

The 411 on 4/20
Happy 4/20 from here in the Berkshires and Hudson Valley! We’re celebrating with a look at some local deals and events around the area.
But first, a brief history of the holiday. It’s…hazy, to say the least. There are several common misconceptions, like the California penal code for marijuana, the number of active chemicals in the plant, and even a Bob Dylan song. However, most historians credit a group of high schoolers in Northern California. As legend has it, the teens—who called themselves the “Waldos”—met up after school (and sports practice) at 4:20 pm. to search for an abandoned cannabis crop. The phrase “4/20” became code for smoking pot and spread among their friends, including members of the Grateful Dead. It was picked up by an editor at High Times in 1990 and made its way into lexicon and lore.