By: Jess Bartell

High, hello, and welcome to Hot Tokes—instead of Hot Takes, we’re gonna talk about cannabis, so, it’s a Hot Toke™. You might know miss Mary Jane by other names besides ‘cannabis’—you might call her marijuana, weed, the Devil’s Lettuce, Jazz Cabbage, ZaZa, gas, grass, pot, or in Spanish, ‘Mota’—but at the end of the day, we’re all talking about (and toking on) cannabis.

***“4:20 comes twice a day, but 4/20 comes once a year.”***

Cannabis is “by far the most frequently used illegal drug in the world. Globally there are at least 150 million users annually”, but despite seemingly universal use and status of use around the world, there is no ubiquitous legal status. In December of 2020, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) voted to remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs—under the UN’s classification system, Schedule IV substances are considered the most dangerous and addictive drugs—placing Cannabis in the same class as heroin—a regulation rooted in racism, rather than research. With cannabis comes cannabis culture, and the counterculture subculture that comes with it.

“Across America, and the world, stoners and grassroots activists gather to protest the prohibition of pot, and to smoke up at 4:20 in public protest, and in celebration.”

This week is 4/20, the seemingly unanimous ‘stoner holiday’—but where did 4/20 come from? The most credible story is that of 5 teenagers in California who would get together at 4:20 in the afternoon after practice, smoke some herb, and look for a cannabis plant that the grower apparently left a treasure map for. Stephen Hager from High Times told the story of these teens, who called themselves the “Waldos”—when one of the 5, Dave “Waldo” Reddix became a roadie for the Grateful Dead’s bassist Phil Lesh. Over the last 51 years, 4:20 has become the time to toke up, and 4/20 has become a day of celebration, and a call to action. Across America, and the world, stoners and grassroots activists gather to protest the prohibition of pot, and to smoke up at 4:20 in public protest, and in celebration.

Like I said earlier, with cannabis comes the counterculture and culture of it. Being a ‘stoner’ is kind of a way of life. We also now have medical cannabis and cannabis patients which is amazing, but that isn’t the universal experience for all cannabis users, so I’m going to stay a little nostalgic and focus a little more on the more recreational use (but this doesn’t discount how I feel about cannabis as a medicine, so jot that down).

4:20 comes twice a day, but 4/20 comes once a year. This is a stoner’s (and their supplier’s) favorite day of the year. Snoop Dogg is a meme-ified Santa Claus for 4/20 (don’t forget to leave an edible out for Snoop Dogg the night before), Doritos and Taco Bell sales hit an all-time high (this is a joke, but, probably) as preparation for the inevitable munchies happens, and inexperienced cannabis-consumers under-prepare and over-consume. Here are some tips for a successful celebration of cannabis on 4/20, and ways you can help, or voice your opinion on cannabis prohibition.

Start your morning with a sativa strain (and a coffee or tea—nothing better for a wake’n’bake). Sativas are uplifting, energizing, and can help with a burst of creativity or motivation. I will warn that there can be some more anxiety with sativa strains for some, but there’s ways to help remedy that (see bullet 2).
If you’re feeling anxious after your smoke sesh, some CBD helps. Chewing on black peppercorns does too. Peppercorns contain Beta-Caryophyllene, a terpene that is also in Cannabis, that helps with anxiety and anxiety symptoms. Adding more of that terpene can help balance things out and decrease anxiety. Drink water, or a nice cup of herbal tea (peppermint works wonders).
Save edibles and indicas for nighttime. Edibles work differently because they’re processed through the liver, rather than the bloodstream—which is why they take longer to kick in. Don’t make the rookie mistake of eating a whole bunch of edibles, only waiting a little bit, and thinking that they didn’t work or you’re not high. You’re not high YET, but you will be. You’ll also likely be sleepier from edibles, too. Indicas are known for couch-lock and that heavy body high—so make the most of it and save it for nighttime and get cozy.
Don’t over-consume. I know that celebrating 4/20 feels like you need to try to out-smoke Snoop Dogg AND Wiz Khalifa, but you don’t. Space out smoke seshs, and wait for edibles to kick in—keep the high going all day, but it doesn’t need to be massive amounts. Trust me, your endocannabinoid system will thank you for it.

Join in the fight to release non-violent cannabis convicted inmates through The Last Prisoner Project. The Last Prisoner Project was founded in 2019 out of the belief that no one should remain incarcerated for cannabis offenses. They are a team of cannabis industry leaders, criminal and social justice advocates, policy and education experts, and leaders in social justice and drug policy reform working to end this fundamental injustice. They are committed to freeing every last prisoner of the unjust war on drugs, starting with the estimated 40,000 individuals imprisoned for cannabis.
Urge your state legislators to support a compassionate medical cannabis program through The Marijuana Policy Project. The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is the number one organization in the U.S. dedicated to legalizing cannabis. They've passed 14 medical cannabis laws, and have run winning campaigns and legislative efforts in 10 legalization states. No organization in the movement has changed as many cannabis laws, impacted as many patients and consumers, created as many new markets, or done more to end cannabis prohibition in the U.S. than MPP.

1. Sveinung Sandberg. 2013. "Cannabis Culture: A Stable Subculture in a Changing World." Criminology and Criminal Justice 13(1) 63-79.

2. United Nations. "SINGLE CONVENTION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS, 1961." SINGLE CONVENTION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS, 1961. New York: United Nations, 1961. 1-44.