As the students of Granite Bay High School begin to trickle into school after a relaxing spring break, there is a major date to mark on the calendars of not only students, but parents.

April 20, a day dedicated to the Cannabis plant.

Originating in Central and South Asia, the Cannabis plant is more commonly known as marijuana, tree, pot, weed, bud or purp skurp.

With around 779 strains of marijuana, according to theweedblog.com, there is more than enough of the drug to go around for this near religious holiday.

While it has been used for thousands of years, the recreational use of marijuana is a rather new trend in comparison to its existence.

The origin of 4/20 began in the San Rafael area of California in 1971, an area with an abundant Grateful Dead  following. However, originally, marijuana was consumed at the time 4:20, not the date 4/20. Teenagers who called themselves the Waldos would venture from around the city to the Louis Pasteur statue outside of San Rafael High School at 4:20 p.m. Gathering in large numbers, the teens would search and struggle in several attempts to find marijuana. After miserably failing, the “Waldos” gave up, but insisted on using the code “4:20 blaze it” as code for “let’s go smoke some reefer.”

Since the conception of the event, the idea has spread to several countries, from Asia to Europe and around the world.

“I have no clue how 4/20 started,” said a GBHS junior boy who requested to remain anonymous. “But I can tell you how I’m gonna start 4/20. Meet up with some friends, pack a couple bowls after school and then then we’re gonna shmer shmer (smoke marijuana) a couple times, then pick up a few cheesy gordita crunches, a few quesaritos, and some chalupas from Taco Bell. Enough munchies to feed a family of ten.”

According to junior Alex Dailey, even those who don’t smoke can feel the impact of 4/20.

“Although I don’t smoke, the holiday has become one of the most well-known events of the year,” Dailey said.. “Even people who don’t smoke know the circumstance of the holiday and reconsider trying marijuana on 4/20.”

While last year’s event happened to fall on Easter Sunday, this year is slightly less religious. Last year, many people were with family and unable to consume the fruits of the forbidden tree. This year, 4/20 falls on a Monday, perhaps replenishing the possibility to smoke an obscene amount of marijuana for smokers and “nonsmokers” alike.

Last year, Colorado, the first state to legalize recreational marijuana use, made history with their 4/20 celebration. Over 80,000 people traveled to Denver’s Civic Park for a marijuana culture festival. Although publicly smoking is still a crime, only about 25 people were given citations out of the massive attendance.

Because the holiday has turned into such a huge production, the parents and administration have an increased awareness of the possibility of teenagers under the influence.

“There is something special about the high you get from smoking on this specific day,” said an anonymous GBHS sophomore boy. “It’s not so much because of the date, but the thought of how many people are blazing at the same time. It’s a beautiful thing.”