US /
420

As Weed Hits Mainstream, Businesses Brace for 4/20

'We're just expecting to get slammed'
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 20, 2017 1:14 PM CDT
4/20 Is Christmas for America's New Legal Weed Businesses
It's 4/20. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.   (Jordan Stead/seattlepi.com via AP, File)

April 20 isn't just a holiday for stoners: In a world where recreational marijuana is legal in eight states, it's basically the entire Christmas shopping season rolled into a single day for pot businesses. "We're just expecting to get slammed," the owner of a smoking room in Colorado tells CNN. One expert expects to see an increase in business of 30% to 40%, especially as some marijuana retailers are offering discounts of up to 50%. It's no wonder Thursday is being called a "really good time to stock up" for potheads. Here's what else you need to know about 4/20:

  • There's a lot of incorrect information floating around about the origin of the term "420." Mental Floss sets us straight, revealing that it started in 1971 with a group of California high-schoolers whose personal slang—referring to the time of day they met up to smoke—caught on with the Grateful Dead.
  • But do we really need 4/20 as a rallying point anymore? That's the question Rolling Stone asks as the legalization of weed goes mainstream. Snoop Dogg, for one, says yes, calling it one of his "favorite days."
  • Rolling Stone also has a list of the best country songs to play while smoking pot. Willie Nelson obviously makes an appearance.
  • With the majority of Americans now believing marijuana should be legal, according to a recent poll, Quartz looks at where in the US you can get high without worry. (Hint: Go west, young pothead.)
  • Gizmodo runs an old article explaining the science behind the munchies.
  • Finally, the Stranger takes a look at "the booming world of $100,000 bongs." Basically, one could argue that if you're going to spend a small fortune on a piece of art that won't get you high, why not spend it on art that will?
(More 420 stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X