420 tradition? Don't do it

Watch the campus crime logs. April 20 could be a busy day. From the Daily Nebraskan, this story about the tradition of "420."



Sunday is a well-known, illegally celebrated day.April 20th, or 420, is a day marked for marijuana lovers across the globe to stop what they're doing and celebrate bong rips, blunts, joints and any other form of activity that results in participants getting stoned.There are a lot of myths surrounding the origins of 420 - pronounced four-twenty and never four hundred and twenty. However, when it comes to information about all things dope, Steve Hager is one of the most respected scholars. Hager, a retired Drug Enforcement Agency agent and current editor and chief of High Times magazine, has investigated how April 20 became the most important day in cannabis culture and told the Daily Nebraskan his findings in an interview on April 19th of last year. Hager's research says 420 originated at a high school in San Rafael, Calif., in 1971."There were six guys with a map to an abandoned pot-patch," Hager said. "They met at a statue at 4:20 p.m."After that, Hager said the group began meeting frequently at 4:20 to get high. Use of the term exploded and is used around the planet to reference getting high. However, just because cannabis-culture enthusiasts may use the day as an excuse to go on an all-out ganja binge, weed smokers shouldn't expect to receive any slack from police officers."We realize that the day is recognized by a lot of marijuana users," said Jim Davis, education officer for University Police. "We'll be more vigilant on that day."Davis said UNPD will be on the lookout for suspicious activity. Technically, there is no law that prohibits people from being high. The act of getting high and having marijuana or drug paraphernalia on your person is cause for a citation. Davis said if a stoned person is "doing something illegal" they could be placed in Detox for either 24 hours or until a clear-headed friend picks them up.Driving stoned can also lead to a person being arrested for driving under the influence. Davis said if a person is pulled over and the officer rules out alcohol use, yet suspects the driver may be under the influence of another substance, he or she will call for a drug recognition expert, or DRE, to test the suspected stoner. There are several cues, usually found during an eye test, that the DRE will look for, Davis said.University Police have one DRE on staff but can also contact one from Lincoln Police if necessary."If there is ever a day when we are going to be looking for (marijuana smoking), it will be that day," Davis said. "Be safe, just don't do it.
"RYANBOETEL@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM