Knowledge is power.
Human beings are complicated. There is no better proof than the online dating sphere. The most interesting thing about Tinder profiles is that you can be whoever you want. Annoying Orange could have a bio and people would still be unfazed. But ‘bios’ are as far as their “chill” goes. Once you own the orange and its layers start coming off, people begin to lose their minds. Being able to decode the dating language is imperative if you do not want to end up with a rotten orange.
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Every time somebody brings up the subject of love in today’s day and age, some grandmother from the 60s starts to possess me. Sherlock has solved less clues than people looking for love online. It’s like Hansel and Gretel’s trail. If you don’t do it right, you’ll end up with a witch. (Witch here is symbolic of evil, and not a wicked woman. BACK OFF, OKAY?)
In this post, we’ll discuss everything there is to know about 420 friendly dating. It is a sign that literally means ‘marijuana/cannabis friendly’. Let’s look at how this term came to be a defining motif in conversations.
Suggested read: 12 Dating Apps Other Than Tinder Which Aren’t A Total Waste Of Time
Myths About 420
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I choose not to begin with the origin not only because I’m evil, but also because the myths around this subject fascinate me to no end. A slight context is important before we delve in, though. The term ‘420’ can be read as 20th April, since it is the fourth month of the year. It can also mean ‘4:20’ on the clock. Having brushed over these basic concepts, let’s see what the world makes of it.
1. Hitler’s birthday
The Fuhrer was born on 20th April, 1899. But I fail to see how his birth could possibly be connected to marijuana. I mean, of course his reign was like the worst trip humanity has been on. Also, when I read about the Holocaust, it does seem like some drug-infused dream very far removed from reality. However, I hate to admit that 420 has nothing to do with Hitler. He was very very real.
2. If you plant weed on 20th April, it will bring a bountiful harvest
No, love. I hate to break it to you. That’s not what this is about. Any time is a great time for weed. Also, seasons vary from place to place at any given point of time.
3. ‘420 friendly’ means ‘open to anything’
You wish. Technically if you try finding love online, then you have to be open to all possibilities. For all you know, the 25-year-old you’re speaking to could turn out to be a 56-year-old retail worker. I’m not saying that is any less attractive, though. You do you.
However, that’s technically not where this term comes from.
Where Did The Term ‘420’ Come From?
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A group of students called themselves ‘Waldos’, because they liked hanging out around a certain wall. Marijuana being illegal had to be spoken of in the ‘hush hush’. So, they devised the term ‘420’ since they smoked up at 4:20 in the afternoon. Soon this term spread like wildfire, and the stoning community would use it to scope out products, ask if they looked high, call out to somebody who looked stoned, etc.
What It Means On A Dating Profile
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Let’s put our Sherlock hats on and decipher some clues, aye?
1. They smoke pot
This is the most obvious inference. If somebody has ‘420 friendly’ written in their bio, it means they’re into drugs. It’s a polite disclaimer, in case you should have a problem with it. If you do, and in fact, go ahead with the match, refrain from giving them a tough time on their habit. People, especially the young ones, do not like being lectured on their choices. Yes, it could be destructive. Yes, it’s probably causing them a lot of harm. But most of them will only block you out if you mention it. I am a huge fan of learning by experience. I strongly believe that you cannot learn from the mistakes of another person, and must make some of your own in order to grow. So, if you do swipe right on a 420 friendly dating profile, don’t object to their habit. They’re being honest enough to give you a fair warning. Respect it.
2. They want a partner who indulges too
This is highly probable. A marijuana-enthusiast could want their date to partake in the activity too. There’s nothing like tripping together. It isn’t wrong to want to lie under the stars with your lover, seeing the universe explode in the sky. Often, it becomes a little difficult to smoke with somebody who never does. It might seem okay for the first few times, but it gets awkward later. Think about it. You get drunk and make an utter fool of yourself in front of your sober friend(s). It seems normal once or twice. But it’s ridiculously embarrassing as a habit. So, it is natural for stoners to wish to date people who can indulge in the same recreation.
3. They are okay with you smoking even though they don’t
I used to be this person, so I kind of understand the mentality that goes on behind this. Possibility#1: You’re surrounded by stoners, and it’s ridiculous to hope for both a good human being, and a non-stoner, in one body. Possibility#2: You genuinely don’t mind the smoke, or the smell. You have been around smokers, and you gel well with the species. Possibility#3: You’ve witnessed the constant discrimination and prejudice against stoners, and want to publicly announce that you are not as thick-headed.
Suggested read: 12 Essential Things You Should Know About Dating A Transgender Person
Other Ways To Figure Out If They’re ‘420 Friendly’
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1. Ask them
I don’t know why this never occurs to people. Possibly because it could be offensive? But what have you to lose? I mean, you swipe left once and they’re forever removed from your horizon. Instead of playing a guessing game, and placing your affections on a prince-like toad, just ask them. Are you afraid because it’s illegal? Well, nobody is putting you behind bars for asking an innocent question. What if they get offended? Then I guess it just tells you something more about them, doesn’t it?
If my mother had continued solving the clues of my father’s affection, then they would never have gotten married.
I mean, you have nothing to lose. Just ask the godforsaken question.
2. Regular bloodshot eyes and fatigue
If you’re not going to ask them, this is the best clue. If your partner is regularly tired, and arrives with bloodshot eyes, then they’re probably high. Or pregnant. (I’m kidding. Sorry.)
This is the biggest tell-all sign. One that has been selling kids out to their parents for over decades now. Be a little observant of how your partner behaves and looks. You’ll have solved the mystery in no time.
3. The smell
Everything smells, I’m sorry. I know you spend a lot of money on perfumes, deodorants, Orbits, et al. But there’s always some part of your body you miss. For the longest time my friends chewed Orbits to hide the stench of cigarettes, but it always got in their hair, their clothes, their fingers. Like the lipstick from an extra-marital affair, the odor creeps into places you do not notice. So, keep your nose out for any smell you do not recognize. Tobacco, weed, marijuana, etc. have a very defining scent of their own. It is stupidly easy to recognize it even in a crowded room.
4. Incoherent conversations
It is no surprise that substance intake messes with your brain. This isn’t a moral judgement I am passing here. It is the absolute truth. I mean, Coleridge wrote an entire poem about a floating dome while he was high. If your date speaks rubbish very often, then it could mean one of two things: a) They’re an idiot. In which case, you should send them back to school. b) They’re very very high.
There is a third scenario too where your date is mentally retarded and requires clinical help, in which case you should feel terrible for having judged them at all.
There are several other methods you could use to find out if they’re stoners. Some of them include, calling out the BS when they pass off a joint as cigarette, or, interrogating them about huge chunks of money that goes missing every month. However, I genuinely think you’re smarter than that. I mean if they’re spending unusual amounts of money without giving you a proper explanation as to where it’s going, you might not want to be with a person like that, irrespective of their smoking habits. On the contrary, actually, they could be secretly investing in a wedding ring. I wouldn’t know. I’m the last person you should look to for impromptu relationship advice. My entire life is one big research expedition.
Suggested read: 10 Compelling Reasons Why Taking A Break From Dating Will Help You Find ‘The One’
Now that you know what 420 friendly dating is all about, I wish you luck in the gamble that the dating world is.
Beyond green leaves, white powder, or the absence of it all, I hope whoever you end up with, makes you happy.
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