Canada's Premium Cannabis Seed Bank | Discreet Shipping
Canada's Premium Cannabis Seed Bank | Discreet Shipping
If you’ve ever asked, “What does 420 mean?” you’re not alone — and the answer is way more interesting than you might think. Most people know it’s linked to weed, but few know the full story of how a group of high school stoners accidentally launched one of the most recognizable codes in cannabis history.
Spoiler: it all started in California in the 1970s with a group of friends, a treasure map, and a hidden cannabis crop that may or may not have existed.
By their own account, in 1971, a group of five friends from San Rafael High School — known as “The Waldos” — had a secret. A friend had handed them a treasure map to a cannabis patch on the Point Reyes Peninsula, planted by his brother in the Coast Guard. So after school they’d meet at 4:20 p.m. by the Louis Pasteur statue on campus, smoke, then drive out to Point Reyes to hunt for it.
Their meeting code? “420 Louis.” Before long, it was shortened to just “420.” The Waldos keep 1970s postmarked letters, a 420 flag a classmate made for them and a June 1974 copy of their school newspaper in a bank vault, and the Oxford English Dictionary cited the newspaper as the term’s earliest printed use, with the letters close behind. That paper trail is why the Associated Press and History.com credit them as the answer to what does 420 mean and where it actually came from. The 1971 date comes from the Waldos’ own account: the OED’s editors said they will probably never be able to confirm it, and their earliest dated printed use is from 1974.
They never found the secret crop, but they did accidentally plant the seed of a global movement.
The other origin stories you’ll hear don’t hold up. 420 isn’t a police radio code for marijuana, and California’s penal code section 420 is about blocking access to public land (the statute). It isn’t the number of chemical compounds in cannabis, and Bob Marley died on May 11, not April 20. April 20 is also Hitler’s birthday, and 12 × 35 does equal 420 in Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”, but both are coincidences.
One rival claim is still argued: another group from the same school, the “Beebs”, says its ringleader came up with 420 in 1970 (Axios). The Beebs point to a photo they date to May 1971, which the Waldos call fake (SFGATE), but the Waldos’ documents are the ones the Oxford English Dictionary checked and used.
The phrase “420” quietly spread through California’s cannabis community — especially thanks to the Waldos’ connection to the Grateful Dead. Two of the Waldos had a way in: Dave Reddix’s older brother was friends with Dead bassist Phil Lesh and managed his side bands, and Mark Gravich’s father was a real estate broker who worked with the band. Soon, “420” was being whispered backstage and at Dead shows and passed between joint circles.
Then, in December 1990, a Deadhead at a Grateful Dead show in Oakland handed High Times reporter Steve Bloom a flyer inviting everyone to “meet at 4:20 on 4/20 for 420-ing” on Mount Tamalpais. High Times printed the flyer in its May 1991 issue (along with the old police-code myth), kept running with 420, and the code went national.
Then came the internet.
Online forums and early cannabis communities embraced “420” as a universal code for weed lovers. With the rise of social media, hashtags like #420 and #420friendly went global. From there, what does 420 mean stopped being a question about five California teens’ inside joke — 420 became a symbol millions recognized on sight. For further reading on how it spread, the Wikipedia entry for 420 in cannabis culture collects the later history.
With “420” tied to the time of day (4:20), it was only a matter of time before April 20th became the unofficial holiday for all things cannabis. Today, 4/20 is celebrated worldwide with smoke-outs, festivals, advocacy events, and peaceful protests.
It’s more than just an excuse to light up — it’s a day of unity, visibility, and activism in the cannabis world.
Sure, 420 still means weed — but it also represents something bigger. Over the years, it’s become a symbol of:
In short? 420 means standing up for what you believe in — and maybe getting a little high along the way.
420 is everywhere: in music lyrics, comedy sketches, clothing lines, and movie Easter eggs. South Park teamed up with adidas on a Towelie sneaker for 4/20 in 2021, Lagunitas has brewed a Waldos’ Special Ale for the day, and when California wrote its medical cannabis rules into law in 2003, the bill was numbered SB 420.
It’s also tattooed on bodies, printed on rolling trays, and scribbled on bathroom stalls across North America. It’s no longer a secret — it’s the banner of cannabis culture.
Beyond the jokes and memes, 420 has become a rallying cry for change. On April 20th, thousands gather to advocate for legal weed, equity in cannabis business opportunities, and the release of non-violent cannabis offenders.
As more countries and U.S. states move toward legalization, 420 serves as both a celebration of progress and a reminder of how far there is to go.
By the best-documented account, because of the Waldos, five San Rafael High School students who met at 4:20 p.m. to smoke and hunt for a hidden cannabis patch, by their own account in 1971. Their code spread through Grateful Dead circles and then High Times, and 420 became shorthand for cannabis. That’s what does 420 mean in its simplest form: a meeting time that became a code.
Not for marijuana. That’s one of the myths High Times repeated in 1991. California Penal Code section 420 is about obstructing entry onto public land, not cannabis, and there’s no reliable record of 420 as a police radio code for marijuana.
So — what does 420 mean? It started as a code among five California teens hunting for weed after school. Today, it’s a global movement that celebrates cannabis culture, champions legalization, and connects people through a shared love of the plant. That is the short answer to what does 420 mean today — half history, half ongoing fight.
Whether you’re lighting up at 4:20, heading to a 4/20 festival, or just rocking your favorite 420 hoodie — remember, you’re part of something bigger than a number.
420 isn’t just a time. It’s not just a day.
It’s a vibe.
Explore our cannabis seeds and start your grow journey before next 4/20 rolls around. Need help choosing a strain? Get in touch.
Want to keep learning? Browse our full library of our cannabis growing guides — everything from germination to harvest, in one place.
Ready to grow? Browse premium seeds from Lighthouse Genetics:
Designed & Built by Wynne Web Design
