What is 4/20 and what is 420 friendly are two questions I get asked quite often as the calendar rolls over to April 20 every year?
So, I figured it was time to write this article that explains exactly what 420 is, why people celebrate it, and some ways you can participate in 4/20 friendly activities yourself.
By the end of this article, you should have all the information you need to throw your own 4/20 party or participate in one if you’re attending one with friends this year!
One of cannabis’ most celebrated days, 4/20 has its roots in The Waldos, a group of San Rafael high school students who used their shared love of pot to form a lasting friendship.
In 1971, The Waldos would meet up at 4:20 pm after school at a statue near their high school (now called Louis Pasteur). Over time 4:20 Louis became an inside joke for them.
When they would say meet you at 4:20 it meant let’s get high. In 1992, one of The Waldos posted on The Grateful Dead message board that he had some good shit for sale.
What Does 420 friendly means?
April 20 (or 4/20) is a popular day for cannabis-related adventures—whether that’s something as simple as stopping by your local dispensary or, if you’re lucky enough, getting high at a weed-themed festival.
4/20 is, in short, a holiday celebrating marijuana.
Each year, these events can be fun ways to connect with fellow cannabis and weed enthusiasts in your area. If you want to find out what’s happening near you on 4/20 ), you need to visit one of the 18 states where recreational cannabis is legal.
Marijuana Legalization is Changing How 4/20 is Celebrated
This year, more than two dozen states introduced marijuana-related legislation. The states of Vermont, Michigan, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Delaware all took historic steps toward legalizing recreational marijuana.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, bills were introduced that would allow people with certain medical conditions to access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it.
These are just a few examples of how momentum has been building nationwide for marijuana reform—and it’s why even bigger changes could be coming soon!
Whether you support or oppose legalization (or want more cannabis laws), one thing seems clear: Legalization will continue to change what 4/20 looks like and what 420 friendly means depending on the state.
How Did April 20 or 4/20 Become a Holiday?
The term 420 comes from a group of California high school students who would meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to search for an abandoned crop of marijuana.
In 1971, members of the group formed The Waldos (named after Waldo County in which they lived) created a map that showed where they had spotted it in their neighborhood.
They started using 420 as code for marijuana so that others wouldn’t understand what they were talking about. 420 soon became code for smoking marijuana.
Eventually, 420 was converted into 4/20 for calendar purposes, and the day of celebration was born.
How to Celebrate 420?
There are plenty of ways to spend your 4/20 (if you live in a state where marijuana is legal) that don’t involve getting high. But if you do get stoned, stay safe: Smoking pot can affect your motor skills, so it’s probably best not to drive after smoking.
Also, be wary of green-outs—they’re what happens when smokers eat too much pot-laced food and their body begins shutting down from an overdose of THC.
It’s most common in newbie smokers but can happen to anyone who overindulges on a weed-filled holiday like 4/20 or Halloween.
Best Cannabis Strains to Celebrate 420
But what makes certain cannabis strains more popular on a particular day than others? There are no hard and fast rules, but many of these strains have been around for decades and are considered heavy-hitter classics in cannabis culture.
Chemdawg, GSC (f.k.a Girl Scout Cookies), AK-47, Sour Diesel, White Widow—most people can’t take more than a few hits before they start feeling something.
If you want to know what 4/20 friendly cannabis strains are popular right now, we’ve got you covered.
1. Pink Rozay
Pink Rozay is an Indica-dominant hybrid strain that has been reported as having relaxed, sleepy effects and a flavor profile similar to the fruitiness you’d expect from a glass of rosé wine.
Pink Rozay was developed by Cookies founder Berner and rapper Rick Ross and has been well-received by patients throughout 2020 and 2021 thanks to its unique flavor profile and high THC content.
2. Apples and Bananas
Apples and Bananas are a strain developed in a collaboration with the aforementioned Cookies.
The developers worked on several different cannabis varieties and crossed them together to create a new strain with a complex terpene profile that actually tastes like apples and bananas.
This sweet strain is sure to be one of the most popular choices in any dispensary in 2022.
3. Peanut Butter Breath
We’ve had strains that taste like cherry pies, cakes, chocolate, and coffee, but what about that other favorite, protein-packed spread, peanut butter?
Well, ThugPug Genetics has delivered, and this strain has been a favorite among patients since 2020 thanks to its peanutty flavor and relaxing, uplifting, and euphoric effects.
4. Bonkers
Next-Generation Seed’s Bonkers is a hardy variety that is great for growing either indoors or outdoors, and its quick flowering time is an added bonus for those seeking a plant that provides a powerful body stone in a relatively short amount of time.
The fast flowering time makes Bonkers a good choice for beginner cannabis growers seeking to hone their skills.
Just to note that there is another strain called “Bonkers” by Exotic Genetix, which crosses Cookies & Cream with Lemon Tree. It is also a worthwhile strain worth trying.
4. Apple Fritter
There’s been a spate of apple- and dessert-tasting strains over the last few years, and Apple Fritter is another example of this trend.
Cherry Pie is a popular strain, but some of us want something that tastes more like Apple Pie. Well, Apple Fritter by Lumpy Flowers is it and has a sweet and earthy profile with a taste of pastry (and even a hint of sweet and savory cheese).
