The high, holy day of 4/20 is once again upon us and it again brings with it incredible opportunity. It brings the eyes of the world to the cannabis movement for one day, allowing us to show people around the world that we are peaceful and informed and pose no threat to them; we just want the freedom that comes with not infringing on the rights of others.
Debate has swirled for decades on exactly why the number 4-2-0 came to have significance in the cannabis community and it seems most have come to accept the story of the Waldos and High Times Magazine when it comes to the creation and popularization of the code that is 420.
But 420 has come to mean so much more than just a code for “let’s get high”. Nowhere is this growth seen more than on April 20th. News stories of celebrations around the world abound, sending an untold amount of people to their favorite search engine to see what all the fuss is about. Hopefully, in their search, they find more.
“The attention that 4/20 gets these days is a great opportunity to lessen the stigma associated with marijuana use as consumers from all walks of life celebrate marijuana,” Morgan Fox, Senior Communications Manager for Marijuana Policy Project, told The Marijuana Times. ”When people around the country are able to see that millions of people enjoy using a substance that is safer than alcohol, it helps highlight the insanity of the war on marijuana.”
This is also a great day to remember what has been accomplished and what is yet to be done.
“I, of course, welcome celebrations of our victories to date, but I just hope people don’t lose focus of the fact that there are still hundreds of thousands of marijuana arrests every year in this country,” Tom Angell, the founder of The Marijuana Majority, told us about the celebrations going on today. “It’s totally fine to have a little fun, but please remember that this is a movement for social justice and our work is nowhere near complete. Let’s keep the focus on the need to change these terrible policies that destroy too many people’s lives even while a growing number of people can legally imbibe in some states.”
What started as a code among toking friends has become synonymous with cannabis users who strive for freedom worldwide. It is an opportunity for celebration, motivation and the spreading of awareness.
The time is now to seize the day and use it as a foundation on which to build tomorrow.
