# It's 4:20, don't bogart that Straight Dope! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830 "2003-04-20T09:45:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hertzsogood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f05b48/32.png) [@hertzsogood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hertzsogood)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/1 "2003-04-20T09:45:13Z")
In honor of it being April 20th, can anyone get away from their Cheetohs long enough to explain whence the term “4:20” came up to signify the best time to partake in recreational smokables? Disclaimers: 1. I tried to search to see if this came up, but “4:20” is too short and there were way too many hits for “marijuana” to sift through on my crappy dial-up connection (you people take the name of this place to heart, it seems). 2. I am also not advocating that anyone actually partake unless they have a prescription from a licensed physician which makes it quite legal. 3. If in spite of my best efforts, this post is horribly wrong, well, it’s my first time. Be gentle with me. -Hertz ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/2 "2003-04-20T09:49:57Z")
[Snopes is your friend.](http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/420.htm) One big urban legend is that “420” refers to the police code for marijuana use (just like how “187” refers to murder). Merely a legend, however… according to the article, it started with a bunch of kids in San Rafael, CA, who just happened to get in the ritual of lighting up at 4:20 PM. Kind of an unspectacular origin, really. I was expecting something with a little bit more action, adventure, and romance. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/3 "2003-04-20T11:51:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*Kind of an unspectacular origin, really. I was expecting something with a little bit more action, adventure, and romance. \*\* You expect action and adventure from potheads!? What have you been smoking, man? ---
**Author:** ![Palve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Palve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palve)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/4 "2003-04-20T12:01:32Z")
I’ve got this uhh friend and he uhh knows about this subject somehow and I uhh asked him and he said **SPOOFE** is right about the group of San Rafael high school students. Anyways, happy uhh Easter. ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/5 "2003-04-20T12:09:25Z")
What were we talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Friendly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr\_Friendly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Friendly)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/6 "2003-04-20T13:27:27Z")
there’s also about 420 chemicals in cannabis i think. in the Grey Area of amsterdam they have a clock where its always 4:20… :0 ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/7 "2003-04-20T15:07:37Z")
Maybe because 4:20 is snack time?? ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/8 "2003-04-20T16:26:25Z")
Bogart? Bob ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/9 "2003-04-20T17:03:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by urban1z \* > **Bogart?** > [@](#): > > [**bogart** Verb. To selfishly hold on to (something). Jocular usage, heard amongst smokers of cannabis/marijuana. E.g.“Come on Tim, don’t bogart that joint, we all want to get stoned sometime tonight.”](http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/b.htm) ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/10 "2003-04-20T17:12:32Z")
**Bogart** : the term originated due to the many movies in which Humphrey Bogart would be seen holding a cigarrette, but not actually smoking. Not something you want your freinds to do when yer all sitting around on the beanbag chairs. Also, there was a song, I disremember who by: _Don’t Bogart that joint, my freind Just pass it around…_ ---
**Author:** ![Palve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Palve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palve)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/11 "2003-04-20T21:08:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr\_Friendly \* > \*\*there’s also about 420 chemicals in cannabis i think. > in the Grey Area of amsterdam they have a clock where its always 4:20… :0 \*\* From [http://www.420times.com/420times/420school/420/index.shtml:](http://www.420times.com/420times/420school/420/index.shtml:) > [@](#): > > Though it is believed that 420 is either police code for pot-smoking in progress or the number of compounds in tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC, the stuff in marijuana that gets users high), it’s neither, police officers and scientists say. > > Instead, it’s simply the time of day a group of San Rafael High School students known as “The Waldos” set as their after-school marijuana meeting time back in 1971. ---
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/12 "2003-04-20T23:52:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by that\_darn\_cat \* > \*\*Also, there was a song, I disremember who by: > > _Don’t Bogart that joint, my freind > Just pass it around…_ \*\* It’s called “Don’t Bogart Me”, by the Fraternity of Man. It appears on the [Easy Rider soundtrack](http://us.imdb.com/Soundtracks?0064276). ---
**Author:** ![jujuju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@jujuju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jujuju)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/13 "2003-04-21T00:08:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by that\_darn\_cat \* > [BAlso, there was a song, I disremember who by: > > _Don’t Bogart that joint, my freind > Just pass it around…_ \*\* [hijack] my dad (an old hippie) used to sing that about my first son: _don’t bogart that baby my friend, pass him over to me…_ [/hijack] well, if hs kids can make up 4:20, i want credit for beer-thirty (beer:30): after working on home projects for most of the day, it is beer:30. doesn’t matter what time of day, just as long as someone asks ‘what time is it’ , you can respond ‘beer:30’, put down the rake, and grab a beer! ---
**Author:** ![jujuju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@jujuju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jujuju)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/14 "2003-04-21T00:14:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by that\_darn\_cat \* > [BAlso, there was a song, I disremember who by: > > _Don’t Bogart that joint, my freind > Just pass it around…_ \*\* [hijack] my dad (an old hippie) used to sing that about my first son: _don’t bogart that baby my friend, pass him over to me…_ [/hijack] well, if hs kids can make up 4:20, i want credit for beer-thirty (beer:30): after working on home projects for most of the day, it is beer:30. doesn’t matter what time of day, just as long as someone asks ‘what time is it’ , you can respond ‘beer:30’, put down the rake, and grab a beer! ---
**Author:** ![mcbiggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@mcbiggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcbiggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-4-20-dont-bogart-that-straight-dope/169830/15 "2003-04-21T00:53:54Z")
Dude, High Times has the answers you need! [http://www.hightimes.com/htsite/lounge/content.php?page=lounge\_02080718&tpage=1&cmnt=](http://www.hightimes.com/htsite/lounge/content.php?page=lounge_02080718&tpage=1&cmnt=)