Today is April 20th or as it is culturally known, 420. Today many people across the world will participate in the tradition of smoking marijuana, but how many people know why this date was chosen?

The truth is 420’s origins had nothing to do with April 20th.

History has it that 420 humbly began with a group of High School friends on a search for free marijuana.

In the fall of 1971 five California teens of San Rafael, California learned of a Coast Guard Member who no longer could tend to his planted crop of marijuana. Armed with a map leading to the abandoned cannabis treasure, the group of friends would meet at least once a week after school to search for the stashed marijuana plant…at 4:20 pm.

The term, originally 4:20-Louis would become their secret way of discussing smoking marijuana throughout school and around their parents. Their friends and other marijuana smokers would eventually pick up using 420 as slang and these are the origins of why we acknowledge or participate in celebrating 420 today.

By the way, the teens never did find the secret marijuana plant that was planted by the Coast Guard Member.