Apple Fritter has been reported as having a balanced, relaxed-uplifting effect.
Best Black-Owned Cannabis Brands to Support for 420
Despite more than half the country (33 states) having legalized cannabis in some form, Black Americans are still more than three times more likely to be arrested for a non-violent cannabis crime than white Americans, according to the ACLU.
Specifically, Black men and women were 11 times more likely than white people to be arrested for public cannabis use even with all the legalization going on.
President Joe Biden calling for federal decriminalization has been helpful in its own way, but equity and diversity in the industry are still major issues that affect the Black cannabis owners with a dream.
Here are my Top 17 Black-owned Cannabis brands:
1. Viola
Founded by retired NBA player Al Harrington, Viola is a brand for the culture. It merges cannabis with notable athletic and entertainment figures to educate and promote its brand of flowers, vapes, edibles, and more. Currently, Viola is available in stores across Colorado, California, Michigan, and Oregon.
2. Deuces 22
Deuces 22 is another brand with an NBA connection: It was founded by Tyla Salley, daughter of four-time champion and co-founder John Salley. Her brand offers both products and educational content to help both customers and the curious understand the benefits and various applications of cannabis.
3. Oakland Extracts
Supplying “Terps from the Town,” Oakland Extracts founder Terryn Niles Buxton creates high-quality, small-batch goods for his California customers. The brand offers live resin and vapes, but it’s the signature cookie crumble concentrate that keeps customers coming back.
4. V Affect
V Affect is the soon-to-launch product line of Vetra Stevens, the first Black woman to own and operate a dispensary in Wayne County, Michigan. Her Metro Detroit storefront offers flowers, vapes, topicals, and more through her 1st Quality Medz storefront, and sourced by her own grow and processing operation.
5. Simply Pure
Simply Pure was founded by military veterans Wanda James and Scott Durrah, making the Denver storefront the first Black-owned and female-owned cannabis dispensary in the country. James is a former political advisor to the Obama Administration and was also named one of the 2020s 35 Most Influential Women in Cannabis by Green Entrepreneur.
6. Ardent
Ardent founder and president Shanel A. Lindsay was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis by High Times. She developed NOVA, a home device that delivers decarbed marijuana to patients looking for an alternative method to consume. The brand also sells infusion kits, molds, and other edible-making accessories.
7. Herbn Essence
The products sold by Atlanta-based Herbn Essence are classified as cannabis, but not as marijuana. While Georgia continues to decide how it will tackle its expanding legalization efforts, the Black woman-owned company is offering hemp and CBD flower and prerolls in a variety of strains to bring calming relaxation to customers.
8. American Cannabinoid Clinics
American Cannabinoid Clinics is owned and operated by Dr. Jessica Knox, Dr. Janice Knox, and Dr. Rachel Knox, a family of experts in cannabinoid medicine and endocannabinology.
ACC offers a more structured way to integrate cannabis into everyday life. The three physicians, along with co-founder Dr. David Knox, have counseled several thousand patients in the use of cannabis therapies to promote restoration of health, well-being and function. Patients can schedule appointments through their online system for virtual meetings.
9. 99th Floor
For the gourmet lover in your life, 99th Floor offers dosed, curated meals by professional cannabis chef, Miguel Trinidad. Dinner courses are meticulously dosed, advertised, and sold on the company’s social media pages. The New York-based company has plans to sell its own line of edibles through local dispensaries in the near future.
10. Hollingsworth Cannabis Company
Owned and operated by two generations of the Hollingsworth family, Hollingsworth Cannabis Company considers the planet as it supplies customers with sustainably grown, processed, and packaged goods.
The Washington State-based company sells infused soaps, topical treatments, and even hand sanitizer. The company is the only Black-owned cannabis farm in Washington.
11. Inertia’s Root
Founded as a co-op for Black hemp farmers by Stuart McClean, Inertia’s Root sells flowers, tinctures, and balms, while helping to educate farmers on best practices to produce cannabinoid-rich hemp for products. Inertia Root is based in Nashville.
12. Supernova Women
Supernova Women was founded by Tsion “Sunshine” Lencho, Amber E. Senter, Nina Parks, and Andrea Unsworth. Together, they educate communities of color on how to get involved with legislative efforts for cannabis, and how regulations and local politics can affect your business.
Located in the Bay Area, support for Supernova Woman comes in the form of helping low-level drug offenders to get their records expunged and creating a safe space for people of color in the cannabis industry.
13. The Farmacy
The Farmacy, which she co-founded in partnership with Glass House Group. Focused on helping the senior community, Farmacy has grown massively, thanks to the depth, care, and insight of Taylor and the products developed under her guidance.
One of those items for sale—known as Mama Sue (which is also Taylor’s nickname)—is geared specifically for people over 50. Become a friend of the farm and discover resources that will help you and others who are in need of pain relief and sleep aids.
14. Mary and Main
Founded by Hope Wiseman, Mary and Main are the youngest Black woman to own a marijuana dispensary in the country, Mary and Main’s key mission is cannabis education.
