This year, the marijuana culture’s celebrated holiday, 4/20, coincides with Easter Sunday and the last day of Passover, leading to unique celebrations such as an ‘Easter nug hunt’ in Los Angeles, kosher-style THC gummies in New York, and a ‘blaze and praise’ drag brunch in Portland, Oregon. The origins of the term ‘420’ trace back to the 1970s when a group of friends from San Rafael High School, known as ‘the Waldos,’ began meeting at 4:20 p.m. to search for a cannabis patch. Although they never found it, their private lexicon spread through the Grateful Dead community and eventually became a global phenomenon.
Celebrations today include events like the West Hollywood Easter nug scavenger hunt, drag brunches, and industry gatherings where vendors sample each other’s products. Despite its growing acceptance, marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and recent political setbacks have occurred in states like Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota. However, bipartisan legislation reintroduced last week aims to allow states to adopt their own cannabis policies and remove financial hurdles for the industry. Advocates continue pushing for reform, emphasizing the need to reduce criminal activity and cartel influence.
— new from NBC News
