Why April 20 Is a Chill Day?

It’s been a bumpy ride for over a year now, and smokers and non-smokers alike would appreciate a truly chill day. April 20 would usually gather big crowds in many spots around the world. What could be more thrilling right now than lighting up a joint in a crowd of friends? While we cannot give you that, Elf Bread is spreading the chill vibes as much as we can, read till the end to see what we have in mind. 

4/20 celebrates the marijuana plant, gathers the community, and can simply mean the time in a day (4:20 PM, you know what we have in mind). Though it’s not a secret anymore, we still refer to 4/20 as a code. Have you ever wondered where it comes from?

The History of 4/20

The origin of 4/20 has been debated for some time, and there have been quite a few theories around. However, it’s clear now that it’s not a police code referring to cannabis use nor it is a date of Bob Marley’s birthday. Others suggested that it had to do with the number of active chemicals in marijuana. Though the plant contains over 400 active chemicals, it has not been confirmed there’s 420. Most research shows it actually has closer to 500. 

It is now widely accepted that the code comes from a group of friends in San Rafael, California, who in the early 1970’s would meet outside their high school to smoke weed. They used the phrase ‘420 Louis’ referring to the Louis Pasteur statue (place) and 4:20 PM (time). Louis got dropped, but the 420 caught on. 

The rock band Grateful Dead was practising in San Rafael at the time, and the five students had access to the band as the brother of one of them was friends with the bassist Phil Lesh. The 420 code first spread in the Grateful Dead community. Later it became a pop culture phenomenon after being picked up by the High Times magazine.

Missing friends? Don't miss this

We are missing hanging out with our friends the same as you do. In this spirit, we are giving you a 15% off any of Elf Bread’s signature tobacco pouches. Simply use the code 4/20 at the checkout. To make this celebration of friendship even more awesome, if you use the 4/20 discount code, we will give your friend a 20% discount for any of our pouches*! This is all about friendship, and in case you cannot chill with your buddies right now, you can get them something else to make them smile! 

New to rolling a joint? Practice makes perfect, and we’ve got you covered: How to roll a joint: a guide for beginners.  

* The offer is valid for a year, until April 20, 2022. When you make a purchase using 4/20 discount code to receive 15% off, we will send you a personalised code for 20% off you can pass onto your friends.