I rated this one mature because it intentionally promotes weed use. If you're a kid or a teen reading this, you've been warned.
Of course what I am talking about is this:
Happy 420
April 20th to be specific.
Now April 20th has had a lot of bad ties and surprisingly a lot of good times due to the significant events. Such as the Birth of notorious dictator Adolf Hitler in 1889. As well as the Columbine Massacre in 1999 literally 110 years after Hitler's Birth. In my case it also not only happens to be 19 days after the day I was born in 1991, but on that year famed movie director Don Siegel who's hits include Invasion of The Body Snatchers and Dirty Harry, passed away.
However despite all the bad there are also good things to celebrate this day.
Such as the first successful human organ transplant in 1951 or in 295 when Haley's Comment was recorded the 8th time.
But the one thing that stood out above all was 420. This was the day that was good for some, but bad for others. One of the most debated days in the world.
Now I knew after a couple of days of first hearing it years back, I knew it was associated with weed. I myself smoked weed for a long time and have grown up in a neighborhood full of stoners. Way before Weed became legalized in my country. However until now I never gave a good look at the history of the day.
The term itself started out in the 1970s at San Rafael High School. Where 5 students devised a code in which to meet privately to smoke weed at 4:20 PM. Now unlike most events related to 420, this particular one was in reference to the Time rather than the date. So odds are those 5 pretty much just got baked after school every day. However in terms of 420 for April 20, it started at least to my knowledge in 1990, TIME Magazine reported what they describe as "Deadheads" whom attended a Grateful Dead concert, putting flyers around Oakland California inviting people to smoke "420" at 4:20 PM. The band having since popularized the term from one of the classmates working as their roadie.
That said I'm only going by what I've read so far on it. I could be wrong and I could be missing some details.
Now the reason why I consider this to be the most debated day is because, even with laws all over the world slowly becoming more lenient on the use of Marijuana, starting with medicinal and then later recreational. People are to this day still divided to whether or not the legalization of weed is a good thing.
There are the usual people out there, that simply think Weed is a bad thing, that it's a gateway to other drugs like Cocaine or Heroin. But unless they themselves smoked a joint a day in their lives, they don't know shit.
There are legit reasons though such as smoke toxicity, no different than cigarettes, but with the added contact high that comes with it. Impaired driving, no different than DUIs. As well as some people being physically allergic to either the plant or the smoke. These are concerns I don't ignore and to my fellow stoners out there, I suggest you at least respect those concerns. Joints are portable for a reason, you can walk around and smoke anywhere.
That said, then comes the big bullshit that has been plaguing peaceful weed smokers for centuries. All the propaganda that is posted that is 100 percent inaccurate.
There are people that claimed those who buy weed, legal or illegal are promoting terrorists. That those who use it are in league with Satan or in terms of my personal favourite spoken by my late, bigoted grandfather, the false accusation that it changes people's sexual orientations. Or as he claimed "Weed makes you gay." Now bear in mind, this man has smoked weed before and the only reason why he even stopped or tried to force others to stop, was because he passed out during the Superbowl and was pissed he didn't see the final quarter. It was a personal beef. That being said a few things to anyone else that believed this bullshit:
- If weed was even remotely touched by terrorists, they'd literally have no reasons to commit terrorism. They'd be too stoned and lazy allowing the opposition to get a clear shot at their heads. Their racket has always been Coke, Heroin and Opium. As in the shit that actually does destroy your body and make you pissed off more.
- I'm not Christian, but even if I was I don't think Satan would make a plant that would make people feel better when he could at least use said plant to make people suffer more. The way I see it God or Allah or whatever you all think created this big blue ball of mud and plants, made those plants and left us to decide how we should use them.
- I don't have anything against Homosexuality or any other sexual orientation and identity save for of course Necrophilia, Bestiality and Pedophilia. That being said I highly doubt a plant that once smoke gives euphoria, tiredness and a massive need to eat, could change your sexual orientation even if you wanted it to.
Until now these people I don't give the time of day, because they're often too stupid or ignorant to know what they are talking about. But that said, because of the net, they have a way of expanding their voice just as much as those for Weed do.
Now, with all that said, I am just gonna continue to celebrate the day the way it should be. A nice joint in the hand, some entertainment to watch and maybe some inspiration for my further works. Such as this Gem I made last year:
Now for all those already on the 420, I ask of you what are your experiences? I am curious to know.
Happy 420.
Until then stay tuned.