The beginning of April is upon us, and for those in the cannabis community it is a special time of year. A day of the year we all try and get off but get weird looks from our managers, even when we tell them it is due to a family celebrated religious holiday (hey some of us worship that dank). That is right I’m talking about the most sacred of all holidays, 4/20.
As a cannabis connoisseur, there is a certain amount of prep that needs to go into the day to make the events special and worth remembering, just like Thanksgiving and Christmas, only this time you will not be with people who drive you to drink. In the past, we have discussed the origins of 4/20 and the world of hemp and CBD products (which you might want to have around to counteract the potential anxiety that can be caused by THC). This year, we will dice into how to prepare for 4/20 to make it as great a day of celebration as possible.
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The number one rule of prep for a great 4/20 is NEVER GO TO THE DISPENSARY ON 4/20! Sure, your local dispensary might be doing crazy good deals and having a little party with free food, but it is also their busiest day of the year. Long lines and wait times are sure to be expected, and there is always the possibility that the product or strain you are looking for will be sold out due to the high demand and time of year. Best thing to do is shop for what you will need a few days before, at the latest trying to purchase on the 18th. Most dispensaries will do month- or week-long deals for 4/20, and not just deals that day, so you can still get that sweet discounted bud.
Now that we have that out of the way, let us talk quantity. This all depends on how many people are joining you so plan accordingly. I would suggest making sure to have about an eighth ounce of flower per person or a quarter-half gram of wax, depending on the average tolerance of your company. This amount does not include enough for edible consumption. Remember, most people tend to try and consume an above average amount on this special holiday, so if you have a group of friends that smokes more and looks to push the holiday to the extreme, get more. If not, you will probably have some product left over for after 4/20, which is never a bad thing! If you want to make edibles (which having a fully medicated meals and desert is tradition in my household), make sure to pick up enough for your recipe based on your oil or other ingestion method.
Now it is time for the equipment you will need. Papers and/or wraps and an array of glass are required. Ask each of your friends coming to bring their biggest or most unique piece. Be sure to have a wet and a dry piece at minimum like a bong or bubbler and a standard pipe or steamroller. Maybe even visit a local headshop and check out the glass deals and see if you can score a nice piece for cheaper to debut on 4/20. Make your rolled items special by putting wax in them, getting a special wrap made from hemp or mint leaves, use a foot-long joint paper. There are endless possibilities. You could even have a bong/pipe building competition! Make sure to use heat safe materials that are not toxic or otherwise dangerous to your health! In other words, please do not, I repeat DO NOT, use tin foil or aluminum as your bowl. This competition plays well into our next category well, which is entertainment.
No 4/20 is complete without entertainment, after all, you need something to do after you get high. Make sure to have nice cannabis related background music for your day. A playlist consisting of Bob Marley, Pink Floyd, Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi, The Beatles, Afroman and songs like “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”, “Don’t Bogart Me”, and “Reefer Man” are essential. A stoner flick or two also tend to be an essential piece of the celebration, once everyone is couch locked. Ideal choices being Grandma’s Boy, How High, Cheech and Chong, and Half Baked. Having some sort of physical activity makes for a nice break from the day’s lazier activities and will help keep everyone awake. A nice walk through a park or even a game of frisbee are great ways to get everyone moving again. Finally, you could even make getting high part of your fun activities. Yes, it is already fun, but it can be made even more fun with friendly competition. Who can take the biggest hit? Who has the best smoke trick? Who can roll the best or most creative joint? Who can smoke a gram the fastest? Again, the possibilities only end where your imagination does.
Finally, you will need to make sure you are stoked on refreshments and munchies. Even if you plan on making medicated meals, it is always a good idea to have none medicated snacks and other food items around, since some people will not want the added high from edibles since they went to hard smoking. Drinks are also a must, and please, keep the alcoholic ones away just for today. They will not help you stay hydrated, can have negative effects when combined with cannabis, and your drinking holiday is every other holiday in existence pretty much, so one day without booze is fine.
That is pretty much all that you need to make your 4/20 a great day. Only things not mentioned where a safe place to consume and great friends to help you. 4/20 is a day of peace, love and dank buds, the sticky green kind and the kind that will laugh at your joke that is only funny since you have been smoking all day, so please, enjoy the day and do so responsibly.
