4 20 4 All - Understanding a Political Movement
Jamieson Villeneuve
May 01, 2007
I am a relative newcomer to the concept of 4/20.
For years, I had no idea what it meant. I mistakenly thought that it had something to do with Earth Day; perhaps an early celebration of the Earth and Mother Nature?
How wrong I was.
A few years ago, I was walking with a friend around Majors Hill Park in Ottawa. “We can go take a look at the Four Twenty celebrations.” She said.
I nodded. “Sure. It’s odd that people celebrate Earth Day so early, though. I mean, isn’t Earth Day on the 23rd?”
She looked at me for a moment and then laughed. “You crack me up.” She said. She had tears in her eyes and slapped me on the back.
What’s so funny?” If I had made a joke, I was unaware of it.
She wiped tears from her eyes. “You’re kidding right?”
No, really.” I said. “What’s so funny?”
Jamieson, it’s 4/20. Don’t you know what it’s all about?”
No,” I said. “Not really.” I shrugged. “I thought it was a pre Earth Day thing.”
You’re kidding.” She said. “You have absolutely no idea of what it’s about?”
I guess not.”
Jamieson,” she said, speaking in that patient tone mothers use for their children when they’re being a little thick. “It’s Pot Day.” She gave me a withering glance.
I looked at everyone sitting on the ground, smoking weed, pot, Mary Jane. Pot day? I was flabbergasted. Surely there couldn’t be a day simply devoted to pot? There had to be more to it than that. There just had to be. The people around me were in stages of disrepair: bums, layabouts, street kids. There was nary a policeman or policewoman in site while the pungent tang of weed smoke filled the air.
What was going on here?
I realized that there was probably more to four-twenty than any of the people here even knew about. To them it was a day to smoke pot freely. But I knew there was more to it. When I got home, I went straight to Google and what I found was astounding.
The term four-twenty actually refers to a political rally launched in 1971.A group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael California, calling themselves The Waldos, would get together after school at 4:20pm and smoke pot, regardless of the consequences.
The movement quickly caught fire and four-twenty became part of their groups mantra. Later, four-twenty became a political movement hoping to force the United States government to legalize marijuana. It became a drug policy reform movement, a power of the people and a united wish for change.
A year later I went back to Majors Hill Park with new eyes. Sure, there were people here just smoking pot out in the open. But there were punks, hippies, preppy’s, business men, homeless people, adults and youngsters alike, all united in hopes for change.
Four-twenty isn’t about the drugs, or the weed. It’s about what a group of people can do if they come together and work together. It shows that change can happen, even if it is only a little bit at a time.
As I looked at the people around me, I realized that anything is possible, if you believe hard enough.
For years, I had no idea what it meant. I mistakenly thought that it had something to do with Earth Day; perhaps an early celebration of the Earth and Mother Nature?
How wrong I was.
A few years ago, I was walking with a friend around Majors Hill Park in Ottawa. “We can go take a look at the Four Twenty celebrations.” She said.
I nodded. “Sure. It’s odd that people celebrate Earth Day so early, though. I mean, isn’t Earth Day on the 23rd?”
She looked at me for a moment and then laughed. “You crack me up.” She said. She had tears in her eyes and slapped me on the back.
What’s so funny?” If I had made a joke, I was unaware of it.
She wiped tears from her eyes. “You’re kidding right?”
No, really.” I said. “What’s so funny?”
Jamieson, it’s 4/20. Don’t you know what it’s all about?”
No,” I said. “Not really.” I shrugged. “I thought it was a pre Earth Day thing.”
You’re kidding.” She said. “You have absolutely no idea of what it’s about?”
I guess not.”
Jamieson,” she said, speaking in that patient tone mothers use for their children when they’re being a little thick. “It’s Pot Day.” She gave me a withering glance.
I looked at everyone sitting on the ground, smoking weed, pot, Mary Jane. Pot day? I was flabbergasted. Surely there couldn’t be a day simply devoted to pot? There had to be more to it than that. There just had to be. The people around me were in stages of disrepair: bums, layabouts, street kids. There was nary a policeman or policewoman in site while the pungent tang of weed smoke filled the air.
What was going on here?
I realized that there was probably more to four-twenty than any of the people here even knew about. To them it was a day to smoke pot freely. But I knew there was more to it. When I got home, I went straight to Google and what I found was astounding.
The term four-twenty actually refers to a political rally launched in 1971.A group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael California, calling themselves The Waldos, would get together after school at 4:20pm and smoke pot, regardless of the consequences.
The movement quickly caught fire and four-twenty became part of their groups mantra. Later, four-twenty became a political movement hoping to force the United States government to legalize marijuana. It became a drug policy reform movement, a power of the people and a united wish for change.
A year later I went back to Majors Hill Park with new eyes. Sure, there were people here just smoking pot out in the open. But there were punks, hippies, preppy’s, business men, homeless people, adults and youngsters alike, all united in hopes for change.
Four-twenty isn’t about the drugs, or the weed. It’s about what a group of people can do if they come together and work together. It shows that change can happen, even if it is only a little bit at a time.
As I looked at the people around me, I realized that anything is possible, if you believe hard enough.
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