Ask anyone who doesn't have an adolescent what "420" means, and they might think you need a new wristwatch. Yes, it's a time of day, but the term "420" also is a common reference for smoking marijuana.

The most widely accepted theory of "420's" origination is that in the 1970s, high school-age stoners in Northern California congregated at 4:20 p.m. daily.

"420" has evolved into an unofficial marijuana holiday.

Rather than celebrating such a "holiday," educators, law enforcement officers and health advocates want students to bungee and bounce their way to a sober and drug-free life choice at their annual anti-420 event -- 420 Remix -- A Celebration of Sober and Drug-Free Life Choices -- on April 20 at El Camino High School in Oceanside and at Carlsbad Village Academy in Carlsbad. Middle and high school students will participate in positive alternative activities after school, instead of smoking marijuana.

And school officials like Tim Ware, the Oceanside Unified School District's school intervention manager and one of the Oceanside event's sponsors, don't want students to attend a traditional lecture or health fair to educate them about substance abuse. By creating a carnival-like atmosphere for the teens, he and other adults want youth to experience a positive alternative to getting high, as well as educate parents about the risks of marijuana use.

Local research has revealed that marijuana, trivialized by many as a harmless substance, is the most widely used illicit drug among youth in San Diego County. Nineteen percent of San Diego County 11th-graders surveyed reported using marijuana in the past 30 days. Also, two-thirds of new marijuana users each year are between ages 12 and 17, while the number of eighth-graders trying marijuana has doubled in 10 years.

The marijuana that today's youth inhale is much more potent than what the baby boomers used in the '60s and '70s. Between 1995 and 2002, the number of marijuana-related emergency department visits in San Diego doubled -- to 1,174 mentions in 2002. Nationwide, marijuana was involved in 10 percent of emergency room visits related to recent drug use in 2004.

The 420 Remix event started in Carlsbad in the early 2000s, when counselors noted that several students in drug treatment relapsed on that day. Organizers hope that events like this will change societal norms and influence public policy, but above all, they just want kids to be, well, kids, and enjoy themselves for the afternoon.

Let's remix what 420 means to our youth. Together, we can change their perception that marijuana is not harmful. It's time to take back the day.

Victoria Carlborg is the media/prevention specialist with the Tri-City Prevention Collaborative at the Vista Community Clinic. Contact her at (760) 407-1220, Ext. 143 or at victoria@vistacommunityclinic.org.