It's become an important part of cannabis culture over the decades, but just where did it come from? 420, or four-twenty, is now known by most stoners and a way to communicate about marijuana in the presence of authority. Due to its growing popularity, police have caught on to the code but many parents, teachers, and other figures of authority have no idea of its meaning.
April 20th(4/20) has become a key date for potheads. On this date many of them gather and take part in their beloved ritual of consuming their favorite plant. Celebrations range from chilling at home smoking a doob to large scale festivals and concerts held at parks and public venues. Protests to reform marijuana laws have also beome a tradition for many on this day. Marches in Washington DC and other capitol cities have taken place on April 20th urging the US government to legalize or decriminalize cannabis.
Despite how many people celebrate on this occasion, very few people know exactly where it originated. There are several stories of how it came about but most can be easily disproved. Many say it's a police code for "marijuana smoking in progress". However there is no record of a 420 penal code in the US. Some say it is because Hitler was born on April 20th, or because that was the date of the Columbine shootings. While both of these events did occur on April 20th, neither of them are responsible for its use in cannabis culture.
One claim, which was even printed in High Times magazine and the LA Times, involves a group of California high school students in 1971. This group was known as the "Waldos" and they invented several terms and phrases that were known only to them. There was one term that seemed to catch on, and that was...you guessed it. 420! Every day after school, they would meet up at 4:20 pm by the school statue. From there they would go get high and cruise around. This story has come into acceptance with most credible sources but is still arguable.
Wherever it came, from its use today is more frequent than ever. Although its popularity may damage the discreetness of the term, millions now enjoy having a universal symbol for marijuana and its uses.
http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/smotpoking/articles/002.html
First of all, we believe that sex and marijuana use exist completely in the private realm of consenting and responsible adults. We realize, unfortunately, that many politicians see the bedroom and other private, individual activities as important areas for government legislation. We want to stress that sex and marijuana are for adults - or at least for individuals who have achieved a level of emotional & psychological maturity that is reflected in a balanced, productive life.
It is in the spirit of fostering debate about whether politicians should be "legislating their opinion of morality" that we chose to use the "Enjoy Better Sex" ad as part of our campaign. Given the deafening hysteria by conservatives about gay marriage and homosexual sex - not to mention marijuana use - we could not resist incorporating marijuana and sexuality in our Washington DC campaign. With 50 buses and 40 bus shelters displaying this ad around the capitol, we expect to further raise the hackles of America's "morality police."
Government prohibition policies prevent research into the medical benefits of marijuana, including positive connections between marijuana and sex.
Marijuana has been used in one form or another across many different cultures
as an
aphrodisiac for thousands of years. Marijuana has been used in India for at
least 3,000 years to increase libido and conquer impotence.
Clearly, marijuana use during sex varies depending on the individual and intoxication levels. For example, some people report an increase in tactile sensation, visual stimulation, and fantasy production. While others report that marijuana decreased their interest in sex, especially when the marijuana high overwhelmed the sexual experience.
Much of this information has been taken from "Marijuana and Sex: A Classic Combination" by Terry Necco, whose interesting and historically based article can be found here.
If you have more information on the link between marijuana and sex, please post it here or send the email to info@changetheclimate.org.
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Marijuana and Sex
Written by Paul
*This article does not support the use of marijuana, especially during pregnancy, and is made available for educational and informational purposes only.
The myths surrounding marijuana are seemingly infinite in number. This article seeks to clarify some common misconceptions surrounding marijuana's effects on the reproductive system. Because of the extensive amount of fabricated, misinformation surrounding this topic, this article includes a bibliography.
One of the most well known myths surrounding marijuana states that it damages human cell tissue. This myth is based primarily on the work of Dr. Gabriel Nahas. Nahas experimented with animal cells isolated in petri dishes. Nahas was able to show that cannabinoids (the primary intoxicating chemicals of marijuana) caused damage to these cells. But, he jumped to the conclusion and stated that the same thing would happen to cells inside a human body. His petri dish to human generalizations were later rejected by the scientific community as invalid (1). This same flawed study also brought about the false claim that marijuana causes chromosome breakage. The National Academy of Sciences has stated that, 'Cannabinoids are neither mutagenic nor carcinogenic (2).'
Another popular myth states that smoking marijuana causes reproductive system damage. In reality, there is no permanent change in reproductive function. Smoking marijuana has been shown to temporarily lower sperm counts in humans, but the sperm levels return to normal once marijuana consumption had ceased (3).
Another false claim states that marijuana lowers male testosterone levels. This claim is a scare tactic that is still widely used by the United States government. The hope is to scare boys/young men into believing that marijuana use would "turn" them into women. Low testosterone levels are associated with underdevelopment of the growing male body, a higher pitched voice, and slight breast enlargement. This theory has been challenged/refuted by several studies: Block, 1991; Mendelson et al., 1974; Coggins et al., 1976 (3). Significantly less information is available on the effects of cannabinoids on women. One study suggests that ovulation may be slightly disrupted due to marijuana consumption. Not one single case of impaired fertility has ever been recorded in humans of either gender due to marijuana (4).
One of the most controversial myths surrounding marijuana is the use of it during pregnancy. It is recommended that an expecting mother not use any drug. However, there is extremely little evidence implicating it in fetal harm (unlike alcohol, cocaine, or tobacco). Epidemiological studies have found no evidence of birth defects as a result of marijuana consumption. A study by Dr. Susan Astley at the University of Washington refuted an earlier work suggesting that marijuana might cause fetal alcohol syndrome.
Some debatable research suggests that prenatal marijuana consumption is linked to slightly lower birth weight and length. Another well-controlled study discovered that marijuana use had a positive impact on birth weight during the third trimester of pregnancy with no behavioral consequences evident in the child. Another study that followed expecting Jamaican mothers, who smoked pot throughout their pregnancies, found that their babies scored higher on developmental scores at the age of 30 days. These babies experienced no significant adverse effects on birth weight or length (5).
At the time of the writing of this article, it is debatable whether marijuana acts as an aphrodisiac or a sex drive suppressant. Marijuana affects different people in different ways. Some report an increased libido, while others report an inability to sustain an erection. Only time and more reliable research will tell. Caveat emptor.
http://www.sex-project.com/marijuana-and-sex.shtml