“Are you ready to 710 this year?” read an automated text message I received yesterday from a local dispensary.
Then another. “Celebrate the new holiday with us!” it urged.
A few hours later, one more.
“7/10 holiday deal! Concentrates and cartridges on sale all day long!”
Today, the messages kept coming—and for a hyped-up holiday I had never even heard of before. I’m willing to out myself as totally clueless in order to answer some questions for those of you who are also clueless about the origins of 710 and how to best celebrate it.
What is 710?
Celebrated on July 10, it’s a relatively new holiday in which the cannabis community celebrates dabbing and concentrates. Viewed upside-down, the numbers “710” look like the word “OIL,” which is where the name came from. Hash “oil” is simply another term for potent forms of extracted marijuana like wax, dabs, or concentrates.
How did the 710 holiday originate?
This is where things get a bit unclear. No one has claimed to be the forefather of the holiday in the spirit of the Waldos and 4/20, but the term was initially spotted on Urban Dictionary in 2010. The Leaf Online talked to Daniel De Sailles, the owner of Top Shelf Extracts and a founder of the Secret Cup, a “710 community event” with music, camping and dabbing.
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“Task came up with 710, period,” De Sailles told them, referring to Taskrok, a rapper affiliated with Highly Educated.
So they talked to him. Taskrok explained that he originally told his story in a 2012 Facebook post, which went something like this:
“710 (at least the 710 buzz that has grown today) was started in TinyChat with me (and some friends.) They suggested we make a new time to take dabs at as they didn’t really resonate with 420 anymore. I was the one who suggested 710 because it clicked in my head that it spelled oil upside down.”
In the comments of the post, he clarified that the name didn’t belong to him alone. “I don’t want to try to own it though,” he wrote. “It belongs to the community now.”
A year earlier, Taskrok also worked with DJ Linus Stubbs to release an album called “The Movement,” a mock-petition to move the time of 4:20 to 7:10 and appreciate dabbing. It features aptly named songs like “7:10” and “Boil that Oil.”
How do people celebrate 710?
As mentioned earlier, events like the now defunct “Secret Cup” were thrown in recognition of dabbing. But before Colorado and Washington were among the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in as early as 2012, many were intimidated by the process. Understandable. It involves a blow torch and extremely high heat.
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But now, the surging popularity of vape pens, or vaporizers makes it easier than ever to enjoy concentrates. Depending on if you live in a state where it’s legal, many dispensaries use the holiday to their advantage as a marketing ploy, holding happy hour events with munchies and beverages. This year, the Stranger even called the holiday “legal weed’s 420,” which makes sense, as it’s a more niche way to consume marijuana in a time when it becomes more widely accepted. As many as 10 million people have used the hashtags #710, #710society, #710community and #710life for celebratory posts of themselves smoking and showing off their dab gear.
It’s simple. All you have to do is take a dab or a hit from a vape pen, appreciating the alternate form of consumption. Dabbing’s not your thing, you say? Then let other people have their fun. Or, perhaps you’re interested, but would rather ease your way in. Try cooking with canna-butter.
Have comments on this article or questions about cannabis? Ask GreenState or send inquiries and tips to amanda.bartlett@sfchronicle.com