From a group of California teenagers to a worldwide date on the calendar: the origin of 420.
You've seen it on T-shirts, in club names and on 20 April every year. But where does "420" actually come from? Here's the story, from 420 Collective Madrid.
The most accepted origin
The best-known version goes back to 1971 in San Rafael, California. A group of high-school friends, who called themselves "the Waldos", used to meet at 4:20 pm after school. "420" became their code word for cannabis.
How it spread
The term travelled through the Grateful Dead fan scene in the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1990s, a cannabis magazine picked it up and helped spread it worldwide. From there, 4/20 (20 April in the US date format) became an unofficial day of celebration for cannabis culture.
Myths you can ignore
You may have heard that 420 is a police code, the number of chemicals in cannabis, or a reference to a historical figure. None of these is true.
420 in Spain
In Spain, the date is celebrated mostly in private: in clubs, homes and among friends. Public consumption can still lead to a fine, so the party belongs indoors.
What 420 means to us
For us, 420 is about community: people from all over the world sharing a relaxed, private space with respect for each other and for the neighbourhood.
Visiting Madrid around 20 April?
It's one of the busiest times of the year for clubs, so request your invite early. You'll need to be 18 or over and bring your original ID.
Request your invite on the 420 Collective Madrid website.