The company offers Cannabis 101 classes for people who want to know how the endocannabinoid can help with a long list of ailments, plus it offers concentrates, edibles, flowers, and more as treatment options.
15. JuanaMama Cannabis Boutique
JuanaMama Cannabis Boutique. Founded by Alexandria Carpenter in 2020, this mother of two girls was inspired to enter the cannabis space after cooking with cannabis at her home, and impressing her friends, family, and neighbors with her edibles and infused meals.
After building out her name in Tulsa, home to one of the nation’s iconic Black Wall Street, Carpenter’s shop carries flower, concentrate, pre-rolls, which has become the next big trend in the cannabis industry, and has plans to include accessories, hemp products, and edibles very soon.
16. Tyson Ranch
Boxing legend and living icon, Mike Tyson, has doubled down into his name recognition to create his own cannabis brand. Created in partnership with Planet 13 in Las Vegas, Tyson Ranch has flooded shelves at a bevy of retailers across the state of California.
Along with his Tyson Holistic, the pro-cannabis pugilist has other products of interest that include a THC-infused drink called Dwink, a pain-relief topical called CopperGel Ice, and, of course, a flower that will give users a healthy K.O.
17. Josephine and Billies
CEO Whitney Beatty and COO Ebony Andersen opened Josephine & Billie’s on Oct. 29, according to Forbes.
The old-school, speakeasy-style cannabis store is named and themed after Harlem Renaissance legends Josephine Baker and Billie Holiday, who both became federal government targets for using marijuana during the Prohibition era.
420 Friendly Hotels & Resorts
If you are looking to destinations that are 420 friendly there are now a handful of hotels, resorts, Airbnb homes, and clubs that cater specifically to a 420-friendly crowd—offering cannabis services in guest rooms and smoking lounges, as well as shuttles to nearby legal dispensaries.
420-friendly, or cannabis-friendly, hotels are establishments that not only allow guests to consume cannabis in designated areas, but are also very open about that fact and advertise it freely as a draw for potential customers.
The idea is that it’s a hotel where not only can you be confident that the staff won’t call the police on you, you will also know that it is particularly catering its experiences in part towards fellow cannabis fans.
If you’re looking for a place to stay during your weed-centric getaway, here are a few 420 friendly accommodations for your next vacation:
1. Hotel Teatro (Denver, Colorado)
As the Mile High City’s first hotel to implement an official CBD cocktail program on the menu of its in-house restaurant, The Nickel also hosts an ongoing series of CBD workshops and special events.
Sip a sense of calm with The Chill Lebowski (vodka, Ancho Reyes chili liqueur, espresso, honey syrup, Frangelico, and egg white) or the Super Limoncello Haze (house-made limoncello, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, cherry bitters, and whipped cream)—both infused with 12 milligrams of CBD from Denver-based hemp company SUPERGOOD.
2. Dream Hollywood (Los Angeles, California)
PAX Labs, makers of sleek and smart vaporizers, as part of its ongoing initiative with the Dream Hollywood, has devices available for purchase at the hotel in-room and on the rooftop pool patio, The Highlight Room.
While the Dream Hollywood doesn’t offer guests cannabis flower or Era pods compatible with PAX on-site, delivery direct to your chaise lounge chair is as easy as a swipe on your iPhone through statewide online ordering service, Eaze.
3. Thompson Seattle (Seattle, Washington)
As a notable cannabis culinary expert, executive chef Derek Simcik is available to those who have done some research on their own before booking a room at the tony Thompson Seattle (the property does not list information on its website or offer details on-property).
Through the concierge, though, Simcik is available for hire to cater a private, elevated dinner party of any size, held in an unaffiliated event space nearby.
4. Bud and Breakfast – Denver, Colorado
Adagio Bud and Breakfast is a 420-friendly hotel that includes a wake and bakes breakfast and luscious green gardens where you can smoke until you’re high enough to go out and enjoy everything else that Denver has to offer.
They even offer happy hour appetizers at 4:20 pm every afternoon, just in case you get the munchies.
5. The Jupiter Hotel – Portland, Oregon
Home to Portland’s first 420-friendly hotel package, The Jupiter allows travelers to put their minds at ease when checking in. The hotel itself is modern and inspiring, featuring thoughtful touches all over the place.
To enhance your stay, definitely book the 420 Experience, which comes with an “everything but the weed” welcome package, including a Jayne vape pen, lighter, grinder, rolling papers, and discounts to local dispensaries. Oh, and a munchie kit that’ll surely come in handy.
Best High-End Weed Accessories
2. 24K Gold Rolling Papers 2-Sheet Pack
Step up your rolling game with some luxury papers and check out these gold rolling papers! Have you ever seen someone smoke a gold joint? Break one of these out a party just to see the reaction on people’s faces!
3. Jonathan Adler Secrets Canister
Can a luxury weed canister get much cooler than this? Many people don’t even put fresh nugs in this! You can even just use it as a fun display on the counter.
4. Jonathan Adler Tray
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ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
10 Best Dispensaries in Phoenix
14 Best Dispensaries in Las Vegas
How to Fly With Feed Without Getting Caught
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