I remember being told over and over again that 4/20 is much more; it’s supposedly “Weed Day.”
I’m not one to do drugs or anything of the sort, but I was interested as to the origin of this so-called “holiday.” After doing some research, I found that there is a correlation back to history.
In fact, according to the Huffington Post, 420 was a police code used in the late ‘70s for “Marijuana Smoking in Progress.” This quickly turned into slang, and now people not only say “let’s go 420,” but they also celebrate the date. Sorry to ruin the celebration, but it’s JUST a date.
As a society, we work to encourage our younger generations to stay away from drugs, to stay above the influence. If this is the case, why have we created an entire day dedicated to smoking pot, or celebrating those who did so? We all know the consequences of doing drugs, so why are we choosing to ignore them and encourage others to ignore them as well?
Personally, I believe that having 4/20 be “Weed Day” is ridiculous. The potheads who have chosen to smoke marijuana don’t need a day for someone to tell them to do it; trust me, they’ll be doing it either way. Whether it be 4/19, 4/20, or 4/21, they’ll still think smoking marijuana is OK. So then why do we need to make it into a big deal, and encourage those who aren’t already users of marijuana to give it a shot?
I understand that for the most part, it’s a joke. But at the same time, when there are people who believe calling 4/20 “Weed Day” is a joke, there are people who will believe that it’s not. There will be at least one person who will take it seriously, and think it is a good enough reason to try marijuana for the first time.
So, let’s just do everyone a favor and take today for what it is. The 20th of April.
