CULTURE
The History of The Newest Weed Holiday, 710
AD
The story about a chat room and an innovative thinker.
Published on July 10, 2016

We all know about the Waldos and 420. We’ve read the story, we know the spiel. But what do you know about 710?

July 10th, or 7/10, is the more recent holiday for cannabis concentrate, more specifically BHO. If you haven’t figured it out or need a reminder, 710 spells OIL upside down. Instead of the internationally historical 420 day devoted to grinding up some flower with friends, 710 celebrates all the dabbers taking some vape puffs off their rigs.

710, similar to 420, became viral really quickly. It started back in 2011 and has circulated throughout the scene for the past five years. But how did it become viral? Where did it even come from? When did it become viral? You take a mass movement of people culturally similar and accepting of this aspect, but you don’t really know what started it, what really got the ball rolling. But, you realize at some point, it’s everywhere. When does that point, that moment in which something becomes “viral,” really happen?

There were a few ominous urban dictionary claims that changed a couple times that devoted a 710 definition to national OIL day as well as some publications like Toke City and LA Weekly that mention 710, but there was still not a definite place of origin.  

For 710, we still don’t know, but we can get a pretty close guess. Mitchell Colbert explains a little history of what he found out about 710 through an interview with TaskRok. The article describes a lot of back and forth and communication trails, but after speaking with TaskRok, he concludes that Task, along with a few industry friends, started the 710 movement.  

TaskRok is a somewhat underground, Eminem-sounding rapper that is a huge cannabis advocator. His songs like "Boil that Oil" and "Hits from the Nail" describes how much better smoking oil is rather than lighting up flower:

I love my bong, I got a couple at home
But this little oil rig has got me stumbling stoned
And all it takes is a splash just to fill it
So the water doesn't stink, it's okay if you spill it
It makes me insane in the brain, I can feel it

According to TaskRok, Task and a few other industry friends were talking about different ways weed affects people on TinyChat back in 2011. They suggested they come up with a new time to take dabs as 420 was becoming too old school. Task was the one who suggested 710 because upside down it spelled oil. To further the proof of this change, TaskRok put out an album on July 10th, 2011 called The Movement, a call to action to create a 710 movement that would hopefully surpass the historical 420 time.

Before Task new it, 710 blew up. “Everything was becoming 710. There was a 710 Club, a 710 strain, a 710 cup, the 710 society, a Formula 710 cleaner, etc. It started becoming heavily commercialized,” Task tells Colbert in the interview.

Despite all the commercialization, TaskRok makes it very clear that 710 shouldn’t have ownership, it belongs to the people. He goes on to describe his purpose of creating the movement, “I wanted it to grow as a natural grassroots campaign, and I saw attempts at owning it would only prevent that.”

Instead of hitting a million likes on YouTube or Facebook, or paying for major marketing campaigns and digital connections, 710 became viral because of people-to-people interaction, due to a movement of culturally similar individuals who enjoy hitting the nail with their fellow stoners.

CONCENTRATE
HISTORY
ENTERTAINMENT
CULTURE
MORE...
Audrey Livingston
FOLLOW
A Texas native living in Boulder, Audrey Livingston enjoys writing about the essence of human nature, the developing medicinal cannabis industry and research-focused studies that,to anyone else, would seem extremely boring.
Share this article with your friends!
AD
By using our site you agree to our use of cookies to deliver a better experience.
Accept
Decline
MORE FROM MERRY JANE