April 20 is known as World Marijuana Day, but before you light up a cigarette to celebrate, you should know what the legal guidelines are in each state in the country when it comes to cannabis.
WHAT IS THE 420?
The term “420” has been linked to the use of marijuana for many years until finally becoming a date of celebration throughout the world. Every April 20, marijuana smokers gather with friends and in large congregations to consume this plant and its derivatives.
The day is also used by activists to push for the legalization of marijuana, which is not federally legal in the United States.
HOW DID THE 420 START?
Depends on who you ask and how stoned they are. There are many myths about how the 420 started, some believe it was the police code for an arrest for possession of marijuana, and others believe it arose from lyrics to a Bob Dylan song, among other tales.
The most popular theory involves a group of friends from a California high school in 1971 known as “The Waldos.” The gang met every day after school and after school activities at 4:20 pm to try to find a cannabis crop that was supposedly in a nearby forest.
Before beginning each search, the youths smoked marijuana. They never found the plantation, but they developed a three-digit code that became part of the popular culture of marijuana users: 420.
The code reached a close friend of the older brother of one of the Waldos. That person was Phil Lesh, bassist for the band Grateful Dead. Dave Reddix, one of the original members of The Waldos, worked for Lesh and his band on tour and helped popularize the term 420, according to TIME magazine. The code was adopted by the followers of the musical band.
The fans, known as Deadheads, began sharing flyers encouraging people to gather for a smoke every April 20 at 4:20 p.m. One of those flyers found its way into the hands of the magazine’s editor. High Timeswho made the date official in a publication in 1991.
WHERE IS MARIJUANA LEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES?
Here is a list of the states and places in the US that have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, according to U.S. News & World Report. The list was last updated in March 2023.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Guam
- Illinois
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- NY
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- washington state
- Washington D.C.
WHERE IS THE RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA ILLEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES?
- Alabama*
- Arkansas*
- Delaware*
- Florida*
- Georgia
- Hawaii*
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana*
- Maryland*
- Minnesota*
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire*
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio*
- Oklahoma*
- Pennsylvania*
- South Carolina
- Dakota del Sur*
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah*
- West Virginia*
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
*Only the medical use of marijuana has been approved.
The sale of marijuana for recreational use is already allowed in the state of New Mexico. However, it is important to know the rules that exist regarding the possession of this product.
2023-04-20 07:00:00
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