Why is “4/20” considered a holiday? I ask myself this question every year when that date rolls around.
There are no gifts exchanged, no baskets full of candy to be found or candy to be given to children in costumes at the door; instead, it’s what I like to call a “pseudo-holiday” that gives stoners an excuse to get high all day.
I think it is the most ridiculous concept ever created. I am completely against drugs and don’t believe there should be a day celebrating the use of one of them – even if some people consider it harmless.
There is nothing to celebrate about drug use. I can speak for that as I was raised in an environment where drugs (including marijuana) were used on a regular basis, and there was, and still is, nothing great about them.
The nonsense tradition of 4/20 began with a group of teenagers from San Rafael, Calif. in 1971. The teenagers called themselves “The Waldos” because their hang out spot was a wall outside of the school. They first used the term “4:20” in connection to a plan to search for an abandoned cannabis crop that they had learned about.
The Waldos designated the Louis Pasteur statue on the grounds of San Rafael High School as their meeting place, and 4:20 p.m. as their meeting time – after school to get high, I’m assuming.
The Waldos referred to this plan with the phrase “4:20 Louis.” After they couldn’t find the crop, they eventually shortened their phrase to simply “4:20,” which evolved into a codeword the teens used to mean pot-smoking in general.
In addition, 4:20 is a “socially acceptable” hour of the day to consume cannabis and points users in a direction for the responsible use of cannabis, according to High Times creative director Steven Hager.
I don’t believe there is anything responsible about the use of the cannabis. There is nothing responsible about lounging around and smoking marijuana.
I’m aware that some people don’t call it a “holiday,” but some sure treat it like one. I guess I just don’t understand why something as irresponsible as wasting time by smoking marijuana is recognized and celebrated.
Some individuals may consider pot smoking as a stress reliever or a way to relax, but I think it’s a poor use of relieving stress or relaxing.
There is proof that marijuana does more than give someone a feeling of euphoria. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, research has shown that, in chronic users, marijuana’s adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.
As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a less than adequate intellectual level. Why would you impair yourself intellectually? I actually care about my brain and its abilities.
With that being said, “4/20” isn’t anything to celebrate, but is just another excuse to smoke pot and waste a day they’ll never get back.