+420

+420 is the dialing code for the Czech republic. "It's the country code for the Czech Republic." -Snoop dogg.

In 1971, five high school students – Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich – in San Rafael, California, calling themselves the Waldos because "their chosen hang-out spot was a wall outside the school", used the term in connection with a 1971 plan to search for an abandoned cannabis crop that they had learned about, based on a treasure map made by the grower. The Waldos designated the Louis Pasteur statue on the grounds of San Rafael High School as their meeting place, and 4:20 p.m. as their meeting time. The Waldos referred to this plan with the phrase "4:20 Louis". After several failed attempts to find the crop, the group eventually shortened their phrase to simply "4:20", which ultimately evolved into a code-word that the teens used to mean consuming cannabis.

Mike Edison says that Steven Hager of High Times was responsible for taking the story about the Waldos to "mind-boggling, cult-like extremes" and "suppressing" all other stories about the origin of the term. Hager wrote "Stoner Smart or Stoner Stupid?", in which he attributed the early spread of the phrase to Grateful Dead followers – after Reddix became a roadie for the Dead's bassist, Phil Lesh – and called for 4:20 p.m. to be the socially accepted hour of the day to consume cannabis.

So far the majority of you are incorrect.
420's origin IS known.
the term 420 originated at San Rafael High School, in 1971, among a group of about a dozen pot-smoking wiseacres who called themselves the Waldos, who are now pushing 50. The term was shorthand for the time of day the group would meet, at the campus statue of Louis Pasteur, to smoke pot. Intent on developing their own discreet language, they made 420 code for a time to get high, and its use spread among members of an entire generation.
So there ya go, someone's parents out there invented the term 4/20.
And remember this:
There are NOT 420 chemicals in Weed. It's about 315, the num. goes up or down depending on what you're smoking.
4/20 is NOT police code or Maryjane.
And that whole shit about Holland and 4/20 over there being "tea time" for smokers isn't true either.

I know my shit.

In 1971, a group of stoners at San Rafael High School, California, coined this word. It was originally 420 Louis, meaning they planned to smoke weed by the Louis Pasteur statue by their school (btw Louis Pasteur was a hygene expert just fyi) and they said it as like a code word so that they could talk about weed around their parents / teachers and they would not know what the hell they were going on a bout!!! They may have been trying to track down a hidden crop aswell, although that is a bit debated and may be in fact an urban myth. But hey, this is Urban Dictionary, so yea! And then the phrase gained use thanks to the Greatful Dead who publicised it in the 70s and 80s. Today, 44 years down the track, the Waldos are given full credit for coining the term and it still means weed. It is mainly used for fun, secrecy, ritual and protest. A lot of people who smoke weed have a lot of fun with this word, and nobody else really knows wtf they are saying! ... (except their hippy parents!!!!!!! lol oops!)

Common misconceptions point to crazy theories about weed but the truth is it is actuly a number between 419 and 421.

#420 is the greatest IRC channel ever. Popular topics are weed, food and smoking devices. #420 is home to the legendary bongcast.

420 is 42 the meaning of life some say but a 0 added to the end the 0 is post to show weed. 420 can be used to like smoke weed or something