Cannabis Celebrations and Commercialization: The Evolution of 4/20

20 began as a code used by a group of high schoolers in 1971 to coordinate smoking marijuana and has since become a mainstream holiday celebrating the cannabis culture.
20 celebrations now include music festivals, food deals, pot shop discounts, and traffic congestion in cities like San Francisco.
Cannabis companies are offering sales and deals to boost revenue on 4/20, with some expecting sales to jump up to 1,000% compared to a typical day.
20 has become more commercialized and corporate-sponsored, a far cry from its countercultural roots.
While 21 states have legalized recreational marijuana, it remains federally illegal, highlighting the evolving and complex views around cannabis in the U.S.