Remember 420? That day where hundreds of Arcatans use to meet up in the community forest to openly smoke weed in defiance of state and federal prohibition?

Well, now that recreational weed is legal in California, gathering around a drum circle to get high on 420 is no longer a requirement. You can just go to the store, and that’s exactly what people did.

Dozens of recreational and medicinal cannabis users consistently lined the block outside the Humboldt Patient Resource Center in Arcata today, waiting up to 30 minutes for their chance to buy 5 cent joints among other holiday specials.

But now that recreational weed is legal in California, is 420 really still a thing?

LoCO hit the street to find out, asking these people in line what they thought about this year’s 420, and if the stoner holiday still has any real meaning behind it.

It’s definitely still something fun to do. I like hanging out and smoking with my friends. - Angelo Mondagon

Of course, there’s always the celebration part of it; sitting back and smoking with your buddies. - Chris Alt 

This year is okay. Next year it will probably get worse and become more of a Hallmark holiday. - Jake Langston

“Just look at all the People in Line.” - Morgan Brown

“What a time to be alive.” - Rosalind Laver

At HPRC, 420 has always been a day of appreciation for our patients, and now our customers. - Mariellen Jurkovich

Yeah, now it’s just accessible and a little more normalized. Look at the groups in this line. That’s what I love about the lines here. You’ll see everything from hillbillies, to grandmas, to gangsters. It’s humbling. - Scott Black