4/20 looks a little different when you’ve been a major part of the culture as long as Cheech Marin. Long before cannabis was mainstream, corporatized, or casually folded into brand campaigns and food promos, Cheech was, and still is, one of the OGs helping bring stoner culture into the American mainstream through comedy, film, and a kind of visibility that felt rebellious. That history matters now. In a landscape full of new brands trying to borrow credibility, Cheech doesn’t need to manufacture any. He lived through the eras when weed culture was more stigmatized, when it was less commercial, and far less accepted than it is today—especially when access was limited and the experience itself felt less defined.

His connection to cannabis didn’t stop with the movies, either. Decades after Up in Smoke became one of the defining stoner films of its era, Cheech & Chong eventually entered the legal market with their own cannabis and hemp products—turning a cultural legacy into an actual brand for a new generation of consumers. That evolution reflects how weed is consumed now: more formats, more control over the experience, and more ways to participate than ever before. So when his 4/20 sandwich with Jimmy John’s is called The OG, it lands as more than marketing shorthand. “OG” gets thrown around constantly now—on menus, hybridized strains, and product names—but in this case, it fits. Few names carry that kind of longstanding connection to cannabis culture the way Cheech does.

We exclusively asked Cheech to break it into four parts: the ritual, the products, the munchies, and how it all stacks up to the early days.

What does your ideal 4/20 actually look like from start to finish?

“First I wake up, consider smoking a bowl, and then depending on if I smoke or not, I play guitar and order an early lunch—my Jimmy John’s Dream Rotation Meal. I actually do that even if I smoke or not, really (laughs).“

What Cheech and Chong products are you reaching for this year, and what makes them part of your 4/20 rotation?

“I really love our Cheech and Chong High & Dry [5mg THC] drinks. They come in variety of different flavors, they taste really good and get you juuuuust a little high. Just enough so that you forget you had one, have another and then you get reminded.“

What’s your 4/20 munchies order?

“I get my Dream Rotation Meal of course… and it’s so perfect that I have to pair it with something not too sweet so I can enjoy all the flavors. I like it with water. Yeah, man that hits the spot.”

How has 4/20 changed for you over the years—and how do you feel about it now as a consumer and as a business owner in the space?

“At first 4/20 was a shortcut to see who our core was… it still is. It gives the cannabis community an identity. For me, it’s been about the same thing my whole life: making weed approachable, less intimidating, and more accepted.“

OG Selections to Choose From

4/20 With Cheech

For Cheech, 4/20 still serves the same purpose it always has. It’s a holiday for the stoners who get it, and an open invitation to the people who don’t yet. There’s a seat for everyone at the sesh. And that mindset helped turn Cheech & Chong into cultural shorthand decades ago, and it still carries through now—whether it’s in a 5mg THC can of High & Dry, a 2-pack of Cheech & Chong’s pre-rolls, or a sandwich order.

What’s improved over the decades is how easy it is to take part. The barrier to entry is lower now: more approachable products, more predictable dosing, and more ways to find your preferences. You can keep it light and social, or ease into it on your own terms—sip it or light it, whatever fits. Cheech seems to enjoy a little bit of both now. But his role in cannabis hasn’t really changed. He’s still doing what he’s always done, which is helping bring people in and making the experience feel less intimidating in the process. And on 4/20, that might be the most OG move of all.

Shoutout to Cheech Marin for blessing the 4/20 session with some 4/20 wisdom.