As someone who is active in the cannabis community, you’ve likely heard the term 420 at some point. But where the term truly came from?
The most commonly recognized origin story of the term comes from a group of high school friends, The Waldos, who used the expression to refer to their after-school treasure hunt for a secret marijuana treasure planted somewhere in Point Reyes. The group would meet after sports practice at 4:20 pm near a statue of Louis Pasteur on their campus.
They coined their operation the “420 Louis” operation, which was eventually shortened to the term 420. In the end, their quest for the cannabis trove ended, but the term 420 stuck and is used by cannabis lovers and enthusiasts all over the world today.