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Cannabis Holidays to Celebrate Throughout the Year

April 20, 2021 Published by

We all know 420 as the quintessential stoner holiday. Even many people who don’t smoke very much have heard of the day; it’s globally recognized. But did you know there are quite a few other cannabis holidays, more quaint and less commercialized ones, that are very much worth celebrating?

So, mark your calendars, call your friends, and make sure you’re stocked up on all your favorite products when these cannabis holidays roll around.

To learn more about cannabis, and for access to exclusive deals on flowers and other products, subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter

420 – April 20th

First on the list, not because it’s the most well-known but because it’s chronologically first, is none other than 420. The origin of the term 420 can be traced back to a group of five teens from San Rafael, California, the birthplace of many industry trends and the current largest cannabis market in the world. The teens were appropriately nicknamed “the Waldos” due to their preferred hang out spot – a wall outside of their high school. In the fall of 1971, the Waldos got wind of a rumor that a Coast Guard planted some cannabis seeds there and was no longer able to tend to his field.

Every day after school, they would pile into one of their cars, have a little smoke sesh, and scour the Point Reyes National Forest for this legendary crop. Their daily meeting time? 4:20 p.m. They never did find the elusive crop (that likely didn’t even exist), but they did manage start a trend that would first take over their high school and soon reach global status.

The phrase “420” quickly spread around, especially with teens and young adults, because it allowed teens to talk about cannabis openly while their parents, teachers, and supervisors were none the wiser. Eventually, thanks to some attention from Grateful Dead and a simple flyer that read, “We are going to meet at 4:20 on 4/20 for 420-ing in Marin County at the Bolinas Ridge sunset spot on Mt. Tamalpais.” Once High Times printed the story, accompanied by a photo of the flyer, it was game over… 420 was officially a thing.

420 Deals – Best Delta 8 Products To Shop For Now!

420 Deals – Best Delta 8 Products To Shop For Now!

Jack Herer’s Birthday – June 18th

If you live in a legal or medical market, it’s not uncommon to find numerous strains with “Jack” in the name. Jack Diesel, Critical Jack, and Super Jack are all variants of the infamous sativa strain, Jack Herer. A lot of people, both consumers and those within the industry, know about the potent effects and robust flavor of this strain, however, many are unfamiliar with the man behind the strain.

After serving in the U.S. Army and moving to Los Angeles, California, Jack tried marijuana for his first time at the ripe of 30 years old. After falling in love with the plant and its effects, he quit his job and opened a head shop in Venice Beach, a mecca for art and hippie culture at the time.

By the 1970s, Jack Herer became a powerful presence in the movement to legalize cannabis. Herer spent a lot of time at the Library of Congress, reviewing decades of government-backed research on marijuana benefits and hemp fiber uses. He used this information for his 1985 book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, which marked a watershed in his career as a cannabis industry activist.

His book quickly became known as the “holy grail” or “bible” of cannabis knowledge. To this day it is still viewed as a classic and a must-read for anyone with any sort of involvement with cannabis. To commemorate his many strides in the cannabis industry, many choose to celebrate his birthday, June 18th, by lighting up a joint, bowl, or blunt in one of his legendary strains.

Heroes in Cannabis – Jack Herer: The Man Behind the Strain

710 – July 10th

For most people, July 10th is just another day; but in the cannabis industry, it’s a new-ish holiday to celebrate dabs. While most people view this as a very recreational form of using cannabis or hemp buds, many medical patients utilize it for the strong and fast-acting effects. Concentrates have anywhere from 50 to 90 percent cannabinoid content.

The exact origins of how this holiday came to be remain a bit hazy, but the date was picked for one simple reason: when you take the number 710, and flip it upside it looks just like the word “OIL”. The first documented 710 celebrations were back in 2012, when Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize recreational cannabis and thus, created The 7/10 Cup to showcase newly permitted concentrate products.

Current 7/10 celebrations consist of concentrate consumption, usually via a popular method referred to as “dabbing”. Concentrates come in many forms such as wax, shatter, and bubble hash, and you can get both THC and CBD varieties. A small amount of concentrate is loaded into a dab rig then heated with a blowtorch.

What’s the Story Behind the ‘710’ Cannabis Holiday?

CBD Day – August 8th

August 8th is celebration of cannabidiol specifically. Although it technically started as a marketing campaign, it’s grown to be nationally recognized as a day to spread awareness about the numerous health benefits of using CBD, arguably one of the most important cannabis holidays. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive so it’s primarily used in the wellness sector and there is even and FDA-approved medication, Epidiolex, that utilizes CBD as the main ingredient.

Although Epidiolex is only prescribed to patients with a few rare forms of epilepsy, CBD is used to treat a laundry list of different ailments including anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, nausea, and other neurological disorders.

CBD is legal in all 50 states and, according to a recent Gallup poll, 64 percent of Americans have tried it at least once or have some level of familiarity with it, and 14 percent of people use it regularly. For adults under the age of 35, it is the preferred treatment method for mental health disorders.

