CULTURE
The Origins of the 420 and 710 Holidays
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You might know the story behind 420, but what about the newest holiday 710?
Published on December 3, 2015

Photo: Paper Blog

On April 20th every year, cannabis users across the country smoke a little extra while gathering to celebrate their favorite plant. The holiday allegedly began in the 1970s when a group of kids, named 'The Waldos' thanks to their chosen hang-out spot (a wall), started meeting up at 4:20 to search for an abandoned cannabis crop. Since their meeting place was the Louis Pasteur statue on the grounds of San Rafael High School at 4:20, the phrase used to refer to the plan was “4:20 Louis.” After failing to find the crop multiple times, the phrase was shortened to “4:20," which eventually grew into a cannabis codeword for teens. As time has passed, theories about 420’s origin have also considered California’s penal code section for marijuana use, the police code for smoking and even the most ideal day to plant cannabis.

Towards the end of April, across the country, rallies, gatherings and smoke-ins give supporters a place to network, protest and commit good-natured civil disobedience (in the form of smoking in public). Places like Hippie Hill in San Francisco, California and Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado give way to massive smoke clouds in a combined celebration of enjoying and pushing for legal marijuana. 

However, more recently, July 10th has also become a day equally celebrated in the cannabis community as April 20th. The date 7/10 is significant because when reading the numbers upside down, it spells out the word “oil.” July 10th is regarded as the 4/20 of dabbing, although the April holiday isn’t necessarily exclusive to smoking raw cannabis. 7/10 isn’t as political as its sister holiday, likely because dabbing is less popular and newer than simply smoking cannabis.

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Tyler Terps
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Tyler is a cannabis journalist and enthusiast that seeks to educate his readers to continue to reveal the true power of the cannabis. Starting as a music journalist, Tyler contributed to websites like Jambase.com, RelixMag.com, NYSMusic.com, and Jambands.com. Now he continues to contribute as a freelance writer, now covering cannabis for publications like High Times, PotGuide.com, and MassRoots’ blog. Find him on the MassRoots app under the username @TerrapinTerps.
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