Central Valley prepares for the first legal 420, a 'high holiday' for marijuana
Mention 420 in a crowd and you'll probably get one of two reactions: a bemused stare or a grinning nod.
The term, known to marijuana enthusiasts as a reference to smoking pot, has spawned its own unofficial holiday by the same name each April 20 (get it, 4/20?). As California continues to expand its marijuana market thanks to the legalization of recreational use in January, the state is now preparing for its first-ever legal 420.
"We are expecting a big long line (Friday)," said Dona Washington, the owner of The Holistic Center dispensary in Empire. "I tell people it's like the Super Bowl and Christmas Day of the cannabis world."
Local dispensaries are planning for double the crowds and others are creating a party-like atmosphere with celebrities and free food giveaways. The state prohibits consumption or smoking of cannabis at all dispensaries. Instead, many storefronts are offering deep discounts and deals on their products that day.
"It's like Black Friday for dispensaries," said Benji Torres, a shift lead at NRC Holistic Health Services Clinic in north Modesto.
NRC is offering 30 percent off all its products all day long, except for its already discounted bargain basket. Modesto restaurant Redwood Cafe will have its mobile pizza oven on site to serve free pizza from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday.
And they aren't the only ones getting a jump on any potential munchies on the "High Holiday."
Medallion Wellness, on north McHenry Avenue, will hand out free hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and soda. They plan to pay the sales and excise taxes for all purchases that day — which comes in around 23 percent. Because they aren't legally able to give away free samples, they're selling $0.01 pre-rolled marijuana joints instead. And, if you purchase more than $10 in product, you'll be entered in a raffle for a 55-inch flat-panel television.
It remains illegal to smoke or consume cannabis in public across the state. The same goes for driving under the influence of marijuana, which is a crime — and dangerous: A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine found that traffic fatalities were 12 percent more likely on April 20 after 4:20 p.m. than on the same day one week before or one week after.
In response, AAA Northern California has extended its holiday Tipsy Tow program to include 420. Starting on 4:20 p.m. Friday and running until 4:20 a.m., the group will provide a free ride home and vehicle tow of up to 10 miles. You do not have to be a AAA member to use the service; simply call 800-222-4357.
The origins of 420 are, unsurprisingly, a little hazy. Some people swear it comes from the police code for marijuana use. Others say it was coined by students who got out of class at 4:20 p.m. each day and would then toke up. Some swear it's the number of active chemicals in cannabis.
Whatever the truth, 420 has morphed into a larger celebration of cannabis. In San Francisco, the day has been marked with the 420 Hippie Hill festival in Golden Gate Park since the 1970s. No such massive public smoke-out is planned for the Central Valley. But at Jayden's Journey and its affiliated Kase's Journey, in Modesto and Ceres respectively, the day will have celebrity appearances, specials and free food.
UFC fighter and Stockton-native Nate Diaz will appear at both locations throughout the day. Also, Vallejo-based rapper B-Legit, who is the cousin of and frequent collaborator with E-40, will celebrate the release of his new song about Jayden's Journey. Both the mixed martial artist and hip-hop artist will sign free T-shirts for anyone with a $100 or more purchase.
The Modesto dispensary on Pentecost Drive will close the parking lot for the festivities and will give out free tacos from 3 to 6 p.m. And products are 20 percent off all day at both sites. Jason David, CEO of Jayden’s and Kase’s, said last year the Modesto site had 900 customers come in on 420. This year, they are bracing for 1,500 to 2,000.
"It’s just a thank you to patients coming to us so long. Everyone loves Nate Diaz because he is a local fighter. Our patients get to say they hung out with Nate Diaz and B-Legit on 420. It's going to be a really fun day," David said.
This story was originally published April 19, 2018 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Central Valley prepares for the first legal 420, a 'high holiday' for marijuana."