Celebrating 8/8 – National CBD Awareness Day – Why CBD is So Amazing

Cannabis Holidays – Final Thoughts

Aside from 420, what cannabis holidays will you be celebrating this year? And how do you plan to celebrate? Let us know in the comment section below and make sure to subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter for exclusive deals on flowers and other products.

Best Delta 8 THC Deals, Coupons and Discounts

Best Delta 8 THC Deals, Coupons and Discounts

The post Cannabis Holidays to Celebrate Throughout the Year appeared first on CBD Testers.

Finding the Balance Between Holiday Spirit and Commercialism this 420

April 19, 2021 Published by
When 420 began back in the early 1970s, it was simply a day for weed smokers to connect during a time when that wasn’t always an easy feat. April 20th was an underground stoner holiday that has long held a special place in cannabis tradition and lore. However, as cannabis continues to find its place in the mainstream, the quirky, light-hearted fun of 420 gave way to unchecked commercialism and has now become little more than a day to score deals if you’re a consumer, and sell extra products if you’re a business owner – it’s basically the Black Friday of the cannabis industry.

Some people don’t mind the trend, and for the sake of keeping it honest, I definitely love a good 420 deal myself. But deals aren’t everything, it’s important to remember the true meaning behind 420 – friends, oneness, and progress. Some companies and industry professionals have denounced the materialistic nature of modern-day 420, altogether and are hoping to take the holiday back to its carefree origins.

For more articles, follow us on social media and subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter. We also have exclusive deals on flowers and other products, for those of us still shopping for and participating in 420!

History of 420

The origin of the term 420 can be traced back to a group of five teens from San Rafael, California, the birthplace of many industry trends and the current largest cannabis market in the world. The teens were appropriately nicknamed “the Waldos” due to their preferred hang out spot – a wall outside of their high school. In the fall of 1971, the Waldos got wind of a rumor that a Coast Guard planted some cannabis seeds there and was no longer able to tend to his field.

Every day after school, they would pile into one of their cars, have a little smoke sesh, and scour the Point Reyes National Forest for this legendary crop. Their daily meeting time? 4:20 p.m. They never did find the elusive crop (that likely didn’t even exist), but they did manage start a trend that would first take over their high school and soon reach global status.

The phrase “420” quickly spread around, especially with teens and young adults, because it allowed teens to talk about cannabis openly while their parents, teachers, and supervisors were none the wiser.

Trends spread around high schools all the time, but how did the 420 become internationally known? That took some star power, for which we have the Grateful Dead to thank. The Waldos had connections with the Grateful Dead. Mark Gravitch’s father managed the band’s real estate and Dave Reddix’s older brother was good friends with Phil Lesh, the Dead’s bassist.

At a Dead concert during Christmas weekend 1990, High Times reporter Steve Bloom was handed a flyer that read, “We are going to meet at 4:20 on 4/20 for 420-ing in Marin County at the Bolinas Ridge sunset spot on Mt. Tamalpais.” Once High Times printed the story, accompanied by a photo of the flyer, it was game over… 420 was officially a thing.

The History of How 4/20 Came to Be

What 420 has become

Instead of a chill day to get together with your friends and enjoy the wonder that is dank weed, 420 has become a day to scroll the internet or local dispensary menus for the best deals. On average, cannabis consumers plan to spend just under $150 on 4/20 alone, which for most of them, is equivalent to or more than their typical monthly spending.

“I think brands that associate themselves with cannabis kind of get that contact high. In other words, they’re just considered to be cooler by association,” said Kit Yarrow, consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University. “As pot becomes more legal, more discussed, more interesting to people, more widely used, then 420 becomes more mainstream as well.”

This boost of “coolness” provided by cannabis translates into big money for companies that offer marketable products. Companies in the beauty industry can formulate a quick CBD lotion, offer it at a discount on 420, and they have a quick marketing campaign that can net thousands of dollars. It’s great when cannabis companies offer a token of appreciation to their customers which frequently comes in the form of a discount, but when everyone is trying to cash in on the 420 momentum, it can be a bit over the top. Some companies are choosing not to participate in the madness, and it is easy to see why.

One example is Scott Sundvor, CEO and co-founder of Space Coyote, a San Francisco-based infused joint maker who was thoroughly disappointed that what “started as a celebration of weed has degenerated into consumerism and bargain hunting at dispensaries,” he mentioned in a Forbes interview. He says that his company is encouraging consumers to be “less retail-obsessed” this holiday season. “This 420, we encourage everyone to get out in nature, light up a joint, and enjoy their day and this beautiful plant to the fullest.”

Evelyn LaChapelle, a program associate at the Last Prisoner Project, a nonprofit focused on cannabis criminal justice reform, believes 420 is a distraction from more important priorities. “Before going to prison I celebrated 420 with the rest of the thousands of people who celebrate every year,” she said. “After prison I realize that thousands of people around the country celebrate cannabis while 40,000 people still sit in prison for cannabis. The legal industry must do something to right this wrong.”

