In a popular song Kid Cudi sings, “Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit.” Cudi is not the only recording artist who references the use of marijuana in entertainment industry. It is also referenced in popular movies, books, and even children shows. Millions of marijuana enthusiast more than likely will be sparking up today for the holiday known as 4/20, Marijuana Appreciation Day or National Weed Day.

Often referred to as pot, grass, weed, kush, mary jane, the list could go on. Marijuana is the world’s most commonly used illicit drug. Originating from the hemp plant, cannabis sativa, marijuana contains at least 400 different chemicals, its main mind-altering chemical being THC. The amount of THC in marijuana determines the drugs strength, or how high one gets.Marijuana is a mild hallucinogen whose effects are generally felt with 10 to 30 minutes. Often cause short-term memory loss, it is said that marijuana reduces learning ability causing users to fall short on math and verbal skills.

The term 4/20 goes back to 1971 when five San Rafael High School students coined the term. The group of friends, known as the Waldos, would meet after sports practice at 4:20 on search for an abandoned marijuana patch. The group never actually found the patch, however the term “420,” eventually caught on among the friends.

Celebrated for almost two decades now, 4/20, is not only associated with illegal fun. 4/20 is is two days before 4/22, Earth Day, coincidentally making it a part of Earth week. Despite concerns from parents, faculty, parents, and local residents an annual 4/20 celebration is held at the University of Colorado-Boulder. In recent years it has drawn crowds as large as 10,000 people. At the University of California-Santa Cruz a much-publicized 4/20 celebration is held on campus at Porter Meadow. 4 /20 isn’t the only cannabis related annual event. Hash Bash at the University of Michigan is held the first Saturday in April and Hash Wednesday at the University of Illinois, held on the Catholic Holiday Ash Wednesday. May Day Celebrations are held around the globe on the first Saturday in May.

4/20 is not just an American phenomenon; it’s also celebrated throughout New Zealand and in Canada, particularly the Vancouver/BC region. Leave it to France not recognize April 20 as the stoner holiday but rather allegedly celebrate on June 18, the date of a famous speech in 1940 by Charles de Gaulle during the French Resistance. But since June 18 is very close to the period of the significantholiday of Midsummer (June 21 through 24), there could be a similar connection for the French as there is for us in the relation between 4/20 and Earth Day.

Whether you are for or against the use of marijuana, the number of those who use it grows every day. With some calling this the renaissance age for marijuana users because of the new technology and instruments used for smoking it is for sure that this holiday will now die down anytime soon. Happy 4/20!!