The City of Santa Ana ranked the number four best city in which to get stoned according to LawnStarter’s 2023 Best Cities to Get Stoned study. They conducted the study because 420 Day is coming up soon.
In 1971, five high school students in San Rafael, California, used the term “4:20” in connection with a plan to search for an abandoned cannabis crop, based on a treasure map made by the grower. Calling themselves the Waldos, because their typical hang-out spot “was a wall outside the school”, the five students — Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich — designated the Louis Pasteur statue on the grounds of San Rafael High School as their meeting place, and 4:20 pm 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 “4:20”, which ultimately evolved into a code-word the teens used to refer to consuming cannabis, according to Wikipedia.
How does Santa Ana stack up when it comes to smoking pot? Here is Santa Ana’s rank in some key metrics (1st = Best):
- Head Shops per Square Mile – 3rd
- Average Number of Reviews per Recreational Dispensary – 5th
- Share of Recreational Dispensaries Accepting Debit Cards – 11th
- Number of Cannabis Consumption Lounges – 12th
- Number of Cannabis Events – 23rd
- Fast Food Lover-Friendliness – 34th
How does Santa Ana compare with other California cities (1st = Best)?
- San Francisco: 1st
- Los Angeles: 2nd
- San Diego: 9th
- Sacramento: 12th
- Pasadena: 46th
- Orange: 68th
- Bakersfield: 84th
To come up with our ranking, Lawnstarter compared over 100 of the biggest (and weed-friendliest) U.S. cities based on 17 metrics, such as access to top-rated dispensaries, consumption lounges, bud and breakfasts, and munchie relievers.
LawnStarter and 420 — what’s the connection? LawnStarter can mow your grass and get rid of weeds in your yard.
Marijuana use can have negative and long-term effects, per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
- Brain health: Marijuana can cause permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 points when people start using it at a young age. These IQ points do not come back, even after quitting marijuana.
- Mental health: Studies link marijuana use to depression, anxiety, suicide planning, and psychotic episodes. It is not known, however, if marijuana use is the cause of these conditions.
- Athletic Performance: Research shows that marijuana affects timing, movement, and coordination, which can harm athletic performance.
- Driving: People who drive under the influence of marijuana can experience dangerous effects: slower reactions, lane weaving, decreased coordination, and difficulty reacting to signals and sounds on the road.
- Baby’s health and development: Marijuana use during pregnancy may cause fetal growth restriction, premature birth, stillbirth, and problems with brain development, resulting in hyperactivity and poor cognitive function. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other chemicals from marijuana can also be passed from a mother to her baby through breast milk, further impacting a child’s healthy development.
- Daily life: Using marijuana can affect performance and how well people do in life. Research shows that people who use marijuana are more likely to have relationship problems, worse educational outcomes, lower career achievement, and reduced life satisfaction.
A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that legalizing marijuana can result in:
- A 16% increase in the probability of marijuana use
- A 12 to 17% increase in the frequency of marijuana use
- A 15 to 27% increase in abuse and/or dependence on marijuana
- And a 6 to 9% increase in the frequency of binge drinking
One study also found that approximately 3 in 10 people who use marijuana have marijuana use disorder, meaning that they are unable to stop using marijuana even though it is causing health and/or social problems in their lives, according to the CDC.