Overall, I think people are just tired of this “money rules all” society that we have become, and they’re searching for some deeper on many different levels. How you enjoy your free time certainly counts.

The Marijuana Conspiracy and the Strangest Experiment in Modern History

Speaking of Black Friday…

Similar trends are starting to happen in the retail world as well, with many companies beginning to boycott black Friday. Over the last couple of years, Apple, Costco, Crate & Barrel, IKEA, Nordstrom, Sam’s Club, Staples, and many other retailers are rejecting Black Friday in response to the “discount creep” that has quickly led to deals starting on Thursday, Thanksgiving of all days.

Some people refer to it as “Black Friday Eve”, “Black Thursday”, or “Gray Friday,” but many are somewhat disturbed by the blatant materialism being displayed on a holiday when we are supposed to give thanks for all that we do have. It’s irony to the max.

It is an incredibly smart and practical move on the companies’ parts, marketing masquerading as anti-marketing. On the surface, it’s a boycott that directly disadvantages them. However, it is viewed publicly as a “brave” and “moral” stance, so people who feel the same way about Black Friday are then more likely to support these companies. A study conducted by the research firm MarketLive found that roughly 65 percent of consumers “hate or dislike” the trend of retailers opening stores on Thanksgiving Day, and only 12 percent firmly support the idea of it.

Debunking Some of the Most Common Misconceptions About Cannabis

Final thoughts

Again, deals aren’t a bad thing. They’re actually wonderful in my opinion – I’ll be stocking up at my local dispensary and we’ll have some amazing deals in our newsletters as well, but it’s important to remember they’re not everything. The real purpose of this holiday is togetherness among fellow stoners, so call up a friend, take a walk in nature, volunteer somewhere or get involved in your local cannabis activism community; whatever makes you feel like you’re truly seizing the holiday. Take those deals you get and share them with a loved one!

What are your plans for 4/20 this year? Drop us a line in the comment section below and make sure to subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter to make sure you don’t miss anything this April 20th!

Best Delta 8 THC Deals, Coupons and Discounts

The post Finding the Balance Between Holiday Spirit and Commercialism this 420 appeared first on CBD Testers.

Happy National CBD Day to Our Readers!

August 8, 2019 Published by

Back in 1971, when a group of cannabis enthusiasts calling themselves “The Waldos” met daily after school to search for a famed cannabis crop in the woods, they had no idea how significant the term “420” would become in later years. But what about National CBD Day on 8/8?

The number “420” has been synonymous with cannabis culture for some time now, although many people don’t know the origins of the term. There are a few different versions of the 420 story, but the real story dates back to 1971 in San Rafael, California. It was down to five high schoolers – Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich who went by the name of “The Waldos.”

Why did they go by that name, you ask? Because the team of friends would hang-out by a wall outside their school, where they hatched an intricate plan to track down and locate some abandoned cannabis.

It’s a great story, as the five friends had in their possession what was alleged to be a treasure map from a cannabis grower. This map was supposed to lead to a stash of abandoned cannabis. The Waldos made the now-infamous Louis Pasteur statue near their school their meeting place. They also arranged to meet daily, as scheduled, at 4:20 in the afternoon. The plan to find the stash was called “4:20 Louis” but when it failed the Waldos dropped the name to simply “420”.

 

There are undoubtedly other versions of the 420 story. No matter what the roots of the phrase, National 420 Day takes place annually on April 20th since 2018. There’s also 7/10 (July 10) which is Cannabis Oil Day for some. That number originated because 710 read upside down looks like the word oil. But what about National CBD Day? And when did it become a thing?

National CBD Day takes place once a year on August 8th, hence 8/8. The number has no cute backstory like the others but is the brainchild of one of the most prominent players in the CBD industry, cbdMD, based in North Carolina.

They even applied to the National Day Calander to have National CBD Day instituted “officially.”  The company receives around 20,000 applications each year for new national holidays, but not all are approved. Each application goes before a four-person committee who decide whether or not to approve the holiday.

Back in 2018, cbdMD’s application for National CBD Day was approved, and set for August 8. As the CEO of the company, Marlo Anderson explained, CBD “has quickly swept the nation, prompting experts to finally acknowledge the significance of the all-natural supplement.” Obviously, these new holidays are not official by any means and are simply a marketing tool to energize various industries or fields.

According to Anderson, National CBD Day has shot to popularity around the world beyond all expectations. Anderson expects around 100 million people will be aware of National CBD Day 2019. In any event, for those who enjoy CBD, whether medicinally or recreationally, National CBD Day is a great idea. Some want to celebrate, for example, moving from prescription medications to the natural benefits of CBD.

If you’re planning to celebrate National CBD Day this year, or even if you’re not, make sure you look out for 8/8 deals from CBD vendors online as they’ll be offering discounts.

One way to do so, if by subscribing to the CBD Deals Weekly newsletter, below:

The post Happy National CBD Day to Our Readers! appeared first on CBD Testers.