Some States Are Replacing Their 420 Mile Markers With 419.9 Because Stoners Won't Stop Stealing Them

BOISE, Idaho – If you’re looking for milepost 420, you won’t find it in Idaho. Idaho transportation officials say the mile marker has been replaced with 419.9 signs to curb thieves eager to own a number associated with marijuana enthusiasts. Turns out, Idaho isn’t alone in this problem. States like Washington and Colorado have also replaced 420 signs with 419.9 after consistently having to replace them after thefts by supposed sticky-fingered stoners. Adam Rush of the Idaho Transportation Department says officials have replaced the old sign along U.S. Highway 95 with “MILE 419.9,” just south of Coeur d’Alene. Rush added that this is the only 420 sign the department has replaced in Idaho, a state known for its strict anti-marijuana laws despite being nearly surrounded by states with relaxed pot regulations. Most highways in the country don’t cover more than 400 miles. For example, Oregon has been spared the spike in sign thefts due to having no highways long enough to reach past a 400 milepost, even though it recently legalized marijuana.

This is a good idea in theory but it’s not going to work in the real world.  The state of Idaho and other states that do this are actually making their situation worse instead of better.  The stoners are gonna be all riled up about the 419.9 sign.  More stoners are going to try and steal the 419.9 mile marker than were originally trying to steal the 420 mile marker.  The reason being that these states have turned it into a “thing” and a novelty now.  They’ve made it a limited edition item and everybody is gonna want to get their sticky icky paws on it.  Having a 420 sign in the apartment is so yesterday.  A 420 sign isn’t edgy anymore.  Now the only thing cooler than having a 420 mile marker hanging in your apartment if you’re a stoner is having a 419.9 mile marker hanging in your apartment if you’re a stoner.  If they had just kept replacing the 420 sign every time then eventually everybody who wanted one would get one (or everyone would get bored with it) and it’d be done with.

PS- There’s a “Trent Street” near my apartment and, if I wear 8ish years younger than I am right now, I totally would’ve stolen that thing by now and put it up in my place.  Instead now that I’m an adult I have a framed Tommy Boy movie poster hanging up.